Assessing the outcomes of students with special educational needs in inclusive education: A comparative study of Germany, Ireland, and Italy

Abstract

This article examines data collection and analysis on the outcomes of students with special educational needs (SEN), comparing Germany, Italy, and Ireland. Stemming from both academic research and accountability mechanisms, the paper provides an overview of the available data on students with SEN internationally and, more specifically, in the three national contexts. The findings highlight common barriers relating to data collection and analysis, but also significant challenges to transnational comparison, due to different categorization systems and scarcity or limited disclosure of data. Interestingly, the article suggests that data availability, or its absence, does not seem to significantly impact policy development in inclusive education. Focusing on student outcomes, the article discusses the limitations of different types of assessment for students with SEN, including standardized testing, and suggests the need for holistic and longitudinal assessment methods and studies, addressing both special and mainstream school environments.