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Special Education Policy and
Handbook of Procedures
For the Organization of Services for Students with Handicaps, Social
Maladjustments or Learning Difficulties
Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
2005 - 2006
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 STARTING THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR........................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Starting the School Year: Administrator’s Checklist ................................................................................ 6 2.2 Starting the School Year: Teacher’s Checklist ........................................................................................ 7 2.3 Starting the School Year: Psychologist / Guidance Counsellor Checklist ............................................... 8 2.4 Starting the School Year: Speech Language Pathologist Checklist ........................................................ 9
3.0 IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS ............................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Students Registering With Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board For the First Time..................................... 11 3.2 Early Screening of Four Year Olds and Kindergarten Students ............................................................ 12 3.3 Procedure for Identification of Students with Special Needs................................................................. 13 3.4 Ad Hoc Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 14 3.5 Multidisciplinary Case Conferencing ..................................................................................................... 16 3.6 Referrals for Assessment and Consultation .......................................................................................... 17
4.0 INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) .............................................................................................. 19 4.1 Nature and Functions............................................................................................................................ 19 4.2 Objectives of the Individualized Education Plan.................................................................................... 20 4.3 In Brief................................................................................................................................................... 21 4.4 The IEP Checklist.................................................................................................................................. 23 4.5 Planning an IEP Meeting - Principal...................................................................................................... 24
5.0 INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM............................. 26 5.1 The Role and Responsibilities of the Parent /Guardian......................................................................... 26 5.2 The Role and Responsibilities of the Principal ...................................................................................... 26 5.3 The Role and Responsibilities of the Classroom Teacher(s) and Resource Teacher ........................... 27 5.4 The Role and Responsibilities of the Special Education Technician ..................................................... 27 5.5 The Role and Responsibilities of the Attendant to the Handicapped..................................................... 28 5.6 The Role and Responsibilities of the Primary Professional Asigned to the School ............................... 28 5.7 The Role and Responsibilities of the Special Education Consultant ..................................................... 29
6.0 SUPPORT MEASURES.............................................................................................................................. 31 6.1 Support Personnel ................................................................................................................................ 31 6.2 Specialized Programmes and Classes.................................................................................................. 36 6.3 External Support ................................................................................................................................... 43 6.4 Transportation ....................................................................................................................................... 46 6.5 Specialized Equipment and Technological Aids /.................................................................................. 46 6.6 Adaptations to Building Facilities........................................................................................................... 47
7.0 TRANSITION PROCEDURES / ARTICULATION....................................................................................... 49 7.2 Between Elementary and High School.................................................................................................. 50 7.3 Between Cycle I and Cycle II of Secondary .......................................................................................... 51
8.0 STUDENT FILES ........................................................................................................................................ 53 8.1 Student’s Academic File (PRC)............................................................................................................. 53 8.2 Student’s Special Assistance File ......................................................................................................... 54 8.3 Student’s Confidential Files................................................................................................................... 55
9.0 EVALUATION OF STUDENTS ................................................................................................................... 57 9.1 Evaluation of Students: Adapted Curriculum Versus Modified Curriculum............................................ 58 9.2 Evaluation: Support Measures and Exemption ..................................................................................... 59
10.0 FORMAL RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT ......................................................................................... 61 10.1 Formal Recognition of Achievement ................................................................................................... 62
11.0 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................ 67
12.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................................................................................................... 70
1.0 Introduction
This Handbook of Procedures accompanies the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board Policy
Outlining the Organization of Services for Students with Handicaps, Social Maladjustments
or Learning Difficulties.
A cross-reference of the Handbook to the sections of the Policy is included to illustrate their
integral connection. This should facilitate the use of the Handbook to implement the Policy.
The process of creating this document began with a committee of twelve members who met
from March to June 2005 to develop the Handbook. It included representatives chosen from
among administrators, teachers, parents, support staff, professionals and personnel from
Complementary Educational Services.
We would like to express our thanks to all the members for their professional work
suggestions and expertise, without which this document would not have been developed.
We hope that you will find the document to be a helpful guide in the application of the Sir
Wilfrid Laurier School Board Special Education Policy. We look forward to your feedback.
N.B. In this document, the masculine form also implies the feminine. In this document, Special Needs implies students with handicaps and at-risk students.
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A Cross Reference
Handbook of Procedures Special Education Policy Section 3 – Identification of Students Section 3 – Identification and Support of
Students Section 4 – Prevention / Early Intervention
Section 4 – Individual Education Plan Section 5 – Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Section 5 – Inclusion of Students With Special Needs in a Regular Class
Section 6 – Delivery of Services Section 7 – School Board Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 8 – School Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 9 – Teacher Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 10 – Responsibilities of the Complementary Services Professional
Section 6 – Support Measures Section 1 – Introduction Section 2 – Basic Orientation Section 3 – Identification and Support of Students
Section 7 – Transition Procedures / Re- integration
Section 7 – School Board Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 8 – School Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 9 – Teacher Responsibilities for Students With Special Needs Section 10 – Responsibilities of the Complementary Services Professional Section 11 – Parental Participation for Students With Special Needs
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2.0 STARTING THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
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2.1 Starting the School Year: Administrator’s Checklist What I need as an administrator to begin the school year for the students with special needs; handicapped and at-risk students.
1. I have a list of students with special needs assigned by class for the school year. 2. I have access to the necessary information for the students with special needs. IEP
Confidential File
Student Special Assistance File Information from last year’s teachers
Information from the resource teacher
Information from primary professional Information from the parents Information from external resources (e.g. hospitals) 3. I have provided the list of students with special needs to the professional support team and have established a schedule for delivery of services. 4. I have either provided information to teachers regarding students with special needs
or informed them that an assessment is pending. 5. I have ensured that teachers involved with the students have the most recent IEP. 6. I have ensured that teachers are aware of available support, resources, programmes and or materials which facilitate strategies for adaptation or modification. 7. I have requested professional development for teachers who will need additional information and strategies. 8. I have informed teachers of this Handbook of Procedures. 9. I have verified that the code appears in GPI.
