No room for polarisation in autism debate

Teaching matters:A FEATURE of what passes for political discourse in Ireland is that usually more heat than light is generated. It doesn't seem to matter what the issue is, it is right or wrong, black or white, yes or no. Government and opposition alike would have us believe that every issue is only to be seen in either black or white.

For the last week or so the political spotlight has fallen on educational provision for children with autism. The opposition would have us believe that an uncaring and incompetent Government has done next to nothing in terms of providing an appropriate education for this group of children while for its part, the Government defends its record to the hilt, utterly rejecting any criticism of its position.

If only it were that easy when it comes to education. For some reason, it is difficult to see our education system and its constituent parts in black or white. For example, our school system, for all its faults in terms of under-investment, is the envy of many other countries in the world when it comes to outputs. Yes we all agree that there is room for improvement but by and large, there is no outcry in education like there is for example in health.

That is why it is hard to understand the way the recent autism debate has been framed. A decade ago there was no provision for children with autism. Today over 4,000 children receive an education in primary schools in special classes or in regular mainstream classes. There are special classes for children with autism in about 300 schools. Additional teachers have been appointed and trained and special-needs assistants help children to manage these settings. Again, we can all argue for improvements, but it's hard to believe the charge that nothing has been done. That said, there are several major issues that need to be addressed.

The reality is that it is not the education system that is letting children down but related health services. Autistic children need regular support from occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and social workers. The simple truth is that these services are not available to all children and this impacts on educational provision.

Many schools have said that when asked to open special classes they were promised that all these services would follow. They found to their cost that they did not. Hence the reluctance of some schools to open units until these services are actually in place.

This needs to be addressed and one possible solution is to bring all the required services under the Department of Education or even under a new Department of Children that would be charged with providing for all services that children need. However it is achieved, the artificial divide that currently exists between Education and Health when it comes to children must be closed off.

Another key issue is the lack of early diagnosis followed by appropriate intervention. I believe that this is where the Government's position is at its weakest. Every month wasted sets back a child's future progress significantly.

Coming a close second to the lack of early intervention is the almost complete lack of provision at second level and beyond. Both of these must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Despite these glaring inadequacies, the issue that has dominated recent debate is about what and how children with autism are to be taught. Anyone listening to the current debate could reasonably conclude that it is Applied Behaviour Analysis or the mixed approach being adopted in most primary schools and nothing in between. Both sides claim to have empirical evidence that backs up a claim to the superiority of one method over the other.

In truth the jury is out. One thing that is certain from world-wide research is that there is no miracle cure. A task force report recommended that the Department of Education make available a range of approaches to meet the needs of pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. This it is doing in primary schools where teachers use a range of approaches.

While I broadly support this approach there is no doubt that more can and must be done. Despite the recent economic downturn, the Government is not so broke that it cannot afford to conduct an in-depth study into various forms of provision in Ireland. Over time such research could generate the light that has thus far been missing from this debate.

Aidan Gaughran teaches on Clonmel, Co Tipperary and is a member of the education committeee of the INTO