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Accessing mainstream: examining the struggle for parents of children who have learning difficulties
Author(s) -
Kenny Mairin,
Shevlin Michael,
Walsh Patricia Noonan,
McNeela Eileen
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of research in special educational needs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 27
ISSN - 1471-3802
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-3802.2005.00034.x
Subject(s) - mainstream , legislation , government (linguistics) , inclusion (mineral) , mainstreaming , psychology , special education , learning disability , pedagogy , public relations , political science , developmental psychology , social psychology , law , philosophy , linguistics
In the past decade Ireland has witnessed substantial changes in policy and provision for children with general learning difficulties as government policies and legislation increasingly underpin the move towards more inclusive provision. Despite this series of policy initiatives parents of children who experience Down syndrome and general learning difficulties can encounter serious obstacles in gaining access to mainstream education for their children.This research project was a study of the experiences of a small sample of parents of children who experience Down syndrome and general learning difficulties in relation to their efforts to access appropriate education and education supports for their child in the mainstream school setting. These parents had to invest extraordinary levels of time, energy, and resources in their struggle to get these children into mainstream school and to support their progress there. At local school level these parents and children had positive experiences, but life has taught them that society offers acceptance as a favour, so they cannot confidently expect acceptance by schools and teachers as a right.

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