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2.2 Starting the School Year: Teacher’s Checklist What I need as a teacher to begin the school year for students with special needs; students with handicaps and at-risk students.
1. I have a class list identifying the students with special needs. 2. I have consulted the Confidential File and/or Student Special Assistance File of my students with special needs. 3. I have read my students’ IEPs. 4. I have met with last year’s teachers and / or the resource teacher. 5. I have asked the principal and members of Complementary Educational Services about available services, resources and materials. 6. I have informed the principal about my need for any professional development. 7. I am aware of the Handbook of Procedures.
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2.3 Starting the School Year: Psychologist / Guidance Counsellor Checklist What I need as a psychologist / guidance counsellor to begin the school year for students with special needs; students with handicaps and at-risk students.
1. I have a list of students with special needs assigned by class for the school year. 2. I have met with the principal to discuss the services I can offer to the school throughout the course of the year. 3. In the case of secondary school, I have a list of all new students with special needs as well as the school and programme from which they transferred. 4. I have the necessary files of those students with special needs:
i. Psychological ii. Confidential File
iii. IEP iv. Student Special Assistance File
5a. If the student is new to the school, I have met with the parent/guardian and student to discuss the necessary support measures. 5b. I have met with the following members of the multidisciplinary team to discuss the
difficulties related to the students with special needs in order to develop an IEP.
a. class teacher(s) b. technician and attendant c. guidance counsellor / psychologist d. principal e. resource teacher f. speech language pathologist g. behaviour technician h. external resource personnel
6. If the student has a handicap, I have filled in the validation form and collected all the necessary documentation required for validation.
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2.4 Starting the School Year: Speech Language Pathologist Checklist
What I need as a speech language pathologist to begin the school year for students with special needs; students with handicaps and at-risk students.
1. I have met with the administrator to: discuss how the speech and language services will be delivered review and prioritize the current speech language caseload
2. I have met with the resource teacher and have chosen dates for developmental
progressions where this programme is being used.
3. I have a list of students, assigned by class, who either have a language handicap code (34) or require continued speech or language follow-up for the school year. 4. I have reviewed current files of students with language handicaps to assess their needs.
5. I have informed new teachers of previous evaluations, recommendations, and action plans for students with language handicaps (code 34) as well as other speech and language difficulties. 6. I have sent the Parent Acknowledgement form to the parent/guardian to notify that I will
be working with his child during the current school year.
7. I have visited the kindergarten classes, and after consultation with the teachers, have identified students with potential speech and/or language difficulties. 8. I have sent home to each kindergarten parent/guardian the “speech language programme parent questionnaire” to provide more information in the identification of students
at risk for speech language difficulties. (see Appendix 2.1)
2.0 APPENDIX
• 2.1 Speech and Language Parent Questionnaire
Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
Speech-Language Program Parent Questionnaire Please fill out this form regarding your child’s speech and language development. Child’s Name: __________________________ School: ______________________________ Date of Birth: Year:_____Mo._____Day______ Teacher: _____________________________ Tel. No.: Home_______________ Work: father_______________ mother___________________ Mother’s maiden name: ___________________ Date:_______________________________ Child’s first language ________________ Other languages in the home____________________ Was your child a late talker? _______ if so, explain ____________________________________ Has your child experienced • anything unusual in birth or developmental history __________________________________ • a serious medical problem ______________________________________________ • frequent ear infections ______________________________________________ • tubes in his/her ears (if so, when) ______________________________________________ • pronunciation problems ______________________________________________ • difficulty expressing ideas clearly ______________________________________________ speaking in sentences ______________________________________________ finding words _______________________________________________ following directions ______________________________________________ • stuttering _______________________________________________ How often do you read to your child? _______________________________________________ Does your child enjoy being read to? _______________________________________________
Does he/she like to retell a story you have read to him/her? _____________________________ If your child has been seen previously for a speech-language evaluation or therapy, please give the place and dates. (Please obtain a copy of the report for our school files.) ___________________________________________________________________________ Additional comments:
S.V.P. remplir ce formulaire concernant le développement du langage et de la parole chez votre enfant. Nom de l’enfant: ____________________________ L’école: ___________________________ Date de naissance: an_____ mois______ jour_____ L’enseignante: _____________________ Num. de tél.: à domicile: ______________ au travail: père ___________ mère: ______________ Nom de jeune fille (mère):___________________________________ La langue première de votre enfant ____________ D’autres langues à la maison _____________ Est-ce qu’il/elle a commencé à parler tard? ________ si oui, expliquer _____________________ Est-ce que votre enfant a eu
• des difficultés à la naissance ou dans son développement ________________________
• un problème médical sérieux _______________________________________________
• plusieurs infections aux oreilles _____________________________________________
• des tubes aux oreilles (si oui, quand) _________________________________________
• des problèmes de prononciation _____________________________________________
• de la difficulté à s’exprimer clairement ________________________________________
à parler avec des phrases complètes ______________________________ à évoquer de mots ____________________________________________ à suivre des commandes _______________________________________
• bégaiement _____________________________________________________________
Combien de fois par semaine lisez-vous un livre à votre enfant? _________________________ Est-ce que votre enfant aime se faire lire? ___________________________________________ Est-ce qu’il/elle aime redire une histoire que vous lui avez lu? ____________________________ Si votre enfant a été déjà vu en orthophonie (évaluation ou thérapie), s.v.p. donner le lieu et dates. (Nous avons besoin d’une copie du rapport pour les dossiers confidentiels de l’école.) ____________________________________________________________________________ Commentaires: ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
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3.0 IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS
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3.1 Students Registering With Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
For the First Time When a school receives a student with special needs who is registering with the school for the first time from outside the School Board:
1. The parent/guardian is requested to complete the School Board registration form.
2. If the parent/guardian identifies his child as requiring special services, an appointment is made with the principal or designate to discuss both the services and the placement.
