Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions that she has taken to ensure that universal design learning and universal design principles are implemented in primary and secondary schools to make the classroom fully accessible for all children; the actions that she will take to ensure that a multi-sensory learning approach is included in the school curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50027/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

There are two aspects to this question, one in relation to teaching and learning and the other in relation to school building.

It is important to recognise that the vast majority of children and young people (over 97%) with special educational needs access mainstream education, with the reminder accessing special class and special school placements.

My Department is supporting schools through guidance and professional development to implement the Universal Design for Learning framework in our schools. Universal Design for Learning is a framework that facilitates the inclusion of all learners to access the school curriculum in a meaningful way.

A core value of the curriculum, across all levels of schooling in Ireland, is inclusivity and diversity. The curriculum at primary and post-primary is for all learners, from all backgrounds – regardless of gender, socio-economic background, race or creed. In the context of a universally designed curriculum, inclusive education and diversity encourages a move away from thinking in terms of ability and disability to thinking about variability, competency and opportunity.

It is concerned with the best interest of every child considering that each child varies in their competency, language, family background, age, culture, ethnic status, religion, gender and sexual identity. It promotes equity of opportunity and participation in which each child has meaningful engagement and challenge in learning and positive interactions with peers and others in the school community.

The Primary School Curriculumis currently under review and redevelopment. In February 2020, the NCCA published proposals for a redeveloped curriculum in the form of a draft Primary Curriculum Framework. The review and redevelopment is supported by extensive research and consultation. Consultation has included input from education stakeholders/partners to include those who advocate for children with special educational needs. Children were also consulted as part of the process on what they liked, disliked, and would change about learning in school.

The new Primary Curriculum Framework seeks to enable high-quality learning experiences for all children in primary and special schools. It is expected that the new Primary Curriculum Framework will be provided to the Department from the NCCA in January 2023 with publication in March 2023. This framework will then guide the NCCA’s work in developing a specification for each curriculum area.

In relation to school buildings, I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of modern, accessible school accommodation is a priority for my Department. This is in two respects: firstly in ensuring that there is sufficient provision for pupils with special education needs and secondly in designing school accommodation that meets the needs of all users - students and staff - and enhances the learning experience.

In addition to the specific accommodation provision for students with special education needs, the principles of universal design are embedded in all of my Department's technical guidance for school building projects, for the benefit of all school building users. The General Design Guidelines includes guidance on the principles of Universal Access as part of a whole school design approach.

Further to this, updated technical guidance on Post Primary School Design, Specialist Accommodation for Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Sanitary Facilities were published 2021. A suite of such Technical Guidance Documents is published on my Department's website at www.gov.ie. Such guidance draws on feedback from school authorities and reviews of a sample of completed projects. These practical and helpful guides provide very clear guidelines and approaches to be taken by school authorities in re-purposing/refurbishing existing accommodation for special education needs provisions, as well the establishing new classrooms of varying sizes.