More Children With Intellectual Disability Attend Mainstream Schools

Posted on: 03 March 2016

The right to education for all children – including those with intellectual disability – is enshrined in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In addition, since 2004 in particular, education policy in this country has advocated for greater inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. So how have these children fared?

Now a team from Trinity College Dublin, University of Ulster and the Health Research Board have completed a study entitled ‘A Decade of Change in Mainstream Education for Children with Intellectual Disabilities’ which examines the period from 2003-2013.

Ireland is uniquely placed for the purposes of this longitudinal study as it possesses a national database of children with intellectual disability in receipt of specialist support services.

Key findings:

• Data shows that higher proportions of children with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities attended mainstream schools rather than special schools, as had traditionally been the case.
• In 2003 16% of children with an intellectual disability attended mainstream school; in 2013 this figure had risen to 27%.
• There is considerable regional variation – whether a child is placed in mainstream as opposed to special school depends on geography. This is probably explained by the fact that a lot of special schools are concentrated in the Dublin and Eastern Health regions.

One of the researchers on the project, Professor Michael Shevlin from Trinity’s School of Education, commented: “Findings from this type of study need to be carefully considered in the context of understanding the expectations of parents and young people who have an intellectual disability for educational provision that equips them to live independent lives and make a contribution to their community.”

Dr Sarah Craig of the Health Research Board added that: “This research shows the value of tracking, over time, the profiles of the young people currently in mainstream educational settings so that their continuing need for supports and services are highlighted.”  

This 10-year study will enable policy makers and education stakeholders to assess the success or otherwise of government policies.

• ‘A Decade of Change in Mainstream Education for Children with Intellectual Disabilities’ has just been published in the European Journal of Special Needs Education