Project Overview
Introduction
Code of Ethics
Research Objectives
Key Research Questions
Methodology
Outcomes
Research Team
References
Project IRIS (Inclusive Research in Irish Schools) is a three year longitudinal study which will provide an in-depth study of special and inclusive education in Ireland. Project IRIS was commissioned by The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and is the most extensive piece of research into how special educational needs are provided for in Irish schools. Irish policy on special needs and inclusion is articulated clearly within many government publications and the EPSEN Act (2004) provides the statutory support for developing highly inclusive educational environments for children with disabilities and/or SEN within Irish schools. The main focus of NCSE’s work to date has been on ensuring that students with special needs have access to schools and in making sure that students receive appropriate teaching and other resources to meet their needs. To date, no detailed work has been done to examine the impact of those resources on their education.
The research will examine the way in which school policies and practices in primary, post primary, and special schools impact on the educational experiences of students with special needs. The researchers will explore how the curriculum is delivered to those with special educational needs and the way in which resources and support services are used by schools. The application and outcomes of individual education plans for the students will also be evaluated. This national overview of SEN provision in Ireland will be gathered from multiple perspectives. These include, amongst others, students with SEN from primary, post primary and special schools, their parents, school management teams, classroom and school-based practitioners, support personnel and allied professionals, SENOs, and a range of SEN/Disability groups across the country. The results will allow for informed judgements about the impact of provision and the outcomes at a number of levels including system, school and individual.
Specifically, the study will consider a number of issues critical to the development, implementation, and outcomes of effective provision for students with special educational needs. These include:
- The current resource allocation model;
- Identification and assessment issues;
- Models of within school support;
- Inter-agency working;
- Models of transition between school phases; and,
- A framework for evaluating academic, social and administrative outcomes.
- What are the educational experiences of pupils/students with a variety of SEN in the classroom in different cycles of education and school type?
- How do school policies and practices impact on this experience?
- How is the curriculum applied and delivered to these pupils/students?
- How does the school use special educational resources and other support services in providing an inclusive education?
- How are individual education plans developed and applied?
- How does the school interact and coordinate with other stakeholders and the community in the delivery of education, e.g. health professionals?
- What are the outcomes (including formal and informal outcomes) and associated benefits and drawbacks for the pupil/student from their educational experience?
The project will utilize a mixed-method design involving both qualitative and quantitative data. The rationale for this design is to draw from the strengths and to minimize the weaknesses of adopting a single approach to the proposed study (Creswell, 2002). Its strength is that it combines the advantages of both forms of data and increases the acceptance of findings and conclusions by stakeholders. This mixed approach allows for triangulation, complementarity, and expansion (Greene & Caracelli, 1997). The triangulation enables researchers to test the consistency of the findings; complementarity allows for the clarification and illustration of the focus groups and survey results through interviews and case studies and has the potential to add in-depth information on the views of the participants. Expansion provided richness and detail that adds breadth to the proposed study and more detailed data that address the research questions.
Data collection is structured in a number of phases over the three years. Specific procedures include a survey questionnaire, focus groups and individual interviews, and case studies within a selected group of schools and data will be collected from multiple perspectives. Critical to the research will be evidence based on first-hand experience.
On completion of this research, NCSE will be in a position to make recommendations in relation to:
- Resource allocation;
- Developing models of inclusive learning environments;
- Establishing a framework for individual education planning;
- Responding to identified gaps in provision;
- Supporting parental input to educational provision;
- Strengthening collaboration between education and health sectors;
- Establishing appropriate opportunities for professional development; and,
- Identifying requirements for further data in respect of specific areas of special educational needs provision.
The project will be carried out by an international collaborative team drawn from three major research institutions, The University of Northampton UK., Trinity College Dublin, and The Institute of Child Education and Psychology Europe. The team is composed of Prof. Richard Rose (University of Northampton), Dr. Michael Shevlin (The School of Education, Trinity College, Dublin), Dr. Eileen C. Winter (ICEP Europe), and Mr Paul O'Raw (ICEP Europe). This team will be supported by a group of experienced and highly qualified researchers during the three year period.
A Steering Group, set up by the NCSE and made up of key service providers and service users, will also provide input and guidance to the research team during the course of the project.
Creswell, J. (2002). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.). New York: Sage.
Greene, J. C., & Caracelli, V. J. (1997). Defining and describing the paradigm issue in mixed-method evaluation. In J. C. Greene & V. J. Caracelli (Eds.). Advances in mixed-method evaluation: The challenges and benefits of integrating diverse paradigms (pp 5-18). New Directions for Program Evaluation, No. 74. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Project IRIS is governed by a code of ethics which ensures that all research activities are carried out to a high quality standard and that participant's and their data are fully protected. The Code of Ethics is available for viewing by clicking here.
