Written answers
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Department of Education and Skills
Special Educational Needs
5:00 pm
Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he considers applied behaviour analysis to be a science; the names of the professionals who have advised him regarding same; and if he will furnish Dáil Éireann with a copy of the report. [36888/11]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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It is understood that the Deputy's question refers to my Department's policy on the education of children with autism. My Department's policy is centred on an inclusive approach promoting the use of a range of autism specific interventions including TEACCH, PECs and Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). Under this approach, each child can benefit from a number of different interventions to ensure the optimum individualised educational programme for him/her. Educational intervention for children with ASD needs to be child-centred and tailored to meet the needs of each child, rather than matching the needs of a child to one particular or exclusive intervention.
In arriving at the preferred policy which is currently in place, my Department has considered published research, including the Report of the Task Force on Autism (2001) and the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (2006), both of which are available on my Department's website and have informed the policy. My Department was also mindful of contributions of many other experts at international conferences/visits which have also informed the development views. It is not possible to exhaustively list all of the contributions and contributors who have informed and influenced the Department of Education and Skills position on educational provision for children with autism.
The report of the Task Force on Autism and the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (2006), describes Applied Behavioural Analysis as an approach and contains significant and comprehensive commentary on this approach. I see no reason to call this description of Applied Behavioural Analysis into question.
Karola Dillenburger
Posted on 4 Dec 2011 10:21 am (Report this comment)
Dear Minister,
as you know the Report of the Task Force on Autism (2001) and the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (2006) are highly controversial documents, mainly but not exclusively, because they did not include adequately trained behaviour analysts in the writing teams. (see list of Masters or doctoral level trained behaviour analysts www.bacb.com).
The description of ABA as an approach or intervention is entirely incorrect. On the basis that a Government that disseminates incorrect information acts unlawfully, for example, the Scottish Toolbox for Autism (2009) had to be withdrawn.
Do you not think that it is about time that the Irish government withdrew these incorrect and controversial documents and followed the examples of the USA or New Zealand, where scientists of the discipline are asked to accurately describe behaviour analysis.
Over 26 US States now mandate ABA-based interventions as medically necessary treatment. In fact the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act (see point 12) is under Federal consideration.
Any report describing a science surely needs to include scientists from the discipline in order to be accurate. (would you trust a report about physics that did not include a physicist in the team?)
If you would like to view an accurate description of the scientific discipline of behaivour analysis (and the evidence for the application to ASD) feel free to view Dr Neil Martin's (BCBA-D) presentation at a recent conference in Belfast.(www.qub.ac.uk/quart/news.html)