Changing policy and legislation in special and inclusive education: a perspective from Northern Ireland

Abstract

It is now 15 years since the signing of the 1998 Belfast (or 'Good Friday')Peace Agreement which committed all participants to exclusively democratic and peaceful means of resolving differences, and towards a shared and inclusive society defined by the principles of respect for diversity, equality and the interdependence of people. In particular, it committed participants to the protection and vindication of the human rights of all. This is, therefore, a precipitous time to undertake a probing analysis of educational reforms in Northern Ireland associated with provision in the areas of inclusion and special needs education. Consequently, by drawing upon analytical tools and perspectives derived from critical policy analysis, this article, by Ron Smith from the School of Education, Queen's University Belfast, discusses the policy cycle asso- ciated with the proposed legislation entitled Every School a Good School: the way forward for special educational needs and inclusion. It examines how this policy text structures key concepts such as 'inclusion', 'additional educational needs' and 'barriers to learning', and how the proposals attempt to resolve the dilemma of commonality and difference. Conceived under direct rule from Westminster (April 2006), issued for consultation when devolved powers to a Northern IrelandAssembly had been restored, and with the final proposals yet to be made public, this targeted educational strategy tells a fascinating story of the past, present and likely future of special needs education in Northern Ireland. Before offering an account of this work, it is placed within some broader ecological frameworks. bs_bs_banner PERSPECTIVE FROM NORTHERN IRELAND

Affective issues impacting children with dyslexia in a special school in Ireland

“…The data support the findings from previous studies, which also highlight the socio‐emotional benefits of Irish reading schools (Casserly and Gildea, : Casserly, ; McPhilips and Shevlin, ; Motherway, ; Nugent, , ). The fact that the children did not feel ‘stressed’ or ‘nervous’ offers a point of reflection for practitioners, particularly in terms of teacher understanding, classroom resources and organisation (Barton, ; Brown, ; Florian and Rouse, ; Smith, ). This understanding could be aided by listening to children and what they have to say about things which may make them feel ‘stressed’ or, indeed, ‘nervous’.…”

“…Therefore, they need to reflect on ways to ensure that ‘all learners participate and achieve’ (EADSNE, , p. 10). This process of reflection, beginning at the stage of initial teacher education, has the power to transform practice (Smith, ; Smith and Barr, ) and to include all children. Furthermore, this reflection should incorporate ‘students’ expert insights on their own experiences so that teachers and researchers may be in a better position to provide appropriate pedagogically and socially aware learning experiences to young people’ (Flynn, , p. 162).…”

“…It appeared that the attitude towards impairment in previous settings had an impact on how the children viewed themselves. As inclusive education is for all teachers, all learners and all teacher educators (EADSNE, ; Smith, ), it is imperative that practitioners are encouraged to be open and innovative. In doing so, the number of children considered to have ‘special needs’ due to impairment may be reduced as what is deemed beneficial for some may, in fact, benefit all (EADSNE, ; Florian and Rouse, ).…”

“…This definition is appropriate to studies pertaining to dyslexia as very often these children exhibit low confidence levels when tackling new tasks (Armstrong and Humphreys, ). These higher levels of self‐efficacy and self‐concept in special schools offer a challenge to mainstream educators to provide a high‐quality and appropriate education addressing all learners’ affective needs, and not just those with dyslexia (Florian and Rouse, ; Smith, ). This could begin with a process of authentic listening, where children's rights are acknowledged (Flynn, ).…”

Contradictions as Drivers for Improving Inclusion in Teaching Pupils with Special Educational Needs

“…How inclusion should be implemented is not fully explained, however, and there is no clear definition of the concept (Allan, 2014;Allan & Slee, 2008;Ainscow, Booth, & Dyson, 2006). The definitions that exist derive from policy-and culture-driven interpretations (Engsig & Johnstone, 2014;Smith, 2014;Schwab et al, 2015;Sharma, Loreman, & Macanawai, 2016). The term integration has traditionally been used to describe the placement of SEN pupils in mainstream settings, following some adaptation and with extra resources (Visley, 2003).…”