Research progress to date

1. Why are post 12 year old students with special education needs who have attended mainstream schools seeking admission to special schools?NABMSE Annual Conference & AGM,15th October, 2010Dr. Aine Kelly & Catherine Devitt, MSocSc., Research Department, St. John of God Hospitaller Services.

2. Research progress to date • Phase 1, September 2009: data collection & completion of analysis: Principal questionnaire • 71% - response rate of applicable schools • Interim Report, December 2009 • Phase 2, February – July 2010: data collection & qualitative analysis: interviews, focus groups • A sample of special ed. teachers, students and parents • Phase 3, August – Nov 2010: synthesis of Phase 1 and 2 findings Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

3. A Survey of Special Schools in Ireland: A prevalence rate of enrolment of post-12 year old students who have attended mainstream schools and reasons for seeking admission to special schoolsPhase 1

4. Phase 1: Response Rate Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

5. Principal responses– reasons for leaving mainstream (N= 54) Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

6. Principals - difficulties in mainstream (N= 54) 80-90% agree that: • ‘parents have difficulty finding a suitable post-primary school’ • ‘the transition from primary to post-primary is stressful for student’ • ‘mainstream curricula does not meet students’ needs’ • ‘students’ often feel segregated/isolated from peers’ • ‘the student’s behaviour was disruptive to teachers’ • ‘difficulties in managing students’ with a dual diagnosis’ (70%) Additional supports required in mainstream: • 32-39% - curriculum adaptation, behavioural support, & more parental involvement’ • 25-28 % - assistive technology, peer support, home school liaison support, and counselling support Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

7. Phase 2Results from student & parent interviews & special school teacher focus groups

8. Phase 2: Sample Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

9. Why could mainstream education not support students? Academic, social & behavioural related reasons

10. What are the academic related reasons? • Students (N=12) • Difficulties with homework, too much… a nightmare… very hard • Difficult subjects, e.g. Geography, History, English, Maths • Removed from class or sitting on their own in class • Parents (N=13) • Academic/conceptual learning gap (4th, 5th, 6th class) • Didactic teaching methods & difficult subjects, inflexible timetabling • Difficulties around homework, length of time • Exclusion from class mates/class environment • Lack of parents’ understanding of child’s academic needs • No IEPs & lack of student centred approach to assessment • Lack of specific supports for specific needs Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

11. What are the academic related reasons? Special school teachers (N=25) • Curriculum difficulties in mainstream: inability of students to cope • Number of subjects & large class size • Inflexible curriculum & pressure to meet requirements • Lack of support in mainstream: • Inappropriate teaching methods for student needs • Learning by rote vs. concrete learning • Poor language acquisition, literacy & comprehension • Student needs not identified- left unaided Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

12. What are the social & behavioural related reasons? • Students (N = 12) • Being excluded or upset at behaviour of peers e.g. mocking • Not always able to participate in social activities e.g. PE • Fear of reporting & gaps in support mechanisms to deal with exclusionary behaviours • Did not want to talk about friends, passive and avoidant behaviour • Parents (N = 13) • Difficulties around social inclusion & how child is accepted socially • Ability of child to communicate and be part of the group • Over-reliance on SNA support Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

13. What are the social & behavioural related reasons? • Teachers: • Students often feel isolated from their peers & lack friendships with a loss of self esteem/self image • Students’ awareness of their own difficulties impacted on relationships with peers • Lack of resources, training, and adequate response to deal with behavioural issues • Students with behavioural and social issues are kept too long in mainstream schools • Parent fears of social problems in mainstream post-primary level Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

14. Isolation & loneliness Sense of failure Behind in schoolwork Sense of difference from others Display of disruptive behaviours Impact on learning Teacher reflections: understanding students’ vulnerabilityin mainstream classroom Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

15. Would you have liked your child to have stayed in mainstream education? Parents (N = 13): • Yes = 6, would have liked child to stay in mainstream, but • Special school was best place for child • Gaps in supports available in mainstream • No = 5 not in favour of post-primary mainstream level • Apprehensive = 2 parents • parent not included in the decision to send her child to special school • apprehensive about special school Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

