Research Reports

Reports arising from the research programme are published on our website once completed and signed off by the Council. The NCSE funds the research but responsibility for it, including any errors or omissions, remains with the authors. The views and opinions contained in such reports are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Council.

The following research reports are available to download:

  • Access to the Curriculum
    Access to the curriculum for pupils with a variety of special educational needs in mainstream classes. An exploration of the experiences of young pupils in primary school. Authors: Dr Jean Ware, Bangor University, Dr Cathal Butler, St Patrick's College (now at Bangor University), Christopher Robertson, Birmingham University, Dr Margaret O'Donnell, St Patrick's College and Magi Gould, Bangor University.
    Click here to download this report.
  • Prevalence Study
    A Study on the Prevalence of Special Educational Needs, Joanne Banks and Selina McCoy, Economic and Social Research Institute.
    Click here to download the report.
  • Autism
    International Review of the Literature of Evidence of Best Practice Provision in the Education of Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Autism Centre for Education and Research, University of Birmingham. Principal Investigators, Dr. Sarah Parsons and Dr. Karen Guldberg. Click here to download.
  • Visual Impairment
    International Review of the Literature of Evidence of Best Practice Models and Outcomes in the Education of Blind and Visually Impaired Children. Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR). University of Birmingham. Principal Investigator, Dr Graeme Douglas.
    Click here to download the full report.
  • Role of Special Schools and Special Classes
    Research Report on the Role of Special Schools and Classes in Ireland. St. Patrick's College. Principal Investigator, Dr. Jean Ware (currently in the College of Education and Lifelong Learning, Bangor University).
    Click here to download the full report.
  • Assessment and Diagnosis
    Procedures used to Diagnose a Disability and to Assess Special Educational Needs: An International Review. Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research, University of Warwick. Principal Investigators, Professor Geoff Lindsay and Dr. Martin Desforges.
    Click here to download the full report    .
  • Inclusive Education
    Literature Review on the Principles and Practices Relating to Inclusive Education for Children with Special Educational Needs.

    The Council's Statement of Strategy for 2008- 2011 outlines five core strategic priorities. One of the actions within these priorities is to ‘encourage and facilitate a debate on what constitutes inclusive education'. In early 2008, the Council formally sought the advice of its Consultative Forum on a definition for and the principles/practices of inclusive education for children with special educational needs as set out in the EPSEN Act. The Forum met on a number of occasions to consider the matter and a literature review was commissioned to support the Forum's work and set it in a wider international context. This work was supported by Dr. Eileen Winter and Mr. Paul O' Raw from ICEP Europe.
    Click here to download the full report.
  • Emotional Disturbance/Behavioural Difficulties
    An International Review of the Literature of Evidence of Best Practice Models and Outcomes in the Education of Children with Emotional Disturbance/Behavioural Difficulties. School of Education, University of Leicester. Principal Investigator, Professor Paul Cooper.
    Click here to download the full report.
  • Inventory of Research and Policy Related Publications
    An Inventory of Research and Policy Related Publications in the Field of Special Education on the Island of Ireland since 2000 compiled by Joseph Travers, Cathal Butler and Margaret O’Donnell, St Patrick’s College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin.

    This report provides an overview of the work undertaken by the authors to compile a listing of research and policy related publications in the field of special education on the island of Ireland since 2000. The report describes and categorises the material found and provides an overview of the key themes arising from this work. Supplementary report A provides an alphabetical list of references, and Supplementary report B provides a thematic listing.

    A searchable database of references to this research and policy material has also been constructed as a valuable information source for stakeholders, researchers, policy makers, students and others interested.

    Click here to download the report.
    Click here to download supplementary report A.
    Click here to download supplementary report B.

    Click here to link to the searchable database of research and policy references.

NCSE Special Education Research Initiative (SERI) 2006

The NCSE provided a series of research grants to support research in the field of special education under the Special Education Research Initiative (SERI) in late 2006. Click here for further information about this initiative.

© Copyright 2012 National Council for Special Education

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