3. The parent/guardian is requested, by the principal, to bring all relevant documentation, assessments, IEP,
school records and reports from outside services. 4. The principal will ask the parent/guardian to sign the authorization form for a release of all pertinent information. (see Appendix 3.1) 5. The primary professional* will research and ensure that all necessary documentation and information
has been received in order to begin the coding procedure and to organize the appropriate support measures.
6. For a student with a handicap, the principal together with the primary professional will complete the Validation Form (see Appendix 3.2) to be submitted to Complementary Educational Services so that support measures can be organized in the school before the student is admitted. 7. If the administrator has any concerns regarding the ability of the school to provide the necessary services, the school’s primary professional should be contacted immediately for a consultation. 8. The principal will contact Complementary Educational Services to inform them of the new registrant and request the necessary support measures or an alternate placement for the student. 9. Copies of all confidential documentation collected and the validation form are immediately forwarded to Complementary Educational Services so that the coding procedure can get started and the necessary support measures be allocated to the school. (See Appendix 3-1) * The primary professional refers to the psychologist in the elementary school and the guidance counsellor in the high school.
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3.2 Early Screening of Four Year Olds and Kindergarten Students
1. Early Entry to school (4 year olds): The student must have a designated handicap code. Documentation to support the code must be provided before registration can occur. A validation form must be completed. (see Appendix 3.2)
2. Early screening for kindergarten
Children registering for kindergarten may be invited to an early screening group session prior to the September entry into kindergarten.
The principal will outline school regulations. The psychologist, speech language pathologist, the resource teacher, the
classroom teacher and other support personnel can observe the students during pre-organized activities in order to identify potential students with special needs in order that:
1. Classes can be formed in a balanced way 2. Services can be put into place prior to school entry
• Helpful handouts related to literacy, language, behaviour, fine and gross motor skills
etc, may be distributed to the parent/guardian at this time.
• A parent questionnaire on the child’s overall general development will be given to the parent/guardian to be returned to the school prior to the student’s beginning kindergarten.
• Progressive entry allows the child and teacher to get to know each other within the context of a
smaller group. This is helpful in the early identification of children experiencing difficulties and thus focuses on early prevention.
The principal and the teachers may formulate a plan for the progressive entry, according to a mathematical
formula established by the School Board.
Group Size Maximum Number of Days 11 or less 2 16 or less 3 19 or less 4 *20 or less 5
*The last scenario is added to ensure that for groups that are larger than 20, the teachers do have additional time.
3.3 Procedure for Identification of Students with Special Needs
Procedure for Evaluating
3.4 Ad Hoc Procedures
• Teacher observes the student. • Teacher intervenes with the student. • Teacher contacts the parents. • Teacher writes a report describing actions taken & further actions to be taken, the frequency of observation, and summary of existing assessments. • Teacher refers student to:
School Principal Request additional educational information
and / or consultation.
School principal sets up an Ad Hoc Committee meeting.
May result in:
Further assessment by teacher, professional or
external agency
Follow-up andAd Hoc Committee Meeting
No need for an intervention at this
point.
IEPThe process includes the following:
• Student • Parents • Administrators • Teachers • Professionals, Para-professional • External agencies * Set date for review Set date for the review
IEPThe process includes the following:
• Student • Parents • Administrators • Teachers • Professionals, Para-professional • External agencies *Set date for the review
No need for an intervention at this
point.
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3.4 Ad Hoc Procedures
If after the teacher has implemented appropriate strategies including instructional adaptations and
interventions, the problems continue to persist, the teacher then requests in writing that the school
administrator call an Ad Hoc meeting (using the “Special Education Ad Hoc Committee” request form
Appendix 3.3) within fifteen working days of receiving the teacher’s request.
An Ad Hoc Committee meeting should include a school administration representative, teachers working with
the student, and at the school’s request, a professional. The parent/guardian of the student and the student, if
possible, are invited to participate. If the parent/guardian is unable to attend, the meeting can take place
without him. The results of the meeting must be conveyed to the parent/guardian by the child’s teacher or
school administrator.
Additional information regarding this procedure can be found in the Teachers’ Collective Agreement (Article
8-9.04 and 05) ( see Appendix 3.4).
A professional should be present if the discussion involves a student with a serious behaviour difficulty or a
handicap. The presence of a professional can also be requested to review a case where the student has a
serious learning difficulty.
The purpose of the meeting is to review the student’s situation, study the details of the case, and make
recommendations to the school principal on the intervention measures or support services required by the
student.
Don’t Forget Participants must bring to the meeting the following:
• Work samples and observations of student, recorded and dated • All pertinent information / documentation
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The back page of the Special Education Ad Hoc Committee form(see Appendix 3.3) is used during the
meeting to record the recommendations of the committee, and if need be, the professional services requested,
and the requested code. Preliminary measures recommended by the Ad Hoc team are put into place to support
the student and teacher.
The Ad Hoc committee may also assist the principal in establishing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
by making appropriate recommendations.
If more information is needed, a formal evaluation may be carried out by the resource teacher, guidance
counsellor (secondary school), school psychologist, speech and language pathologist, or other professional.
Following the evaluation, a meeting is called to review the recommendations and develop and / or revise the
individualized education plan (IEP) as needed.
If professional services or codes are requested, the form (Appendix 3.7) is given to the primary professional
at the school following the Ad Hoc meeting. A copy of the form is submitted to Complementary Educational
Services and a copy is kept in the student’s Confidential File at the school.
The criteria for the identification of students with handicaps, social maladjustments or learning difficulties are
found in Document 19-6505A. (Appendix 3.5) Criteria for identifying learning / behaviour difficulties can be
found in Appendix 3.6. See also guidelines for identifying students with behavioural difficulties (code12).
(Appendix 3.6)
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3.5 Multidisciplinary Case Conferencing When a student is experiencing difficulties, the multidisciplinary team is convened to address the problem
from various perspectives so that the most comprehensive plan can be developed.
