Special Educational Needs

A Guide for Inclusive Practice

Lindsay Peer, Gavin Reid, Lindsay Peer, Gavin Reid

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781526492197
• eBook ISBN: 9781529737424
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Inclusive Education

This guide to inclusive practice covers contemporary policy issues, perspectives from practice and specialist guidance from across a wide range of common syndromes. Bringing together the important combination of theory, knowledge and practice, each chapter is written by experts from fields within Special and Additional Educational Needs.

This third edition includes new chapters on:

- The current context of SEN current context: in research and practice

- Speech, language and communication

- The role and use of technology in supporting learners with SEND

- Pathological/Extreme Demand Avoidance (PDA/EDA)

- Working together

- Children and Young People's Perspectives

Providing a solid foundation for understanding and supporting learners with additional needs, thiscomprehensive text is ideal whether you are a student, teacher or education practitioner.

1 Introduction

Gavin Reid

Lindsay Peer

The rationale for this third edition is very much encapsulated in the quote from the late Baroness Warnock, who provided the foreword for the first two editions of this book.She indicated that ‘too often, policy makers tend to think of children with SEN as one homogeneous group, for whose difficulties there can be one appropriate solution. Any teacher working on the ground knows that this is not the case’. This we feel clearly encapsulates the rationale behind this book. We have provided a wide spectrum of chapters on ‘special and additional learning needs.’ The range of these chapters reiterates the words of the late Baroness Warnock who indicated that essentially we need to focus on the individual needs of the child and formulate a detailed and individualised profile for these children as well as providing the protection and impetus for development through government and education authority policy and practices.

As we indicated in the previous edition, the field of Special Educational Needs (SEN) has undergone significant changes in the last quarter of the twentieth century and the first two decades of this century. These changes in policy, perception and practice have interwoven with national and international movements in inclusion, equity issues and social equality. It has been and continues to be a vigorous and dynamic area for research.

There is no doubt that the Warnock Report of 1978 and the subsequent legislation that followed the report paved the way for the ensuing developments that have had a considerable impact on policy and practice. Much has been achieved in the public recognition of children’s rights and those of families, with successive legislation – such as the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years (Department for Education and Department of Health, 2014) in England and more specifically the Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland.

One of the key breakthroughs in developing student advocacy is integral in the SEN Code of Practice, which now covers students aged 0–25 and emphasises the responsibility of schools to assess and support all learners who are not making progress in line with national expectations. This means that schools, colleges, universities and other training providers now need to develop the skills of specialists within their teams. In England, the Education and Health and Care Plans that focus on those children or young people with SEN who need education provision, places responsibility on the shoulders of the providers and requires that all needs must be catered for by health and education providers.

These factors relating to recent legislation continue to be a key feature in this third edition and it is also the intention of this edition to continue to update the many different strands of SEN from different perspectives – research, policy, practice, parents and the students themselves. It might be argued that one of the enduring features of this field has been the polarisation of perspectives: a continuum of views still exists on best practice for children with SEN. It is not the purpose of this book to become enmeshed in this debate but, rather, to highlight the range of perspectives through the individual chapters included in it. Most of the chapters strongly promote an inclusive perspective, while others also highlight the individual student and their individual needs.

We are also mindful of the needs of parents – parents have been and will continue to be a crucial element in the development of practice and have also influenced policy. They are considered throughout and a new chapter in this book is written from parents’ perspectives with authors from Australia and the UK.

The thrust of this book has therefore been both to promote inclusive provision and to highlight individual needs. Additionally, we have attempted to be as comprehensive as possible and we hope that the principles and strategies promoted throughout its chapters will in fact impact on serving the needs of all children, whatever their specific needs might be.

The current scenario of SEN is established in Chapter 2 with Riddell, Harris and Weedon who discuss issues arising from recent legislation. The authors refer to the ‘tensions’ between the ‘rights’ agenda and local authority accountability. They refer to the rights of children under the Act who can request that their views need to be included in an EHCP and that their views, wishes and feelings be taken into account by the local authority when it is exercising its functions under the 2014 Act. It is interesting to pair this with Chapter 22 on Children and Young People’s Voices with authors from the UK, Canada and the UAE. This chapter looks at the challenges young people with SEN experience and through the use of case studies considers how these are dealt with.

Janice Wearmouth in Chapter 3 pursues this theme with ‘Putting the Learner at the Centre’. Although she focuses primarily on the learner with dyslexia, the chapter essentially concentrates on the Disability and Equality legislation and considers not only legal protection against discrimination but also the legal duty on education providers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ so ‘disabled’ people can take part in education, use services and work.

