Are Pupils with disabilities being adequately supported in Gaeltacht Primary Schools: the professionals’ perspective?

Abstract

This study researched the adequacy of supports available to pupils with disabilities in Gaeltacht schools, from the perspectives of professionals working work them daily, SNAs, teachers and principals. Through a critical analysis of literature in the research area, the researcher hoped to gain more information and address the following questions: • What are the social, emotional and academic benefits and challenges of inclusion in mainstream primary education and for pupils with disabilities? • To identify what challenges students with disabilities, encounter when attending a mainstream school. • To find out what impact and affect providing an inclusive education to students with disabilities has on the school and other students in the class. • To examine and analyse benefits and challenges of providing an inclusive education system. • To gain an insight into the challenges teachers and SNAs encounter when teaching children with disabilities in a mainstream primary Gaeltacht schools. The researcher engaged in a qualitative research method using interview questionnaires. This approach enabled the researcher to gather data and gain a better insight into the views and perceptions of professionals’ working with pupils with disabilities operating through the medium of the Irish language. There were social, emotional and academic benefits identified as a result of children being integrated and educated together in an inclusive learning environment. This concurs with the researchers own personal experiences from attending a mainstream Gaeltacht school with a special class attached over thirty years ago. There were however many shortcomings identified through the research mainly as a result of inadequacy’s at a macro level in government ranging from lack of psychological assessments leading to a lack in supports being allocated to schools for pupils with disabilities. Other areas identified were long delays for speech and language and audiology services. There were many recommendations suggested in the research, from additional supports for pupils with disabilities who are struggling academically being at the forefront and the need for more SNAs and teaching assistants in schools to enable greater inclusion for all.