Under the ‘inclusion’ model, disabled children, no matter what their disability, would be mainstreamed with all the rest of the children, writes Victoria White

Parents of children with autism are being forced to apply to up to 30 schools to secure a place for their child in the South Dublin area.

Seven primary schools have agreed to create school places for children with special educational needs following directions from the Minister for Education under recently introduced legislation.

The education minister has told six schools to provide more critically-needed special education places.

A High Court challenge against a decision to expel a teenager with autism from the secondary school he had been attending will be heard before the start of the new school year.

A special needs assistant now paraplegic following a road accident has won, by a four to one majority, her Supreme Court appeal over a decision she cannot return to work at a special needs school.

The dad of a gifted student with special needs fears his son's behavioural progress will be destroyed with the axing of an 'invaluable' resource class at his school from September.

The Department of Education has received 79 reports of possible misuse of special education teaching resources, with half still under review.

The state’s most vulnerable children are not benefiting from the economic upturn and use of words like “inclusiveness” and “equality” are sometimes little more than lip service, according to the Ombudsman for Children.

Trade union Fórsa says staff employed by Ireland's School Completion Programme should be given the same employment status as other public servants.

The trade union which represents special needs assistants has called for immediate consultation on Government plans to introduce changes in the funding and delivery of the service.

New Department of Education guidelines expected by next summer will tell schools that physically restraining or secluding children must not be used as disciplinary measures.

Children with special care needs will get the right supports at the right time in an overhaul of how they are assisted at school, Education Minister Richard Bruton has pledged.

Migrant children and those from disadvantaged areas start primary school significantly earlier than others and do not settle as well, significant new research shows.

Migrant children and those from disadvantaged areas start primary school significantly earlier than others and do not settle as well, significant new research shows.

More than two dozen speech, language, and occupational therapists are to go into schools and pre-schools in a pilot project designed to improve and speed up access to services.

Schools could be legally forced to set up classes for pupils with special educational needs if parents are unable to get a local school to provide services.

Children identified with behavioural, emotional, or social difficulties are significantly more likely to come from a socio-economically disadvantaged background than children without special learning needs, a new study has found.

Irish Rail is phasing out ‘quiet carriages’ on all trains due to the “almost universal use” of mobile phones.

Home tutor Valerie Sheehan has developed books for children with autism, offering strategies to support all of the family, says Karen Murray.

A new film could inspire parents to truly celebrate difference and so head off bullying, writes Helen O’Callaghan

Around 60 children with special needs are waiting for transport to schools in Cork, three weeks after the start of term.

Children with special needs are unable to attend the school deemed most suitable for them as they do not qualify, under strict rules, for school transport.

Legal powers should be created to force schools to set up special classes for children with autism, TDs and senators told Education Minister Richard Bruton.

The appeal by one-in-eight of the country’s 4,000 schools of their teacher allocations for pupils with special needs is an indication of shortcomings of a new system, a Sinn Féin TD has claimed.

Supports are to be allocated without the need for the assessment of pupils to guarantee extra help at school.

Reforms to how schools are allocated special education teachers will see changes to a system in place since 2005.

By helping children with educational needs, special needs assistants play a key role in mainstream schools, writes Andrea Mara.

Even for those who promote the balance sheet of an economy over the values of society, the whole thing is little short of stupid, writes Michael Clifford

There are reports that some parents who are desperate for extra teaching help for their children are paying for them to be formally diagnosed with disabilities.

Several important education agencies and colleges have had no board or no chairman for several months, in some cases for over a year.

The National Council for Special Education has had no board since the previous 13-member board’s term ended at the end of last year.

One in every 65 school pupils has an autism diagnosis — a significantly higher than previously believed.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

One issue that may concern parents about proposals to govern school admissions by law is that waiting lists could no longer be used to determine who gets into a school. Some of the details involved are set out here.

She deprived her young son of sleep, dressed him in unfamiliar clothes and filled him full of liquids so that he struggled to control his bladder. And she did it out of love, writes Caroline O’Doherty

Irish Examiner reporter, Noel Baker, meets a group of parents who are uniting in a fight for their children’s education.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has promised that no child in the country will be left without a special needs assistant by year end. He made the pledge as he announced existing funds will be used to place another 860 special needs assistants in schools in the new academic year.

Schools should have a 15% cut to extra teaching for pupils with disabilities reversed while they wait for a new system of allocating special needs staff, a union has claimed.

Making supports for pupils with special needs a right — rather than a privilege — would make the school system fairer, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

The Government has no plans to implement a law passed 11 years ago to give automatic entitlement to school care and teaching support to children with disabilities.

A review of the special needs assistant (SNA) scheme should not lead to cuts for children with disabilities, Fianna Fáil has warned.