Researcher Details |

Leanne Connolly

Contact Details

Assistant Professor
F320

T:Ext. 9064

E:Leanne.Connolly@dcu.ie

Leanne is an Assistant Professor in Inclusive and Special Education in DCU and Programme Chair of the Graduate Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education (GDISE). Leanne is a qualified Primary School teacher and for many years worked in a Special School, primarily with autistic students with a Mild Intellectual Disability. Having supported students from age 4-19 years, Leanne gained significant experience in using a range of autism specific teaching approaches and behavioural supports. She completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Autism with St. Angela’s College Sligo in 2012 and completed her Masters in Special Educational Needs in Autism Spectrum Disorders in 2016. Through the Masters research, Leanne examined the impact of exercise on reducing off task behaviours which showed very positive results.

Leanne worked as an Associate with Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) on the Level 2 Learning Programmes (L2LP) team for a number of years having been one of the early schools to adopt the L2LP. In 2016, Leanne was seconded to the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Ireland's largest single support service offering professional learning opportunities to teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas. Leanne first joined the PDST Health & Wellbeing Team as an Advisor and was subsequently appointed Team Leader in June 2017. Leanne has since led a team of Advisors and Associates across Primary and Post-Primary in the area of SPHE, Wellbeing, Child Protection, Anti-Bullying as well as the new Leaving Certificate and Senior Cycle PE programmes. Leanne sat on various interagency committees and national steering groups for Wellbeing and Physical Education.

Leanne has also lectured on the Cert/Diploma in Autism Studies with ACE in UCC, specifically in areas of Autism and Daily Living, Sensory Needs, Employment, Education and Person Centred Planning/ Positive Behaviour Supports.

Leanne’s current role involves supporting in-service teachers through the GDISE Programme, specifically in areas of special education teaching and learning, personal and social development, working with SNA’s and Relationship & Sexuality Education (RSE). Leanne also lectures on the Graduate Certificate for Autism Education (GCAE) and the Induction Course for Teachers of Learners with Severe/Profound GLD.

Leanne is currently completing her PhD with DCU School of Human Development. Her area of study relates to transition preparation and transition planning for students in Special Schools in Ireland and the role of special class teachers in this regard. Leanne’s other research interests include the teaching of RSE to students with Severe/Profound GLD.

	Year	Publication
	2022	Leanne Connolly; Geraldine Scanlon; Deirdre Corby (2022) The what, where and who of guidance and transition planning for students with intellectual disabilities in Ireland - a literature review. NEWSL

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2023	Connolly, Leanne (2023) 'Key Policies and Legislation Underpinning Post-School Transition Practices for People with Disabilities in the Republic of Ireland'. International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions, 2 (1). [Link] https://doi.org/10.5334/ijelt.42
	2023	Rice, C., Kenny, N., Connolly, L. (2023) 'Exploring the Attitudes of School Staff towards the Role of Autism Classes in Inclusive Education for Autistic Students: A Qualitative Study in Irish Primary Schools'. Education Sciences, 13 (9). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090889

Professional Associations

	Association	Function	From / To
	Education Studies Association of Ireland	Member	-
	The International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities	Member	-

Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	DCU Ability Programme		01/11/2021 -

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
Lakeview Special School	Teacher	-
University College Cork, Adult Centre for Education	Module Lead and Lecturer	-
Junior Cycle for Teachers	Level 2 Learning Programme Associate	-
Professional Development Service for Teachers	Team Leader	01/09/2017 - 30/08/2020

Education

Start date	Institution	Qualification	Subject
01/09/2012	NUI Galway	Post Graduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs Autism Spectrum Disorders	Autism
01/09/2005	Dublin City University	Bachelor of Education	Education
01/09/2015	NUI Galway	Masters of Arts in Special Educational Needs Autism Spectrum Disorders	Autism

Outreach Activities

	Year	Engagement Type	Organisation	Description
	2020	Presentations/Talks to an external audience	Coláiste Baile Chláir	Supporting Special Needs Assistants in a large Post-Primary school, focusing on autism.

Research Interests

Leanne's research interests are currently focused on the topic of her PhD study; Transition Preparation and transition planning for students in Irish Special Schools. Leanne has engaged in a mixed method multi-phase study which aimed to raise the post school aspirations of students and their key stakeholders.

Leanne's other research interests are the implementation of RSE in special schools in Ireland, particularly to those with moderate, severe/profound intellectual disabilities.

Teaching Interests

Leanne's teaching interests include autism, special education and inclusion, relationship and sexuality education & SPHE, Child Protection.

Leanne supports teachers on the Graduate Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education (GDISE) in a range of areas including Moderate General Learning Disabilities, Teaching Practice, Relationship & Sexuality Education.

Leanne contributes to the two Autism programmes in DCU, the Graduate Certificate in Education of Pupils on the Autism Spectrum (GCEAS) and the Masters in Education in Autism (MEdA). The particular focus on Leanne's input is teaching and learning approaches, evidence based practices, profiling and planning.

The Induction Course for Teachers of Learners with Severe/Profound General Learning Disabilities is a unique course in that DCU is the only national provider of this fully funded DES course. Leanne contributes to this course in working with SNA's, Autism, Child Protection and RSE, Inclusive Curriculum.

Modules Coordinated

Term	Title	Subject
2021-2024	Supporting Learners on the Autism Spectrum	SI724
2022-2024	Planning, Teaching and Learning for All	SI716
2022-2023; 2023-2024	Planning, Teaching and Learning for All	SI717
2023		SI421