UCD School of Education

Dr William Kinsella, BA, BSc(Psych.),MA(Ed.Psych.), H.Dip. Ed., H.Dip. Remedial and Special Education, initially qualified and taught as a second level teacher. On graduating from the Higher Diploma in Remedial and Special Education, at UCD, with First Class Honours in 1995, he established a Learning Support Department in a large primary school, where he taught for four years providing learning support to pupils aged from 4 to 14 years. He graduated from the Open University with a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology in 1999 and he attained a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology, with First Class Honours, from UCD in 2000.  In 2001, he established a Special Educational Needs Department and assumed the role of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator  in a large second-level school, to which there is also a primary school attached, with a combined pupil enrolment of 1,800 pupils. Since assuming a position as full-time lecturer at  UCD, he has retained an advisory role in relation to special educational needs provision in these schools  He has also served as a community representative on the Board of Management  of a special school for four years.  He is a Graduate Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland and is a member of a number of committees within that Society.

On his appointment to the then Education Department, UCD in January 2003, William assumed the role of Course Director of the Master's Degree Course in Educational Psychology, in combination with his roles as lecturer, tutor and professional placement supervisor on that Course.  He also lectures  on a number of other courses within the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, including; the Graduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs Course, the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Course and the Master's Degree in Special Educational Needs Course. He was involved from the outset in the design and establishment of the Master's Degree Course in Special Educational Needs.  He has designed and established the PhD in Educational Psychology and is the Course Director of that doctoral studies course. With regard to extra-mural activities, he contributes to the professional development of both psychologists and teachers through  his inputs in psychological services, in schools and in the Teacher Induction Project at the School of Education.  

His area of research, while completing the MA in Educational Psychology was concerned with educational provision for pupils presenting with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. He has completed a PhD thesis, entitled,  Inclusion of Pupils with Disabilities/Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Second Level Schools in the Republic of Ireland.  He is the Principal Investigator on a study, funded by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), that is investigating the effectiveness of the system of additional resource provision for pupils with special educational needs in Irish schools