3.5.1 The principal may call a case conference or be asked to schedule a case conference by the teacher,
professional, parent or student for any of the following reasons:
• to review new information from external sources
• to determine best placement
• to look at interventions and the implementation of strategies
• to examine the feasibility of referring the student to outside agencies for services
• to identify students at risk
• to problem solve
• to request outside placement or re-integration
• to discuss assessment and follow-up of evaluation *N.B. Minutes of the case conference should be kept in the Student’s Special Assistance File.* 3.5.2 The participants at a case conference shall normally include the following individuals:
• Principal, parent/guardian, teacher(s), student (if the student is able to do so), the primary
professional and special education consultant (consultation is sufficient if members are
unable to be present). Additional members may include other School Board professionals
(e.g. speech and language pathologist), external professionals, support staff, special
education teachers, community representatives, etc.
* Refer to section 8.2 for definition
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3.6 Referrals for Assessment and Consultation Students may be referred for professional assessment and /or consultation as a result of the:
a. Ad Hoc meeting b. Multidisciplinary case conference c. Request by the teacher d. Request by parent/guardian e. Request by external agencies
The Complementary Educational Services Referral form must be completed, signed and given to the
designated professional. The professional will send a copy to Complementary Educational Services once
action has been taken.
The professional will send a copy of all subsequent reports and assessments to Complementary Educational
Services as soon as they are completed. These will be added to the student’s confidential files.
3.6.1 Procedure for Referral to Complementary Educational Services
• The Complementary Educational Services Referral Form is filled out by the teacher and
given to the principal for his signature. Prior to filling out a referral form,
the teacher may invite the professional into the classroom for an informal
observation or screening to help him decide if the student should be referred
for a formal assessment. The principal and the professional discuss the referrals
and prioritize the list (Appendix 3.7).
• The parent is informed by a member of the school team that his child requires professional
services. Parental consent is obtained through the Parent Acknowledgement Form.
• The professional decides on the appropriate services in conjunction with the student’s and
teacher’s needs, i.e., informal or formal evaluation, support to teachers, IEP contributions,
etc.
• After assessing the student formally or informally, the professional transmits the
information, recommendations, and/or plan of action to the teachers, principal and
parent/guardian. In many cases, the multidisciplinary team meeting format is
recommended.
• Parent/guardian consent is not required for students 14 years and older. However, it is
recommended that the student give written consent.
3.0 APPENDIX
3.1 Authorization Form for Release of Information
3.2 Validation Forms
3.3 Special Education Ad Hoc Committee request form
3.4 Teachers’ Collective Agreement
3.5 Document 19-6505A
3.6 Guidelines for Identifying Students with Behavioural
Difficulties (code12)
3.7 Complementary Services Referral Form
3.8 Parent Acknowledgement for Professional Consultation
3.9 A Procedure for Welcoming a New and Challenging Student 3.10 Classroom Teacher Observation Checklist
AdHoc Committee Meeting Request Form Completed by the Classroom Teacher(s)
Student name _______________________________ Cycle / Level____________________ Teacher(s) __________________________________ Date _____________________
Classroom Teacher(s) The teacher set up support related to the student’s needs.
met with student informed parents
Additional Support to Student
In class support
modified instruction modified evaluation peer tutoring help from resource teacher help from behaviour technician help from student attendant in class special program / material other:___________________
Out of class support
remediation (teacher) help from resource teacher help from behaviour technician tutoring (home) other: _____________________
Parents / School Collaboration:
Documentation Collected work samples (collected over time) systematic observation anecdotal reports
parent contact summaries progress notes other: ____________________
Ad Hoc meeting requested For the principal:
date for Ad Hoc meeting: _______________________ parent has been invited to the meeting
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE
Academic Support Behavioural / Social Support Modification / Adaptation □ resource teacher □ technician/attendant □ classroom □ in-class support □ guidance □ programs □ special class □ behaviour/ hmwk log □ assignments □ tech/attendant □ other □ tutor □ other □ other □ The student’s transportation is affected and the transportation department will be notified.
□ Professional Services Requested
Reason for request:
□ psychology □ speech and language □ guidance □ other ___________________ Services in: □ English □ French
Please provide: Substantiating data, work samples.
Follow up to Ad Hoc meeting: □ development of IEP □ multidisciplinary case conference □ external services
Participants
principal:________________________ resource teacher: _________________________ professional: _____________________ tech/attendant: ___________________________ teacher(s) _____________________________________________________________________ parent(s)/guardian: ____________________________________________________ other: _______________________________________ To be completed during/after the Ad Hoc meeting and to be filed in Student’s Special Assistance File.
Guidelines for Identifying Students with Behavioural Difficulties (code 12)
A. Key Indicators
The inappropriate behaviour: occurs 3 to 4 times a week;
persists over a period of time ( 3 to 6 months);
occurs in diverse situations and contexts;
hinders student’s ability to learn or to maintain
satisfying interpersonal relationships.
All four indicators must be considered together.
B. Requirements A psychosocial assessment (a psychosocial assessment is not the same as a clinical
evaluation). The assessment must be carried out by a multidisciplinary team –
psychologist/ counsellor / psycho-educator, teachers, principal, parents, etc.
The following diagnostic methods and techniques are appropriate:
• observation checklist / report by teacher or other qualified professional;*
• structured interviews by counsellor / psychologist or other qualified professional;
• standardized behaviour rating scales by teachers or a
professional (Connors, Pollock, Wilson, Achenback, Waxman, Walker, etc.);*
• sociometric surveys by a qualified professional
• psychometric tests by a qualified professional.
