REACH: Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland

Editorial

2026-05-29T18:32:21+01:00

Editorial, Volume 39.1 (2026)

Powered Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Irish Special Education

2025-06-10T08:57:43+01:00

This paper reports on the implementation of powered augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in special education in Ireland. An online, cross-sectional survey was used to gather teachers’ perspectives on the barriers to the successful adoption, implementation, and sustainability of powered AAC in schools. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) conceptually guided both the survey design and data analysis. Findings from 297 completed surveys revealed that the implementation of powered AAC in Irish special education is fragmented, inconsistent, and unsupported. Key issues include a lack of quality training and ongoing support, insufficient planning for and evaluation of powered AAC in schools, and inadequate collaborative processes. The research highlights systemic fragmentation surrounding powered AAC implementation and calls for greater support for its effective and sustained adoption in special education in Ireland.

Unlocking Inclusive Pedagogy

2025-08-22T10:16:01+01:00

This study explores the experiences of six boys in a senior autism class in a suburban Irish primary school, focusing on their transitions from mainstream classrooms. Centring their voices through participatory creative workshops, the research uncovers how students perceive belonging, participation, and teaching approaches. Findings highlight the importance of sensory accommodations, flexible pedagogy, and authentic peer relationships. The novelty of this study lies in integrating autistic children’s verbal and non-verbal contributions, such as LEGO® models, friendship chains, and ranking tasks, into the analysis, offering practical insights for teachers and policymakers. By embedding children’s rights (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child [UNCRC], Articles 2, 5, and 12) within inclusive pedagogy, the study demonstrates that meaningful participation by autistic students is essential for equity in Irish education.

An Ideological Perspective on Inclusive Mathematics Education for All Students

2025-06-10T08:40:08+01:00

Every single child is a mathematician and possesses the capability to grasp mathematical ideas from the beginning of life. Students’ performance in mathematics continues to be a focus of educational research globally. Despite curricular reforms promoting inclusivity, disparities in performance, attitudes, and dispositions remain, highlighting the need to consider factors influencing mathematical learning for all students. This paper provides a narrative review of the literature on inclusive mathematics education (IME) from an ideological perspective that explores growth and fixed mindset, mathematics anxiety, and school structure. There is reference to the Irish context and its pedagogical implications from this ideological perspective, highlighting gaps in the literature and offering guidance for future research and strategies to support inclusive teaching practices for teachers and school leaders.

Re-Conceptualising Work Experience As An Activity For All Learners

2026-03-03T10:12:42+00:00

This article discusses findings from recent Irish research which focused on the experiences of key stakeholders involved in transition preparation and transition planning for students leaving special schools in the Republic of Ireland. Employing a mixed-method study, the voices and perspectives of a number of stakeholders (students, parents, teachers and principals) were harnessed. The Mosaic approach (Clark & Moss, 2001) was used to specifically situate the students as the expert in their own lives and aimed to capture their experience of preparation for transition through mapping their vision for life post-school.
A key finding was the unequal access to work experience for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), within and across special school settings. As Ireland has one of the lowest disability employment rates in the EU, supporting students with SEND to develop employment skills is essential to address this. This paper proposes that work experience be reconceptualised as a key employment preparation activity that should be accessible to all students with SEND, irrespective of the curricula they are accessing.

Teachers’ perceptions of their needs in managing inclusive classes in India

2025-05-13T18:14:23+01:00

India, in common with many countries has made a commitment to the development of an education system that is more equitable and inclusive. Policies within India have emphasised the need to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs have access to education that addresses their collective and individual needs.
Many teachers in India have expressed apprehensions about an increased diversity of students entering their classrooms. This research was undertaken in four major metro cities of India (Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata) to understand the challenges faced by teachers in addressing the diverse needs of learners, investigate their professional development needs in relation to inclusion and propose the framework of a professional development programme. The reported investigation generated data, which has been used to discuss with teachers their perceptions of their professional needs to work effectively in inclusive classrooms. Issues of professional development curriculum challenges and the need to support teacher well-being were amongst those that emerged from the data.