The Special School in an Age of Inclusion

Abstract

The author was invited by the Irish Association of Teachers in Special Education (IATSE) to deliver the closing address in the plenary session of their Sixteenth Annual International Conference at St. Patrick’s College, Dublin, in June, 2004. Reflecting on his many years’ experience teaching pupils with special educational needs, and reminding his audience that the policy recommendation is a continuum of provision for pupils with SEN within the education system, the author presented a thought provoking paper, opening the door to much needed debate on the question of the providing the best, most appropriate education for pupils with general learning disabilities.