* are mandatory
C. Service 1. Contacts with parents 2. Adaptation of teaching 3. Application of behaviour modification 4. Ongoing support, as needed (e.g. special counsellor, behaviour technician, volunteer) 5. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Complementary Services Referral Form □ Speech-Language Pathology □ Psychology/Guidance □ Other: ________________
□ Special Education Consultant □ Special Education Consultant in Behaviour
Student’s Name:______________________ School: ________________ Cycle ___ Yr. ___
Date of Birth: _________________________ Teachers: _____________________________
Phone Number: H __________W__________ _____________________________
Mother Tongue: _______________________ Mother’s Maiden Name___________________
Describe the student’s problem and how it affects his/her functioning in school: ____________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
What strategies/interventions have recently been initiated?____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Indicate known previous interventions:
□ Vision testing □ Hearing testing □ External services_______________
□ Psychology □ Resource □ Other________________________
□ Speech-language pathology □ I. E. P. Additional comments: _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________ ____________________ ____________ Signature of the referring individual Principal’s signature Date ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Notes: For professional use only – Action(s) taken:
PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION Madam/ Sir, Your child, __________________________, has been identified as requiring professional services. Your child has been referred to the Complementary Service Department. Your son / daughter will be seen by a:
□ Guidance Counselor □ Psychologist □ Speech-Language Pathologist □ Nurse □ Social Worker □ Special Education Consultant in Behaviour
Name of the professional: _______________________________ Be assured that you will be fully informed of the professional’s assessment and recommendations regarding your child. Kindly sign the form below and return it to the school as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to contact me for further information. Thank you for your cooperation, Respectfully,
______________________________/________________________________ Signature Principal
I hereby acknowledge the professional from Complementary Services as designated above, to work with my child. I further agree that the professional who has seen my child may communicate findings and recommendations pertinent to my child’s progress, to the teaching, supervising and school board staff involved in the planning of his/her educational program.
Name of student: _____________________________ Date of birth: _________________ Name of father: ______________________________ Telephone: ___________________ Name of mother: _____________________________ Telephone: ___________________ Parental authority: □ father & mother □ father □ mother □ other: _________________
Note: ____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________ Signature of the parent(s) or of the holder of parental authority Date *Be reminded that in accordance with articles 600, 603, and 605 of the Québec Civil Code, the consent of both parents having parental authority is required, except when a parent is unreachable. It is understood that when parents live together, authorization from one parent presumably implies the other parent’s consent.
(please make a copy of this form for your records)
CLASSROOM TEACHER OBSERVATION
Student’s Name_________________________________________ Date of Birth: _____________________________ Grade:________________ Teacher(s): ____________________________________ Date: _________________
Check all observed characteristics in each category (attach work if necessary).
VISION SPEECH/LANGUAGE LANGUAGE (WRITTEN)
blinks excessively
speaks loudly or too softly
complains of trouble seeing mispronounces words
slow to complete written
work
rubs eyes &/or squints takes a long time to answer questions
distorts symbols when writing
moves closer for board work confuses word order when speaking
difficulty copying from the board
holds head close to assignment
confuses similar sounds words
difficulty copying from another paper
stutters holds paper vertically to read harsh/hoarse voice
needs constant prompts to stay on task
frequent headaches/ dizziness/nausea
can’t sit still during oral presentations
poor use of punctuation
unusual fatigue after reading difficulty following directions
difficulty writing a logical sequence
loses place while reading difficulty expressing needs & ideas
avoids writing
READING
difficulty understanding what is said
omits sounds/words when limited vocabulary
spelling errors not phonetically correct(take dialect into consideration)
difficulty recalling a sequence of events
does not respond when spoken to directly
problems with directionality in letter formation
difficulty drawing conclusion / inferences
difficulty finding the “right” word(s)
difficulty expressing ideas
skips lines when reading can’t discriminate similar speech sounds
difficulty putting thoughts together
uses finger to keep place
constantly loses things speaks in short words & phrases
leaves off word beginnings or endings asks questions when answer
has just been given
doesn’t complete school work
inadequate sight word vocabulary is careless confuses directional words
(up, down, etc) guesses at word fragments works very slowly
difficulty blending sounds answers to question do not
make sense is “messy” reads word by word poor reading comprehension
frequently asks for statements/words to be repeated
MATH BEHAVIOUR
difficulty with problems with more than 1 step
problems have lasted over an extended period time & extreme in nature
THINKING SKILLS
no number concepts is unable to establish &/or maintain friendships
multiple array of interests
difficulty +/- simple numbers
other children don’t play/associate with this child
attempts to tackle problems differently than peers
difficulty with regrouping behaviour unnatural for situation
eager to learn new ideas
superior verbal abilities difficulty with multiplication
superior memory
difficulty with division
tendency to develop fears/physical symptoms associated with personal or school problems
asks complex questions
difficulty with word problems
seems to hear/see things that others don’t hear/see
highly focused areas of interest
confuses or ignores operational signs
appears so depressed that s/he can’t function
shows leadership abilities – positive or negative
difficulty solving problems with missing elements
irritable/agitated thinks more quickly than most students of his/her age
believed to have serious emotional problems
difficulty with problems concepts of time, quantity, money, measurement etc bored
displays high degree of curiosity
withdrawn
difficulty discriminating between essential & nonessential information is physically aggressive
generalizes concepts/applications to other disciplines
behaves as if everything is hopeless
grasps relationships quickly
pessimistic/negative outlook enjoys discovery & problem- solving
is verbally aggressive markedly good concentration skills
exhibits extreme mood
swings
questioning attitude: challenges facts or concepts
classroom performance is inconsistent
serious emotional problems
impulsive, doesn’t think of consequences
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4.0 INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN
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4.0 Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the legal document which permits the modification and
adaptation of a student’s programme from the regular course of study. 1
4.1 Nature and Functions Sections 96.14 of the Education Act states:
“In the case of a handicapped student or student with a social maladjustment or a learning disability, the principal, with the assistance of the student’s parents/guardians, the staff providing services to the students, and the student himself unless the student is unable to do so, shall establish an Individualized Education Plan adapted to the needs of the student. The IEP must be consistent with the school board’s policy and in keeping with the ability and needs of the student as evaluated by the school board before the student’s placement and enrolment at school.”
4.1.1 The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the primary vehicle for outlining the support to
students with handicaps, social maladjustments, and learning difficulties. The IEP is
established by the principal, in collaboration with the staff, parent/guardian and student with
special needs. It is often established following an Ad Hoc committee process. However, an
IEP may also be established for a student who has not been formally identified, but may be
going through a difficult period and would need some specific services at that time.
