Is Ireland at a Crossroads of Inclusive Education?
Keywords:
Inclusive Education, Inclusion, Special Educational Needs, SEN, Capacity-Building, New Model of Special Education Teacher AllocationAbstract
This paper seeks to critically reflect on inclusive education in Ireland 2020 exploring whether Ireland is at a crossroads of inclusive education. Matters regarding legislation, policy and classroom practices are outlined and critically discussed. A host of changes in the field of Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision are detailed, including the move from a medical to a biopsychosocial model of SEN and the use of person-first language. Furthermore, the recent advancements in Ireland from integration to inclusion and towards a capacity-building model are discussed, in light of the new model for special education teacher allocation (Department of Education and Skills, 2017a). While these present as significant advancements, there are also many challenges to inclusive education in Ireland that still need to be considered. Such challenges relate to the role of special schools and special classes in our system and the dichotomy between differentiation and a Universal Design for Learning framework within classrooms. Moving forwards, suggestions are outlined related to using formative assessment in the classroom, a more flexible model for educational placement and a greater focus on capacitybuilding within school settings.
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