Universal Screening for Special Educational Needs in Primary General Education in Barbados

• In Event: Transforming the Future of Educational Research: RISE Caribbean

Abstract

Global concerns about children with special educational needs are reflected in United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, for which one of the targets states that “…by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations” (United Nations General Assembly, 2015, p.17). This includes children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). In this presentation, I explore teacher perspectives on the use of screening in primary general education classrooms to identify students who may need referring for further assessment or support services via cognitive interviewing. In addition, preliminary pilot study results on the use of the tool in a small sample of teachers present insights regarding teachers’ perspectives on the usefulness of the universal screening tool that has been developed. Universal screening tools, such as the one used in this study, are commonly utilized in Multi-tier System of Supports (MSS), a framework of interventions and supports that has been designed to proactively address academic and behavioral challenges (Averill et al., 2013). MSS is a school-based model for early identification and intervention, which supports a proactive approach rather than waiting for students who need additional support to struggle or fail academically. A three-level framework (Domitrovich et al., 2018), which includes macro-level, school-level, and individual-level actors for conceptualizing the implementation of this evidence-based, preventative screening tool is also considered. Based on pragmatism and advocacy, a mixed method strategy of enquiry is deployed. The completion of the screening tool by sixteen general education teachers from a suburban primary general education school in Barbados and a semi-structured interview with these teachers illustrates teachers' perceptions of the use of such a screening tool within their classroom setting as well as the usefulness of the tool itself, and their ability to use the screening tool effectively. Calculations across each of the 12 domains, at each level of difficulty, and across number of students in each category provides insights regarding students who are experiencing challenges in multiple areas, proportions of male and female students, and an overall percentage of students who are experiencing challenges in each class and school wide. The results of this research can be used to inform teachers, support personnel, school administrators, and policy makers about the need for and types of support services that may be required to meet the needs of students who are experiencing academic, behavioral, social, and emotional challenges in primary general education settings. In the context of an international research practice-partnership (Weinstein & Worrell, 2016), this study will initiate collaboration between researchers and education practitioners with the goals of investigating problems and solutions related to students with special educational needs in Barbados.

Authors

• Erin Anne Mahon
  Presenting Author

• Eunsook Kim, University of South Florida
  Presenting Author

• Robert F. Dedrick, University of South Florida
  Presenting Author