In addition, if students are receiving or require services from Social and Health
agencies, an Individualized Services Plan – PSI (Plan de Services Individualisé)
is developed in conjunction with the other services. In this case, the IEP
becomes part of the wider service plan.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) As per Policy # 2005-ED-06 (2) Refer to section 6.3.2 for additional information
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4.2 Objectives of the Individualized Education Plan
The IEP must be available, active and evolving to reflect the changing needs of the individual student. It is
the responsibility of the principal to ensure the implementation of the IEP, its periodic evaluation, and
revision when necessary (Education Act, Article, 96.14).
The individualized education plan is reviewed according to the evolution of the student’s situation. Thus, the
frequency and timing of reviews will depend on the nature of the plan and the needs of the student.
4.2.1 The principal shall ensure that the parent/guardian participates on a regular basis in the
implementation and periodic evaluation of the education plan.
4.2.2 The parents/guardians of students for whom an IEP has been developed will receive ten
communications each year including regular school reports and/or adapted school reports for
students with special needs. These communications may include any of the following:
formal reports, parent/guardian interviews; student-led conferences, portfolios, written
course descriptions and objectives; open house; parent/guardian orientation/information
meetings; progress reports; individual meetings with parent/guardian.
4.2.3 Only the official School Board IEP will be available through GPI and must be
completed electronically. A minimum of 2 reviews per year is recommended. One review
takes place in the fall for the current year and one in the spring for the upcoming school year
(Appendix 4.1 elementary & Appendix 4.2 secondary).
4.3 In Brief
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22
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4.4 The IEP Checklist
The IEP must contain the following information:
• name • permanent code • school name • school year • date of meeting when IEP is developed • the modifications required to the student’s programme • date of the IEP review • cycle and level • participants and signatures
In addition, the IEP may contain documentation or information regarding the following items:
• the student’s abilities • the strengths and concerns of the student • the student’s needs • the objectives to pursue and results to attain • the strategies to be implemented • the responsibilities of different parties • the timeline for the review • the procedures for communicating with the parent
A periodic review of each IEP is required. At the end of each school year or the beginning of the new
school year, the IEP should be available to, and reviewed by, the student’s new teachers for the coming year.
The review of the IEP shall include: • identification of the student’s progress in terms of the objectives chosen • re-evaluation of the needs and strategies, if necessary • the maintenance or modification of the resources identified in the IEP • the maintenance or modification of the student’s code • the new timeline
The objectives and strategies set in the IEP should be specific, limited and measurable.
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4.5 Planning an IEP Meeting - Principal 1. Provide Introduction: introduce people in attendance state purpose and time frame for the meeting, indicate that minutes will be taken present options for post-meeting follow up encourage openness in information sharing, comments, and questions 2. Review: student’s pertinent medical, social and school history as appropriate previous goals and services provided involvement from other agencies 3. Discuss: the student’s present level of performance any new assessment data, reports and observations the student’s strengths, interests, talents the student’s areas of need the parent/guardian’s goals for his child the student’s goal for self the educator’s goals for the student any concerns
4. Establish: prime areas for focus goals, objectives and strategies any special services required areas of responsibility review date
5. Plan follow-up: keep a record of planning meetings and follow-up activities review key decisions of planning meetings formalize the IEP plans and share the information with team members
6. Summarize the meeting and end on a positive note
* Information provided by British Columbia Ministry of Education – Special Education
4.0 APPENDIX
4.1 Individualized Education Plan - Elementary 4.2 Individualized Education Plan – High School
4.3 Bank of Objectives
4.4 Learning Accommodations Guideline for Teachers
4.5 Curriculum Classroom Accommodations and Modifications *IEP
Addendum
SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HISTORY Student: _________________________Date of Birth: _____/_____/______ Permanent Code: ______________________ Y M D Fiche: _____________________ School: _________________________ Modified Program _______________
SS=Social Services, SL=Speech/Language, PC=Psychology/Counselling, OT=Occupational Therapy, A-Aide, RT=Resource Teacher
Level Year Name of School Resource Services Given: I = internal E = external *Dates of latest assessments/reports
Pre-K
Kdg
* Indicate year of service(s) / professional reports
SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN -ELEMENTARY
Student: _________________________Date of Birth: ________________ Permanent Code: _____________Cycle/Level: _____ Y M D Fiche: _____________________ School: _________________________Date of IEP: __________________Review Date: ________________ Other Relevant Information (Significant medical, family, developmental, linguistic)
STRENGTHS NEEDS/CONCERNS OVERALL GOAL
COMPENTENCIES / OBJECTIVES PERSON (instructional, behaviour, social) STRATEGIES/ACCOMMODATIONS RESPONSIBLE Evaluation
Evaluation: 1 = exceeds outcome expectations 2= meets outcome expectations 3= partially meets outcome expectations 4= has not attained outcome expectations HOME SUPPORT Participants and titles: __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ ___________________ Administrator Professional Teacher (s) Parent(s)/Guardian Student
YEAR END REVIEW OF IEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHAT WORKED WELL AREAS TO IMPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR Date: _____________________________ Participants and titles: __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ ___________________ Administrator Professional Teacher (s) Parent(s)/Guardian Student
SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN – HIGH SCHOOL
HISTORY
Student: _________________________Date of Birth: _____/_____/______ Permanent Code: ______________________ Y M D Fiche: _____________________ School: _________________________ Modified Program: ____________________
SS=Social Services, SL=Speech/Language, PC=Psychology/Counselling, OT=Occupational Therapy, A-Aide, RT=Resource Teacher
Level
Year Name of School Resource Services Given: I = internal E = external *Dates of latest assessments/reports
Sec. 1
* Indicate year of service(s) / professional reports
SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN – HIGH SCHOOL
Student: _________________________Date of Birth: _____/______/_____ Permanent Code: ___________Cycle/Level: ______ Y M D Fiche: _____________________ School: _________________________Date of IEP: ___________________ Review Date: ______________ STRENGTHS NEEDS/CONCERNS
LONG TERM - GOAL HOME SUPPORT / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COMPETENCIES/OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES / ACCOMMODATIONS PERSON RESPONSIBLE EVALUATION Evaluation: 1 = exceeds outcome expectations 2= meets outcome expectations 3= partially meets outcome expectations 4= has not attained outcome expectations Participants and titles ___________________ ____________________ ___________________ ___________________ __________________ Administrator Professional Teacher(s) Parent(s)/Guardian Student
