dc.description.abstract | This paper is concerned with the inclusion and education of children with dyspraxia in
mainstream schools. Today, with the help of new legislation and policy
implementation, children with special educational needs (SEN), including dyspraxia
are being placed in mainstream primary schools, instead of special schools as was
traditionally the case. An inclusive approach to education is now seen as the most
effective and appropriate environment for these children. Taking into account this
development, the fundamental aim of this study was to explore the concept of
inclusive education from the perspectives of the teachers who teach children with
dyspraxia. A vital objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions, strategies
and challenges faced by teachers who include children with dyspraxia and finally, to
uncover whether these strategies can help children with dyspraxia reach their
educational potential.
A phenomenological approach, as a component of a mixed-methods approach, was
employed for this research, in order to get a deep understanding of the reality of
including children with dyspraxia in mainstream education and gain extensive insight
into the lived experiences of the participants. Individual interviews were conducted
with two primary school teachers of children with dyspraxia, attending a mainstream
school. Questionnaires were distributed to thirty-eight teachers, all of whom teach
children with dyspraxia in a mainstream setting. Through both instruments, the
realities of, and challenges associated with implementing inclusive practices within a
mainstream setting were highlighted by the teachers interviews.
Findings revealed that the inclusion of children with dyspraxia in mainstream
education was predominantly successful for both the children and teachers. However,
the research found that there were many challenges associated with the implementation of inclusive strategies. In particular, participants felt that the department should provide more access to resources for schools and furthermore, this research found that class size, exceptionally large in Ireland, can negatively affect a teacher's ability to be inclusive. | en |