The following information on Special Education across Canada is available from Statistics Canada:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2007001/9631-eng.htm
Module Task:
- After reading information about special education across Canada, research using the internet, special education policy for at least two other provinces, excluding Ontario and create a chart to share with your classmates this week.
- Post your chart and answer the following questions below in a short paragraph.
- What are some of the similarities in the two policies you examined?
- What are some of the differences in the two policies you examined?
- What stood out as different from Ontario’s policies?
- In your opinion, did the two policies you examined meet the needs of exceptional learners?
~ Read all posts made by your colleagues
~ Respond to at least TWO of your classmates' posts
Total Online Hours: 8
INSTRUCTOR NOTES:
It is very common to have a student move from another province. This module is asking you to compare policy between two provinces. You will simply do a google search to find the Education Policy Documents for two other provinces. Then choose an area you are interested in comparing. For example you can look through the policy document for two other provinces to see if there is a transition plan policy(In Ontario we have PPM156). In your chart you will compare the two provinces to each other. Then you will draw on your knowledge of Ontario Ministry of Education Policy from Module #2 and discuss what stands out as different from Ontario.
Furthermore, reflect on the policy you reviewed in the other two province and give your option - does it meet the needs of exceptional learners? The Ministry is always revising their policies and curriculum to remain current and ensure we are using best practices. A lot can be learned from what other Provinces are doing to meet the needs of exceptional learners.
Try not to over think this Module, focus on a specific area of policy you are interested in (IEP, Transitions, IPRC, etc.) and go through the policy documents of 2 other provinces to see if you can find a comparative policy in each.
To help with the search, here are a few links to Provincial Education Policy sites that were rather easy to find. Please feel free to search for the Provinces and Territories I have not listed belowManitoba
BC
Nova Scotia
www.studentservices.ednet.ns.ca
Albertawww.studentservices.ednet.ns.ca
New Brunswick
Quebec
http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/autres/organismes/CELA_avis-adaptation-scolaire_a.pdf_______________________________________________________________________________
BC
(Developing and IEP)
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/special_ed_policy_manual.pdf
In regards to ON, and Alberta things are different in BC in the way that, the school based teams have an immediate duty to consider recommendations for assessment/evaluation of specific students from their class. In Ontario, the school needs to coordinate with the parent to develop the IEP and then arrange a meeting between the parent and the IPRC to have the student formally identified so that they have access to needed supports. The School-Based Teams in BC offer instructional/classroom support in regards to students with special needs and helps teachers manage student cases to avoid a lack of attention on a particular case. In Alberta there is no school-based team, however Alberta carries forward their observation and ongoing assessment of identified students through the learning teams.
My experience with this system is as follows: Student is experiencing difficulties in class; teacher meets with student and assesses accordingly. If the student is struggling to maintain academically or socially-participatory in class, an "I-Report" is generated. The I-Report is passed on to the administrative team and it is placed in a set of cases that will be reviewed by the SBT (School-Based Team). The SBT determines steps for the student, whether that be having the student identified/assessed for disabilities (recommended to parents, that they do this); or placing the student in a support block passed on parent's wishes/school resources available. The teacher/administration will make accommodations and potentially modifications on a case by case scenario. From my experience in ON, this is very different as there is no "IPRC" in the BC school boards. In AB, the school based teams ultimately kick the case up to the Minister of Education if an appeal is made. School boards in both BC and AB need to ensure that the schools are individually documenting and appropriately identifying and supporting identified students.
I find it interesting that the programs, however similar they may be still have very different numbers in respect to the number of students identified as having mild vs severe learning disabilities. Where ON has less mild-moderate identifications, BC has an increased amount comparatively; where BC has a lower amount of severe-very severe identifications, ON has a significantly higher amount.
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AB
(Development of an IPP)
In regards to ON, things are different in Alberta in the way that, the IPP involves a lot less of the process that Ontario includes in regards to formal medical/psychiatric therapy history. The IPP of Alberta is seemingly user-friendly, certainly informational and also manageable for students to participate in along with parents/IPP Coordinators. In regards to BC's school based teams, Alberta doesn't have an official "school-based team" that assesses and develops instructional strategies for CT's to utilize. Instead, their focus is more on the "after identification" which can essentially be useful in any/all settings in regards to timing.
It seems that according to the documents another interesting aspect to the AB vs. BC/ON identification and IEP/IPP development process is that the school board is the final say unless appealed in which the determination of the decision made by the school of the student's identification comes to the desk of the Minister of Education. This process is seemingly straightforward but provides less eyes on the case than say BC or ON which means there is not much in the way of supporting more than one point of view. Seemingly one sided decisions may be made in appealed cases.
Alberta compared to British Columbia and ON, seem to out reach the number of mild-moderate identifications. Ontario between the three seems to be the highest of the three in regards to severe to very severe identifications.
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