YEAR END REVIEW OF IEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHAT WORKED WELL AREAS TO IMPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR Participants and titles: ___________________ ____________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Administrator Professional Teacher(s) Parent(s)/Guardian Student
Bank of Objectives The following sample of objectives may be helpful in completing individualized education plans. Language Arts
to improve comprehension in reading e.g. details in a story, making inferences, locating the main idea
to build confidence in reading to improve mechanics of written language i.e. sentence structure, grammatical usage to improve quality of written work to develop appropriate survival vocabulary to improve word attack skills to practice independent reading to practice reading for information to develop oral expression and fluency in reading to develop word analysis abilities to develop sight vocabulary
to strengthen the student’s auditory discrimination skills in being able to hear likenesses and differences in sounds
general knowledge to expand vocabulary and to develop skills in rhyming to learn and be able to transfer rules of capitalization to everyday work; to review rules of punctuation to be encouraged to correct his mistakes in his written work to develop his ability to write in complete sentences to develop spelling abilities to develop general knowledge of spelling principles and rules to overcome difficulties in making errors in spelling high frequency / common words to develop the ability to distinguish between word elements to learn to syllabize to be able to recognize common prefixes and suffixes to be able to spell several regular and irregular plural word forms to produce spoken texts for a familiar audience in specific context
to use language / talk to communicate and to learn to listen actively and critically to analyze the context to make reading – writing – producing connections to analyze different text types to follow an inquiry process to practice editing skills to engage in collaborative writing activities to follow a process to produce written text in specific contexts to discuss the purpose and meaning of the text to adjust reading stance and strategies to the context
athemM atics
to develop one-to-one correspondence to develop the ability to estimate
to increase functional levels in basic computational skills to develop the ability to recognize (write) numerals to ten, etc to develop the ability to complete word problems to be able to identify the process to be used in terms of key word problems to master multiplication facts to ____________ to master single digit division with remainders to master regrouping in subtraction to identify penny, nickel, dime, quarter to understand value of coins to understand place value to become competent in writing decimal equations for proper and improper fractions to recognize right, congruent and similar triangles to develop the ability to change mixed numbers to improper fractions to develop competency in the use of a calculator for basic number operations to increase ability to plan and organize a sequence of steps to solve problems dealing with numeration to solve problems dealing with buying/selling using the concept of percentage to solve problems representing real life situations involving decimal numbers to perform basic operations on natural numbers using various algorithms (methods) to decode the elements of the situational problem to apply different strategies to work out a solution to become competent in oral explanations of the main aspects of the solution to become competent in written explanations of the main aspects of the solution to make connections between the numbers to begin estimating measurements to begin measuring or calculating length, areas, and time to begin adding fractions to begin subtracting fractions to be able to construct tables and graphs
Aud r
ito y Perception
to identify sounds that are the same or different from model to strengthen auditory discrimination abilities to be able to follow directions to identify verbal sounds from amongst other sounds to learn to blend sounds presented by teacher to develop skills in memorizing e.g. rhymes, alphabet, numeral in sequence to develop skills in reciting alphabet or numerals in sequence to improve ability to auditorily sequence a series of sounds
Vis
ual Perception
to match objects that are the same (or different) to recognize and name familiar objects to improve visual-motor skills to develop directional organizational skills to strengthen visual memory ability with numbers, words, etc to reproduce sequences of pictures, letters, numbers, objects, etc to be able to visually discriminate letters, (numbers, words, shapes) to use appropriate spatial relationship in writing letters (numbers)
Exp s
re sive and Receptive Language
to develop ability to analyze word elements to apply research skills in carrying out classroom projects to improve ability to generate ideas to increase motivation toward written work to increase ability to use context for word comprehension to develop ability to paraphrase main idea to develop the ability to distinguish between word elements to organize words into sentences to develop appropriate use of verb tense (prepositions, pronouns, etc) to improve word retrieval skills to expand receptive (expressive) vocabulary to begin to comprehend word meanings to be able to follow directions to develop the ability to auditorily discriminate between sounds (words) to develop ability to understand word associations to develop appropriate use of syntax to develop sound blending skills to respond appropriately to social situations to interpret graphs (maps) appropriately to expand sentence structure to be able to understand sequences of events
Soc –
ial Emotional
to learn consequences of actions to improve peer relations to reduce physical aggressiveness to increase self-concept to develop independence to eliminate inappropriate emotional response to reduce disruptive behaviour to eliminate verbal hostility towards peers and / or adults to eliminate bizarre mannerisms to reduce use of inappropriate verbal expression to establish more positive peer interactions to develop tolerance of others to increase ability to make decisions to develop cooperative behaviour in group learning and play activities to develop positive feelings towards peers to develop supportive attitudes towards peers to increase confidence in risk-taking situations to increase self-control with peers to learn to interpret the behaviour of others to transfer skills and knowledge to other learning situations
Organi
zational Skills
to discuss processes and strategies used to learn and adopt own set of effective processes to develop strategies to manage own workload to self-evaluate and self-reflect one’s own learning to develop strategies to measure own sense of accomplishment to set personal learning goals to develop a method for locating and organizing information
ine and Gross MotorF
to develop left- to- right progression to develop fine-motor skills to become competent in colouring within boundaries to develop proper pencil grip, posture and letter formation to improve quality in printed formations to learn cursive writing to strengthen gross motor abilities to be able to use a balance board develop ball handling skills e to age group to perform gross-motor tasks appropriat to develop appropriate note-taking skills
The l ctives:
to develop to decrease to limit
to be able to to eliminate to lessen to reduce
tch to expand to recognize to establish to strengthen to become competent to know to demonstrate knowledge
fo lowing are appropriate for writing obje
to identify to improve to solve to learn to increase to comprehend
er to follow to lowto build to ma
Learning Accommodations Guideline for Teachers
