Research Proposal

For my research proposal, I am interested in researching special educational needs, commonly referred to as (SEND). In particular, I would like to explore the barriers that children with autism face and how this affects their academic attainment. I would like to explore the barriers to inclusion that these children face. Also, what strategies are put in place within primary schools to help overcome this. I feel that this is an ongoing issue within mainstream primary schools for both teachers and pupils, I aim to explore teacher s views on this matter through further research.

Autism is a developmental disorder which can range in severity, it is characterised by having difficulty with social interaction and communication and can also include repetitive patterns in thought and behaviour. Social interaction and communication are two characteristics of autism which people with this diagnosis have difficulty with on a day to day basis. These will be the two areas which I am primarily going to focus on within my assignment. Jordan (2006) suggests that because the severity of the conditions in individuals can differ from one person to the next, no single intervention is appropriate for all.

I have chosen this area of research to look into further as I feel that this is an ongoing issue within mainstream primary schools which a lot of teachers and pupils with this disorder face. The number of children with this disorder has risen over the years therefore making this a more prevalent issue within primary schools. In January 2009, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) reported that almost three per cent of pupils in schools in English had a statement of SEN, with eight percent of those diagnosed with ASD (DCSF, 2009). This suggests that the number of children with these issues is rising every year therefore I feel that this is an important issue to be raised to ensure that these children are getting the correct support and that the barriers with they face with their social and communication skills are being overcome. I feel that this is an area of interest which I will be able to gather a lot of information from existing resources and also be able to refer to the things which I have seen whilst on placement. Research into this area is interesting because, whilst on placement I was able to meet with the special needs coordinator (SenCO). This helped me to grasp a richer understanding of special needs within a mainstream primary school. During this meeting, the SenCO explained the different special needs within the school and also the strategies which are put in place to try and support these children. Whilst on placement I have noticed that children with this disorder have different routines put in place which helps with the disorder. I would like to research into how the schools establish these routines. Also, whilst on placement I have noticed that children with this disorder are generally lower attaining than those without this disorder, I would like to know what schools put in place to improve their attainment. Research in this particular area is interesting to me because Waddington Reed (2006) suggest that professionals and parents think that school commitment and willingness to accept students with autism are barriers to inclusion and therefore leading to low attainment. Lindsay et al (2013) found that teachers felt their limited knowledge about this disorder resulted in using a reactive approach rather than a proactive approach. Previous research has been carried out within mainstream primary schools regarding inclusive practice of children with autism disorder. Four studies investigated the types of behaviours children with austism display and how these behaviours can effective inclusive practice. The studies were carried out by Hay Winn (2005) Humphrey Symes (2013) Sansosti Sansosti (2012) Pooley Taylor (2012). Throughout these studies, the educators identified utterances, physical mobility, task refusal and also disruptive behaviour. In the research carried out by Sansosti Sansosti (2012) professionals showed their concern on the impact which these behaviours were having on the attainment of the pupils with SEN and also the other pupils within the classroom. After reading about inclusive practice for children with this disorder and the different barriers which they face this has made my interest in this particular area grow and that is why I would like to conduct further research in this area in the future.

The research which I am going to carry out in BA3 will be carried out within schools and I hope to gather this research by having conversations with teachers and carrying out surveys. The main aim of my research will be to investigate teacher s perceptions of the barrier s children with autism face to inclusion and how this affects their attainment in mainstream primary schools. Therefore, I hope that my upcoming research will impact on future practice to both myself as a trainee teacher and to other teachers in practice. The impact which I hope that this research which I will conduct will have on my own future practice and others is that I hope that it provides me with greater knowledge on this matter which I will later be able to apply further in my career. I will be able to use my findings to inform other teachers also and provide them with a greater knowledge on the matter. In turn, this will hopefully reduce the barriers to inclusion which children with autism face as practitioners will be more aware of the barriers and therefore will be able to put strategies and interventions in place to help reduce these. As I have already briefly touched upon, Jordan (2006) suggests that because the severity of the conditions in individuals can differ from one person to the next, no single intervention is appropriate for all. Therefore, by carrying out my research and getting greater knowledge on this matter it will support me in ensuring that I am able to cater for the needs of all of the children within my class. I also hope that my research will help to promote inclusive education which will signify the important of equality. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement ACT (2004) also known as (IDEA) helps to support inclusive practice by requiring that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily (IDEA, 2004, 612(a)(5)). Finally, I hope that the research which I carry out in BA3 will influence practitioners thinking after the conversations which I will have with them on this area.

To conclude, my proposal is to investigate what teachers perceptions are of the barriers which children with autism face to inclusion and how this affects their attainment within mainstream primary schools. Also, their role in helping to support these pupils and what strategies they can put in place to ensure these barriers reduce the effect on pupil s attainment. From previous research which I have already read it is apparent that this is an increasing issue within primary schools and this effect both teachers and pupils which is why I am extremely interested into researching into this matter further. A provisional research question which I would like to find out through gathering further research and data in BA3 is the barriers to include which children with autism face. Another provisional research question which I would like to find out how do these barriers effect pupils attainment and what is being put in place in primary schools to support these children. From this research proposal, and the further research I am going to carry out in my chosen area in BA3. I will hope to come out better equipped as a teacher and have a richer, more meaningful understanding of this issue across all primary schools and be able to apply this knowledge in my future teaching practice.