The theme of individual needs and inclusion is developed in Chapter 4 by Sakellariadis, who discusses the issues and dilemmas that an individual with SEN experiences. She provides a rationale for inclusion and how it may benefit all people. The chapter questions many of the situations that are taken for granted and raises the need to focus more on the support needs of people with SEN. She suggests that inclusion must be sufficiently resourced and effectively managed.

The potential impact of the social model of disability is also developed by Weedon in Chapter 5. Utilising his practical experience he argues that we need to honour the individual and not the label. This paradox is clearly expounded by Weedon who further suggests that:

we accept completely the need to differentiate and individualise learning so that the classroom is as truly inclusive as is possible, so that each learner, whatever their characteristics and individual traits, can learn and develop according to their own needs and attributes.

But in our formal assessment practice, that premise changes: we revert to thinking of learning difficulties as if they are intrinsic to the individual; and accordingly, in our attempts to help, we focus on those individuals rather than the context within which they function. We do this by assigning people to categories of disability… (p. 70)

In Chapter 6, Hurley and Moore helpfully explain the breadth and diversity of the role of the Speech and Language Therapist, recent developments and issues relating to Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and Education, as well as to the variety and range of SLCN. Bearing in mind that most children will not have the benefit of seeing Speech and Language Therapists, they then set out a range of strategies that can support students with SLCNs at school and at home.

This is followed by Dr Tony Sirimanna who offers a basic understanding of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). There is a growing recognition that many young people have such challenges which are often not recognised. He explains the current definition of APD, prevalence and pathophysiology, presentation and comorbid conditions, overview of assessment of a child with suspected APD, diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis – in addition to an overview of management, including outcomes.

In Chapter 8, Scott-Roberts and Purcell consider the history behind Developmental Coordination Disorder/Developmental Dyspraxia, which has motor deficits as its core characteristic. They look at the positive and negative presenting characteristics and their potential impact on education. They recognise the relationship with other comorbid conditions and the impact of additional co-occurring difficulties. Finally, they identify support for learners with this condition from pre-school through to further/higher education – by focusing upon whole school approaches in addition to support for individuals.

In the following chapter, Stevenson untangles the confusion in the area of vision in relation to learning, and then signposts the reader to the specialist help available. He looks at the implementation of changes that may help many children and adults who struggle and builds on the work of late Keith Holland, Behavioural Optometrist and researcher.

The theme of literacy difficulties is considered by Julian Brown, Margaret Crombie and Una Lodge in a new chapter for this third edition. In this chapter, these experienced authors consider the political and educational implications of treating literacy and early intervention as a topic of debate and specifically the importance of collaboration with parents to improve the outcomes for individuals with literacy difficulties. They identify some of the approaches and skills required to address literacy difficulties and also what might represent effective training of teachers, assistants and assessors and how this can minimise or prevent literacy difficulties.

In Chapter 11, Steve Chinn focuses on mathematics difficulties and provides an understanding of the factors that can contribute to learning difficulties in mathematics. As well as discussing the research into dyscalculia, Steve also looks at the principles of effective intervention.

Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in our teaching and learning practices in classrooms and at home. We have allocated two chapters to technology – one by Arran Smith and the other from Adam Gordon. Arran discusses a wide range of products and services that can be used in school and at home. He also discusses the concept of assistive technology and clarifies many of the terms that are used. This chapter is followed up with further practical information and advice from Adam Gordon focusing principally on learners with additional needs. Adam provides us with a greater understanding of the diverse ways in which technology can support inclusion and accessibility within the classroom. He also discusses how technology can facilitate Universal Design for Learning and provides a number of clear and detailed examples of products that can help to achieve this.

This is followed by the next section of the book on Syndromes and Barriers and the first chapter in this section is an updated chapter on Down syndrome by Iva Strnadová and David Evans, both based in Australia and who have an excellent understanding on the international field of special educational needs. This chapter provides diagnostic criteria for Down syndrome and identifies and discusses the differing patterns of development for students with Down syndrome. They also discuss other aspects and specifically strategies that assist the cognitive, social and emotional development of a child with Down syndrome.

This is followed by a new chapter by the internationally renowned expert on dealing with ADHD in the classroom – Fin O’Regan. In this chapter, Fin provides a comprehensive overview of the whole field of ADHD, as well as an array of classroom strategies for dealing with ADHD. Fin also discusses some of the current issues that confront teachers dealing with ADHD in schools.

