Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is now policy for high functioning students with autism not to be integrated into mainstream classes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24290/20]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Special classes are part of a continuum of educational provision that enables students with more complex special educational needs to be educated, in smaller class groups, within their local mainstream schools. They offer a supportive learning environment to students who are unable to access the curriculum in a mainstream class, even with support, for most or all of their school day.

Students enrolled in special classes should be included in mainstream classes to the greatest extent possible, in line with their abilities.

This should continue, however, the number of mainstream classes with which each special class student integrates should be minimised, in order to maintain pod grouping to the greatest extent possible, and to assist contact and tracing mechanisms, should this become necessary.

At primary school level this may mean each special class pupil integrating with one mainstream class only whereas, at post primary school level, this may mean special class pupils attending only those mainstream classes necessary for their subject participation.