An investigation into the lived experiences of Irish primary school teachers and SNAs regarding inclusive practice with autistic children

In Ireland, over the past decade, the number of children being diagnosed as Autistic has increased. In 2016, a study conducted by DCU noted that there is approximately 1.5% of the population of Ireland diagnosed as having Autism. It was also noted that there were 548 Autism Specific Class in 2011. Between 2011 and 2019, this number rose by 196 percent from 550 classes in 2011 to 1,620 classes in 2019 (NCSE, 2019). In many Primary School Settings, there is a significant number of pupils diagnosed Autistic in mainstream class settings. This means that they are in the same class as non-autistic children, and this can sometimes prove difficult for educations, owing to the often specialised education plan autistic children require. With the increase in the number of special classes and special schools in Ireland in recent years, are we operating under an inclusive model of education, or are we further segregating autistic children from their peers? This research will aim to explore inclusive education, and look at the lived experiences of educators in Ireland, trying to understand whether these lived experiences shape our educational provision for autistic children in Ireland today.N