Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools

Recommendations

Info

Executive Summary The Departments of Health and Education should jointly consider and put in place appropriate practical arrangements to enable students with complex special educational needs, including ASD, to be transported: • To and from respite care settings to school, on the same basis that they are transported from their homes and • Pending the full roll-out of the Progressing Disabilities policy – to alternative special schools and classes where the HSE cannot provide therapy supports for a student in his/her local school. The NCSE is aware of the increasing use and importance of technology in the education of students with ASD and the emerging evidence that supports its use. For example, some students with ASD have difficulties with verbal communication and are primarily visual learners. Therefore they increasingly use mainstream technologies such as tablets to augment their communication and learning. We believe teachers need appropriate training in how to use the technology, what technology has been shown to be effective in teaching students with ASD and when it is educationally appropriate to use it. Consistency is also required across educational settings in what technology (including software) can be funded and made available. Technology is constantly developing at a tremendous rate and it is really difficult for teachers, students and administrators to keep up to date with the latest upgrades. The Middletown Centre for Autism should be requested and funded to research technology (including software etc.) and to compile and update a list of technology shown to be effective in teaching students with ASD. As part of their overall training programme in ASD, teachers in specialist roles and positions should receive training in technology aided instruction for use with students with ASD. The Middletown Centre for Autism should be requested and funded to research, compile, maintain and update a list of technology (including software) shown to be effective in teaching students with ASD. Throughout the consultation process parents expressed considerable concern and anxiety about what they perceived to be a lack of appropriate planning for and/or post-school provision and support for students with ASD, especially those with more complex needs. The NCSE considers it is now timely for the relevant Departments to conduct an examination of the post-school provision and supports that should be available to ensure students with more complex special educational needs, including those with ASD, have the opportunity for meaningful post-school options and that no one falls between services. 10 Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools – NCSE Policy Advice 2015
Executive Summary The relevant Government Departments should jointly review their respective policies for post-school options for students with special educational needs, including ASD, to ensure they have access to a full range of meaningful post-school work, educational and other placement opportunities. Extended school year (July provision) The extended school year, also known as the July provision scheme, is much valued by parents. During this work, it became clear that it was mainly valued because it provided day-time breaks for parents and families and a structured day for students. However, we found the scheme was not meeting its original purpose to minimise the potential for academic regression by extending the academic programmes for one month. We could find no basis in research for a scheme which provided this level of support for students on the basis of a diagnosis of ASD alone. We consider such a scheme could be open to challenge on equality grounds as research suggests that students with significant intellectual disability would also benefit from an extended school year. We found its conditions could potentially lead to risky and dangerous environments for students where new staff is recruited who are not familiar with the students’ behavioural or medical needs. Students with ASD are often upset by staff and/or other changes in their familiar school routines and environment and this can result in challenging behaviours on the part of some. School principals reported finding it extremely hard to recruit teachers and SNAs to the point where it is becoming increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to continue to operate the scheme. This leaves the NCSE in a difficult position. On the one hand, we do not want families to lose what they consider to be such a valuable resource. On the other, we are unable to recommend that the scheme continues for reasons as outlined above and more fully in the report. Discussions are urgently required between the Departments with responsibility for education, health, social protection and any other relevant Departments, to develop a national day activity programme that provides a structured, social environment for students with complex special educational needs for one month of the summer holidays. Given the importance of parental support for any national scheme, parents should be consulted in the development of the programme. In the meantime boards of management (in the case of school-based provision) and parents (in the case of home-based provision) should satisfy themselves that adequate supervision arrangements are in place to ensure the welfare and safety of students and staff participating in the scheme. Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools – NCSE Policy Advice 2015 11
Page 1: Supporting Students with Autism Spe
Page 4 and 5: © NCSE 2015 National Council for S
Page 6 and 7: 2.3 Developing Knowledge, Skills, U
Page 8 and 9: Index of Tables Table 1: Increase i
Page 10 and 11: Abbreviations ABA ACCS ADHD APP ASD
Page 12 and 13: SEN SENO SENCO SERC SESS Severe EBD
Page 14 and 15: Executive Summary Executive Summary
Page 16 and 17: Executive Summary The NCSE is pleas
Page 18 and 19: Executive Summary School-aged stude
Page 20 and 21: Executive Summary Developing teache
Page 24 and 25: Executive Summary HSE Multidiscipli
Page 26 and 27: Executive Summary Schools therefore
Page 28 and 29: Introduction 1. Introduction Under
Page 30 and 31: Introduction • A continuum of edu
Page 32 and 33: Introduction In Ireland a prelimina
Page 34 and 35: Introduction Provision 2001 2014 Ty
Page 36 and 37: Pre-School Children and School-Aged
Page 72 and 73:
Pre-School Children and School-Aged
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Appendix 1: Summary of Previous Rel
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Appendix 2: Historical Context and
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Appendix 3: List of Special Schools
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Appendix 4: The Consultation Proces
Page 152 and 153:
Appendix 4: The Consultation Proces
Page 154 and 155:
Appendix 5: List of Interventions A
Page 156 and 157:
Appendix 5: List of Interventions P
Page 158 and 159:
Appendix 6: List of Recommendations
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Bibliography Bibliography Agency fo
Page 170 and 171:
Bibliography Carr, J.E. and Firth,
Page 172 and 173:
Bibliography Eikeseth, S., Smith, T
Page 174 and 175:
Bibliography Harchik, A., What is t
Page 176 and 177:
Bibliography Mannion, A., Leader, G
Page 178 and 179:
Bibliography New York State Departm
Page 180 and 181:
Bibliography Reed, P., Osborne, L.A
Page 182 and 183:
Bibliography Special Residential Se
show all

Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?