Historical Overview of Special Education in Ontario

1
Historical Overview of Special Education in
Ontario
2
1950s

• Royal Commission on Education in Ontario, 1950
  (AKA the Hope Report)
• First look at special education
• Recommended
• Compulsory school attendance (6-16)
• Universal Kindergarten programs
• Abolition of Grade 13
• A significant expansion of special education
  programs to serve children with learning
  disabilities

3
1960s (Decade of ed. Reform)

• Robarts Plan reorganized schools program of
  studies three academic streams (2 yr. for jobs,
  4 yr. vocational training, and a more traditional
  5yr. Program.
• 1968 Hall-Dennis report the right of every
  individual to have equal access to the learning
  experience best suited to his needs, and the
  responsibility of every school authority to
  provide a child centred learning continuum that
  invites learning by individual discovery and
  inquiry.

4
1970s Further reforms

• New programs, credits, and diploma requirements
  were introduced, accompanied by new teaching
  techniques.
• Programs and services for students with special
  needs were still lacking.
• School boards were not required to offer special
  education programs and services.

5
1980s Focus on Special Education

• Dec. 12, 1980 An act to Amend the Education
  Act, referred to as Bill 82 came into effect in
  Ontario
• Part of a world-wide movement to providing all
  children with the opportunity for a publicly
  funded education.
• School boards were required to provide special
  education programs and services to exceptional
  students or to purchase these services through an
  agreement with another publicly funded school
  board.

6
1980s (cont.)

• Up to Bill 82 variation throughout Ontario
• Other aspects of Bill 82
• Early and ongoing identification and assessment
  of learning disabilities and needs of students
• Establishment of Identification, Placement, and
  Review Committee (IPRC)
• Involvement of parents/guardians in assessment,
  identification, and placement decisions
• Involvement of parent associations
• Rights of parents to appeal decisions (ID,
  placement, IPRC

7
1980s (cont.)

• Following Bill 82 schools were given 5 years to
  establish their special education plans, in
  consultation with their SEACs.
• Now Regulation 306 school board prepares and
  approves a report on their special education
  services/programs every 2 years.
• Bill 82 had a significant impact on parents,
  teachers, and other professionals associated with
  providing special education services. Parents
  and advocates became better informed.

8
1990s

• 1991 Minister of Education said
• The integration of exceptional pupils into
  local community classrooms should be the norm in
  Ontario, wherever possible, when such a placement
  meets the pupils needs, and when it is according
  to parental choice.

9
1990s (cont.)

• 1994 Asst Deputy Minister
• (commitment to integration)
• The Ministry of Education and Training remains
  committed to the principle that the integration
  of exceptional pupils should be the normal
  practice in Ontario, when such a placement meets
  the pupils needs and is in accordance with
  parental wishes. A range if options including
  placement in a special class or provincial or
  demonstration school will continue to be
  available for pupils whose needs cannot be met
  within the regular classroom.

10
1990s (cont.)

• 1995s Report of the Royal Commission on Learning,
  For the Love of Learning
• Integration of students with special needs into
  regular classrooms, with classroom support when
  necessary, while acknowledging the
  appropriateness of other placements, including
  acceleration of gifted students.

11
2000s

• 2001 Ministrys Special Education A Guide for
  Educators
• Reflects changes since 1984
• Explains pertinent legislation and policy,
  funding for special education, program planning,
  programs and services, and the roles of and
  resources provided by other ministries.

12
2000s (cont.)

• In Ontario, children who have behavoural,
  communication, intellectual, physical, or
  multiple disabilities or disorders, or who
  gifted, may require special education services or
  special education programs to enable them to
  attend school and to benefit fully from their
  school experience.
• Such students may be formally identified as
  exceptional

13
2000s (cont.)

• Subsection 8(3) of the Education Act requires the
  Minister of Ed. To prescribe categories of
  exceptionalities, to define exceptionalities, and
  to require school boards to use the definitions.
  Categories and definitions can be found in
  Special Education A Guide for Educators.

14
2000s

• All students formally identified as exceptional
  by an Identification, Placement, and review
  Committee (IPRC) must have access to an education
  that will enable them to develop the knowledge
  and skills they need in order to participate in
  the life of Ontario communities.

15
2000s (cont.)

• School boards are required to provide exceptional
  pupils with special education programs and
  special education services that are appropriate
  for their needs.
• Specific procedures for identification and
  placement is set out in Regulation 181/98
• Also, provides for the regular review of the
  identification and placement of a student and for
  the appeal of decisions by parents.

16
2000s (cont.)

• When IPRC identifies a student as exceptional,
  the principal must ensure that an Individual
  Education Plan (IEP) is developed and maintained
  for that pupil in accordance with the ministry
  document Individual Education Plans Standards
  for Development, Program Planning, and
  Implementation, 2000
• (cont.)

17
2000s (IEP cont.)

• Input from parents must be included in the
  development of the IEP
• Students 16 and must be consulted
• IEP identifies students particular learning
  expectation and outlines how the school will
  address these expectation through appropriate
  special education programs and services.
• It also identifies how progress will be reviewed
• IEP will be modified on the basis of continuous
  evaluation and assessment