Guest Dr. Johanna Fitzgerald shares why special education is not a place rather a continuum of services matched to student needs.

Dr Johanna Fitzgerald is Head of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland. She worked as a post-primary teacher, SENCO and Special Education Teacher for a number of years, both in Ireland and the UK. She also worked with the Special Education Support Service as an Assistant National Coordinator. She is involved with a number of outreach projects with national management bodies and organisations. She is Chairperson of the Joint Managerial Body SEN Advisory Group and Education.  She also provides CPD to post-primary schools and is Chairperson of the MIC SENCO Forum, a professional learning network for SENCOs. Current research interests include: leadership in education, with a particular emphasis on developing the role of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) as strategic leaders;  teacher professional learning; and inclusive and special education.