16. Why could mainstream not support the student? • ‘Initially, we had a lot of problems with trying to get a resource teacher or SNA … So we spent, I suppose for the last eight years, while he was in mainstream, fighting for one thing or another.’ • ‘I suppose the school probably wasn’t adapted to the fact… they never had a child with a [x] difficulty… maybe they weren’t adapted to the fact of how to deal with it’. • ‘When I met the new teachers, I’d get this blank look, ‘I don’t know anything about special needs, I don’t know anything about autism’… you’d feel ‘aw, here we go again’. • ‘The reason we decided to send him here…. In mainstream ….. secondary school there is no facilities to facilitate children with special needs’. Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

17. Adjustment to special school Parent, student and teacher difficulties

18. Student adjustment difficulties Student quotes: • ‘It just felt weird… the first day I came, I didn’t know where to go or anything’ • ‘Not good, because my best friend Brian was there [in mainstream school] and I never see him much. My mammy gave me days off because I was really nervous…’ • ‘When I first moved here, I came into class and everyone just stared at me’ • ‘It was difficult trying to fit… then the names, I kept forgetting them, now I know them all…’ Teachers view: • Students lacked basic classroom skills e.g. hand up, taking turn in circle time, timetabling • Some academically behind in reading, writing and comprehension • Challenging behaviour Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

19. Parent adjustment difficulties • Difficulties around the time of transition e.g. acceptance, gaps in supports • Understanding & acceptance of child’s academic ability • Anxiety & concerns about their child in special school – academic, behavioural & emotional progression, suitability of special school, social inclusion • Concerns around their child’s future e.g. further education, employment, available supports Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

20. Recommendations Parents, Principals and Teachers

21. What would make the transition easier for special schools? • Principals - in the school • Earlier application e.g. previous school year & more adequate time for student preparation • A transition policy • More supports needed, e.g. MDT supports, home-school liaison post • Teachers - in the classroom • Access to full information about the student • Briefing period with new students • Specific training for specific needs, e.g. Autism, ADHD managing CB • Managing range of needs in class - SNA support very NB • Informal support & regular meetings with colleagues & MDT staff • More planned time for admin, curriculum & class planning • Parents • More parental support and more information about the options available Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

22. What consideration should be given to students with special needs in mainstream education? Principals: • A review of academic curriculum in mainstream • A review of mainstream support structures Teachers: • Further training of mainstream teachers in specific skills for teaching students with special needs • Earlier and continuous assessment of students in mainstream Parents: • Improved assessment technique • Access to MDT support and more 1-1 support • More parent and student involvement in decision making Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

23. Emerging Issues • Planned support for the transition, from primary to post-primary • Formal & systematic e.g. gradual introduction, dual placement, induction period • Further development of indicators for ‘at-risk students’ in mainstream schools • Formal assessments: Earlier & more regular assessment of students - Between 2nd & 4th class - undiagnosed problems • Informal assessments: e.g. homework & observation in school environment • Individualised planning, e.g. IEPs could support this process Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

24. Emerging issues • Promotion of benefits of special schools • More parent inclusive • Pathways to educational, employment and independent-living • Development of Outreach Policies • Parent involvement in mainstream education • Communication of the school inclusion policy • IEPs – beneficial in involving parents Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services

25. Enhancement of partnerships between special schools,mainstream schools & community Partnership initiatives aimed at: 1. .. Creating more opportunities for special need student interaction with mainstream school peers 2. .. Supporting the transition process 3. .. Shared teacher expertise and knowledge e.g. behaviours that challenge and disrupt classroom learning 4. .. Shared teaching practices e.g. access to curriculum thro. adaptation & technology & concrete methodologies 5. .. Special School Outreach Policy 6. .. More inclusion of parents –in their child’s education experience Research Dept., St. John of God Hospitaller Services