The theme of visual impairment is addressed in Chapter 16 by Professor John Ravenscroft. In this updated chapter, John continues to present an insightful overview of the field of visual impairment and discusses current research on the profile and prevalence of children with visual impairment. He also highlights the importance of developing an ‘access to learn and learning to access’ theoretical framework.

The issue of sensory impairment is continued in an updated chapter by Jill Duncan, who summarises the central issues related to students with hearing loss, which include hearing technology, communication modality, literacy and cognition. She also provides practical strategies for supporting classroom teachers with students with a hearing loss, and discusses the barriers to family–school engagement and the cultural diversity of families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In Chapter 18, Richard Soppitt looks at the epidemiology of PDA and its relationship with other conditions and aetiology. He uses case studies to aid exemplification and explains a range of interventions – psychological therapies, parenting interventions, behaviour therapies, educational interventions and pharmacological treatment.

The current interest in autism and autistic spectrum is vast and diverse. It is challenging to incorporate the range of research and perspectives in this fast-changing and developing field into one succinct chapter. In Chapter 19, Jo-Ann Page provides a background to understanding autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as an overview of the criteria for identification and assessment. She also notes the main areas of research and provides a range of strategies for intervention including Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and how it can be successfully implemented. An outstanding feature of this chapter is the detailed analysis of the wide range of treatments available for children and young people with autism.

In the final part of the book, the theme is ‘working together’, which follows on from many of the messages contained in the previous sections. Fidelma Healy Eames and Annmarie Meehan, in a very comprehensive chapter, focus on the theme of ‘working together’ and provide a critical analysis of current practice in Primary Education in Ireland. They discuss in detail the continuum of support framework and how this provides a problem-solving model for identification, intervention and monitoring. It is clear the authors have researched widely and thoroughly for this chapter and the table and the key findings highlighting school principals’ responses to SEN practice are testimony to this.

As they indicate in their conclusions – ‘to work together effectively, principals and SEN coordinators need to be fulsomely engaged in policy-making from the outset’. They therefore advocate that policy and policy changes should be determined by the twin pillars of evidence and consultation!

Chapter 21 continues the theme of working together with Jillian Zocher and Katie Nelson focusing on the need for a positive reciprocal relationship between schools and parents. These authors from Australia and England highlight the key roles played by parents in the inclusive education system. They comment on the notion of neurodiversity and how this concept can help the child develop more positive self- esteem and develop independence and self-motivation.

The final chapter is essentially what the book is all about and provides a purpose and rationale for it – Children and Young People’s Voices. It is now more fully accepted that we need to listen to young people and give them a voice in their education, a point raised by Professor Amanda Kirby in the foreword to this book. Written by Jo-Ann Page in Dubai, Jennie Guise in Scotland and Jenn Clark in Canada, they give an international context for this chapter. They outline the type of challenges that confront young people who have special and additional needs and also r...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Publisher Note
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• About the Editors
• About the Contributors
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Illustration List
• 1 Introduction
• Part I Policy, Practice and Provision
• 2 Special and Additional Support Needs and Rights in England and Scotland The New Children’s Rights Agenda
• 3 Putting the Dyslexic Learner at the Centre
• 4 Inclusion and Special Educational Needs A Dialogic Inquiry into Controversial Issues
• 5 The Potential Impact and Influence of the Social Model of Disability
• Part II Perspectives from Practice
• 6 Speech, Language and Communication
• 7 Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
• 8 Developmental Coordination Disorder/ Developmental Dyspraxia in the Context of Education
• 9 Vision and Learning
• 10 Literacy and the Training of Professionals who Assess and Teach Individuals with Literacy Difficulties
• 11 Mathematical Learning Difficulties and Dyscalculia
• 12 Using Technology to Support Effective Learners: Assistive Technology1
• 13 Using Technology to Support Learners with Additional Needs Practical Information and Advice
• Part III Syndromes and Barriers
• 14 Students with Down Syndrome in Inclusive Classrooms Using Evidence-based Practices
• 15 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• 16 Visual and Cerebral Visual Impairment and Education Beyond Mere Awareness Raising
• 17 Inclusive Education for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• 18 Pathological/Extreme Demand Avoidance (PDA/EDA)
• 19 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Research and Practice
• Part IV Working Together
• 20 Working Together: A Case Study A Critical Look at Current SEN Practice in Irish Primary Education
• 21 Parents as Partners
• 22 Children and Young People’s Voices
• Glossary
• Index