The “Exploring Knowledge and Awareness of Reasonable Accommodations/Adjustments for
ITE Students with Disabilities in ROI and NI -EKARA” project investigated the current levels of
understanding and awareness regarding reasonable accommodations and adjustments (RAs)
available for students with disabilities within initial teacher education (ITE) programmes in
Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
Rooted in collaborative practice, the project brought together key stakeholders including
lecturers, placement coordinators, access and support staff, cooperating teachers, and
students, drawing upon their collective expertise and insights. A mixed-methods approach
incorporating literature review, surveys, focus groups, vignettes, and interviews was employed to
gather robust data, identify existing knowledge gaps, and explore prevailing attitudes and
practices.
The research was a joint effort between University College Cork (UCC) — involving lecturers
from the School of Education and a New Avenues to Teaching post-doctoral researcher — and
colleagues from the Education Department at St. Mary’s University College, Belfast (St.
Mary’s).
Conducted over a 12-month period (September 2024 – August 2025), the project unfolded
through several interconnected phases, beginning with mapping existing knowledge and
identification of gaps, exploration of stakeholder attitudes, creation of fictionalized vignettes by
ITE students and finally, the development of a pilot toolkit entry.
The findings from this project were analysed through the application of descriptive statistics
and thematic analysis. Dissemination of insights took place at national and international
conferences (ESAI 2025, ATEE 2025) and at a dedicated stakeholder-focused dissemination
event. The outcomes further informed the development of an open-access online toolkit,
intended to offer practical support to ITE students and key stakeholders across both Northern
Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The key outcomes of the EKARA project included:
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• A comprehensive literature review and analysis of existing policies regarding reasonable
accommodations or adjustments;
• A survey report
• 12 fictionalized vignettes created by the ITE students
• A focus group report
• An online toolkit specifically designed to support placements for ITE students with disabilities
in NI and ROI;
• A dissemination conference to present findings and introduce the toolkit to stakeholders.
• Presentations of the conference findings at three major scientific events
Throughout the project, ethical integrity was upheld through rigorous informed consent procedures,
strict confidentiality protocols, the safeguarding of vulnerable groups, and responsible data
management.
EKARA significantly aligns with the objectives of the Standing Conference on Teacher Education
North and South (SCoTENS) by fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and enhancing mutual
understanding across teacher education in both jurisdictions.