Madam, - The Department of Education and Science wishes to correct the misrepresentation of its position in relation to the education of children with autism in the article by your columnist Mary Raftery (Thursday, May 10th).
The Department's policy in relation to autism provision is based on reviews of relevant research, the findings of the Task Force on Autism and advice from international experts. Ms Raftery's article focuses on the use of a particular type of intervention known as Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). She states that the Task Force on Autism recommended its use and includes a quote to the effect that the task force found that ABA was far superior to other approaches. As the paper of record it is important that your readers are given accurate facts.
The task force found as follows: "At present there is no definitive evidence that supports one approach as being better than others for all children with ASDs, or supports a single approach for all aspects of development; nor is their evidence by which children could be matched to particular approaches."
The article states that the Department is hostile to ABA. This is not correct. The Department supports the availability of a range of approaches, including ABA, as recommended by the task force. The Department funds training in ABA and funds ABA consultants to provide service into schools. The article particularly refers to pre-school provision. The Department-funded home tuition scheme for pre-school children with autism specifically allows for ABA intervention.
The Department does support the use of ABA as one of the interventions for children with autism. Where the Department and proponents of an exclusive ABA methodology disagree is that the Department does not accept that ABA, by itself, is the only intervention required for all children with autism all of the time. The Department supports the use of ABA where appropriate, along with other established interventions for children such as TEACCH and PECS. Indeed, the Department has noted that some pilot projects, which were originally funded by the Department as ABA-exclusive centres, now also use TEACCH and PECs.
The Department is committed to continuing to put in place specialist autism-specific education for children with autism. There are now 190 special classes for children with autism throughout the country, five special classes for children with Asperger's Syndrome, 18 early-intervention classes and 14 stand alone facilities providing ABA specific methodologies on a pilot basis.
The Department is continuing to monitor research in developments in this area and to work with all interested parties in providing and enhancing educational services for all children with autism. - Yours, etc,
GERALDINE BUTLER, Press Officer, Department of Education & Science, Dublin 1