Warning over planned changes to autism schools

THE Psychological Society of Ireland has said it is greatly concerned by Department of Education plans to transform the country’s 13 ABA schools for children with autism into special schools using a range of different teaching methods.

In a statement, the PSI’s division of behaviour analysis has warned that best international practice does not advocate the mixing of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) with other autism interventions.

In letters of offer sent to the schools last week, the Department of Education is proposing changing the schools, which have up to 300 pupils on their roll, into a mixed or eclectic model, whereby other teaching methods, such as PECS and TEACCH, are used along with ABA.

The department also wants the ABA tutors replaced with trained primary-school teachers and ABA tutors renamed as special needs assistants (SNA). This would allow a higher pupil teacher-ratio and the department says it is more tailored to the needs of the individual child.

ABA is a teaching method where a particular action, anything from life-skills to verbal skills, numeracy or literacy work, is broken down into steps that are repeated and learned on a one-to-one basis.

ABA proponents argue that if introduced early and with consistency, up to half of children with autism can achieve normal functioning.

“There are 23 comprehensive international reviews of autism intervention and ABA has been shown to be the most effective.

“In fact, it has been demonstrated that using a myriad of interventions to educate children with autism does not produce optimal outcomes,” the PSI statement says.

The behaviour analysis branch of the PSI has said that at present, the ABA pilot projects are being run by directors of education, who hold either a masters degree or doctorate in ABA, and that if principal teachers assume leadership of the school, the expertise and qualifications of the directors will be “undermined and devalued”.

The PSI have also questioned how regular teachers, not trained in the science of ABA, can deliver ABA to the level provided over the past 12 years.

They contend that these teachers should be obliged to complete an ABA masters if ABA methodology is to be sustained in the schools for children with autism.

“A body of professionals qualified in the science of ABA is being removed. Currently, each classroom has five ABA tutors, many of whom have studied psychology/ABA at third level, along with a senior ABA tutor and ABA supervisor. These professionals will now be expected to work under the guidance of a teacher not qualified in ABA. This is incongruous with standards of international best practice,” they said.

Signatories to the PSI statement included chairman, Professor Julian Leslie from the University of Ulster, Drs Olive Healy and Geraldine Leader from NUI Galway, Dr Maeve Bracken from Trinity College Dublin as well as Michelle Kelly and Niamh McEvoy from NUI Galway.

A spokesman for the Department of Education strongly defended their policy for teaching children with autism describing it as based on advice received from international experts.

“The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the Inspectorate, an analysis of research including that supplied by Irish Autism Action and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism have all advised us.

“Departmental policy has been further re-enforced in a recent report published in 2009 entitled International Review of the Literature of Evidence of Best Practice Provision in the Education of Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders,” it said.