The Future Workforce Of Special Education

Hon Heather Roy speech at the Launch and Signing of the Contract for Provision of Special Education Specialist Qualifications; Tea Gardens, Museum Building, Massey University, Wellington; Thursday, February 25 2010.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Good afternoon, and thank you for your warm welcome.

I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the signing of the contract between the Ministry of Education, Massey University and the University of Canterbury to develop and deliver the Post-graduate Qualifications in Specialist Teaching.  It's very encouraging to see universities, the Ministry of Education and the special education sector coming together to make a difference for young people with special education needs.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the work done by Massey and Canterbury Universities to make the development of these new and exciting qualifications possible.  Thank you to Massey University Vice-Chancellor Hon Steve Maharey and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor James Chapman of Massey University; and to Canterbury University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Gail Gillon.

Thank you also to Secretary for Education Karen Sewell, Deputy Secretary Nicholas Pole and their colleagues for their efforts in establishing the new qualification framework to address the skills and competencies required for the future workforce in special education.

Education expert Professor John Hattie from the University of Auckland identified in his research that the thing that can make the greatest difference to a student's achievement is the teacher.  He said: "It is what teachers know, do, and care about which is very powerful in this learning equation."  This is every bit as true in special education as it is for all students' education.

Young people with special education needs deserve to receive the best support we can provide, to ensure that they are able to participate and achieve - both within the education system and in the wider community.

As Associate Minister of Education with responsibility for special education, I have visited many schools and organisations that provide education and services for children with special needs.  Wherever I go, I hear of the need for teacher training in special education - of how important it is for families to have access to specialist teachers who know how to work in partnership with them and support a child with a disability to learn.

The Post Graduate Qualifications in Specialist Teaching are an important step toward ensuring the provision of high-quality services to the students who need the most support to learn - no matter where they live in New Zealand.  The new post-graduate qualification framework will make it easier for teachers to specialise in special education - meaning that more schools will be able to successfully address their students' special education needs.

Thanks to Massey University's expertise in delivering distance education, teachers throughout the country will be able to take advantage of flexible delivery modes - such as e-learning and face-to-face meetings - making it easier for them to study part-time while still working.

Multiple exit points will allow teachers to study towards a certificate, postgraduate diploma or master's degree.  They will be able to increase their skills or gain a new position in the special education sector.  They will also study alongside other types of special education specialist teachers.  We can expect promotion of a shared understanding, common language and collaborative approach between special education fields.

Over the next year Massey University, the University of Canterbury and the Ministry of Education will be working with special education stakeholders to develop the specialist content of the qualifications.  Enrolments will commence in 2011.

The Government's Review of Special Education also identifies the importance of teacher education in fulfilling the capability required for schools to succeed.  Effective classroom teachers are one of the key contributors to success for all students - and, for students with special education needs, the success is likely to be greater when classroom teachers have access to quality additional specialist teacher and specialist support.

High quality teacher education and high quality training for specialist teachers and specialist services is critical if we are to achieve success for all students.  I encourage everyone in the Education sector to give careful consideration to the issues and options within the Special Education Review discussion document and provide feedback.

You are all here today because of your desire to make a difference for young people with special education needs, their families, their schools and communities.

Together we can build a skilled workforce to ensure that all students can participate at school and achieve in the community.  If we can provide the right support for students with special education needs, everyone will benefit.

Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.  I wish you all the best for your work together now and in the future.