Post-School Transitions for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

It’s well established that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are more likely to be unemployed; more dependent on social welfare; with an increased risk of living in poverty. A shift in policy at a national and international level has meant a significant increase of students with ID are attending mainstream secondary education in Ireland, though few successfully transition to further/higher education or employment. This study aims to gain an insight into the typical transition support/guidance provided to students with ID as they prepare to complete their post-primary education in a mainstream setting. This mixed-methods study employed a sequential design. Results of a national survey of secondary school Principals were used to identify individual cases for nine qualitative interviews with school faculty. Individual analyses were merged for the purpose of triangulation. There was strong evidence that transition planning for these students is carried out by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, rather than the Guidance Counsellor (GC). As a result, the transition planning tends to be very narrowly focused on traditional pathways into disability specific services. The research highlights the overemphasis on academic progression amongst GC to the inadvertent exclusion of students with ID who require more individualised and nuanced transition planning.