Remedial Services Additional Support Speech and Language Therapy* peer tutoring Psychology* study buddy Occupational Therapy* cross-age tutor Resource Teacher pair students for assignments Social Worker work with aide/attendant Behaviour Intervention Specialist behaviour intervention Guidance Counselor (high school)
Environmental Supports preferential seating (decrease distractions & increase teacher access to student) provide extra workspace change student’s current schedule to maximize learning time use agenda for organization use checklist to help student get organized provide opportunities for movement reduce noise level during tasks that require concentration limit visual distractions / clutter
Classroom Management increase structure clearly defined rules / regular review increase monitoring of behaviour clear consequence for behaviour increase level of proximity control increase level of praise for appropriate behaviours behaviour contract document/chart behaviour offer choices utilize tangible rewards
* On a consultative basis
Instructional Modifications
Presentation of Material break assignments into smaller segments increase use of concrete examples reduce number of concepts introduced at any one time provide overview of lesson prior to teaching increase review of lessons taught before introducing new ideas highlight important concepts change rate in which material is presented use a variety of teaching methods provide clear/concise instructions provide teacher notes/audio cassette of lessons for review repeat or simplify instructions increase amount of modeling, demonstration and/or guided practice pre-teach vocabulary maximize use of visual cues/displays
Materials use taped books tape lectures/notes reduce items on a given page for assignments reduce level of vocabulary on assignments provide supplementary materials allow use of calculator allow use of computer use alternative materials
Modifying Time Demands increase amount of time required to complete assignment reduce the amount of work give student specific time frames to complete small segments of a given task allow time for processing allow time for frequent breaks
Assignments check after 10% complete to assure correct practice use clear/concise instructions break down large assignments into several smaller ones with specific due dates for each provide extended time reduce amount of writing required maximize hands-on assignments check for comprehension prior to start of assignment
Modifying Test Administration Assessment provide a reader for tests assess only items completed allow to give answers orally allow for oral responding highlight key words/instructions satisfactory/unsatisfactory
provide grade for effort provide additional examples utilize competency checklist allow use of books/notes vary grading weights take tests in resource room use pass/fail options
reduce number of items on test treat homework as “extra allow for additional time to complete test credit” only use sample/practice tests simplify test language reduce memorization items
Skill Training anger management/conflict resolution self-management key boarding study skills/test taking/time management
Parent Involvement notify parents immediately when student is not turning in assignments parent signs weekly / daily assignment book/agenda
* On a consultative basis
Curriculum Classroom Accommodations and Modifications* IEP Addendum
Name: _______________________ Cycle/ Level: _____________ Date: __________________ Settings Materials
preferential seating taped / text material small group highlighted text / materials
manipulatives Braille
Assignments ESL materials calculator
reduced level of difficulty keyboard modification shortened assignments access to keyboard / word processor reduced pencil / paper tasks extended time Behaviour opportunity to respond orally
positive reinforcement Instruction frequent breaks clearly defined limits / expectations
shortened instructions quiet time assignment notebook behaviour management plan homework organization program oral exams frequent / immediate feedback Support Personnel dictated information / taped answers taped lectures / stories resource assistance reduced language / reading level attendant / behaviour technician incorporation of learning styles speech – language pathologist
___auditory ___visual ___tactile scribe peer tutoring reader previewing psychologist
guidance counsellor Other social worker
___________________________ other ________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ Exam Taking Support ___________________________ ___________________________ oral exams
small group other ________________________
_____________________________ * developed by Twin Oaks Elementary School*
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5.0 Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in a Regular
Classroom
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5.0 Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in a Regular Classroom
Inclusion expresses commitment to educate each child with special needs, as much as possible, in the
community school. “Inclusion must be systematic, carefully implemented and continuously evaluated. It
involves bringing the support services to the child with special needs and adapting the learning environment
so that he or she will benefit from being in the class.” The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board encourages the
“least restrictive environment” for the education of students with special needs.
“Children who learn together, learn to live together.” Author unknown
5.1 The Role and Responsibilities of the Parent /Guardian
The role and responsibilities of the parent/guardian are in part: • to provide as much information as possible on the special needs of his child including reports
from professionals and diagnostic and any other relevant information;
• to work with the school to facilitate the transition to the new classroom or programme;
• to participate, with his child, in an initial meeting with the school staff and the primary professional from the School Board;
• to participate in the development of an IEP and its periodic evaluation;
• to maintain regular communication with the child’s teacher and notify the school staff of any
important changes in routine, information, etc.
5.2 The Role and Responsibilities of the Principal
The role and responsibilities of the principal are in part:
• to request and receive information from the parent/guardian regarding his child with special needs;
• to schedule an initial meeting with the parent/guardian, student, relevant staff and primary
professional from the School Board;
• to determine, in collaboration with the school staff and Complementary Educational Services, the needs and the resources required for a successful integration;
• to determine an appropriate class placement for the student in consultation with the staff and
the primary professional;
• to develop a professional development plan for the staff working with the student;
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• to establish the IEP with the participation of the parent/ guardian, student, teachers, support staff and primary professional;
• to assign the services to the classroom based on student needs and resources available to the
school;
• to monitor and review the integration process with the staff and the primary professional as needed;
• to ensure that information regarding a student with special needs is transmitted to the
appropriate parties whenever the student changes classes, cycle or school;
• to ensure the collaboration and participation of all individuals working with the student.
5.3 The Role and Responsibilities of the Classroom Teacher(s) and Resource Teacher
The role and responsibilities of the classroom teacher and resource teacher are in part:
• to meet with the parent/guardian, student, principal and primary professional to begin the process of integration;
• to inform the principal of any professional development he may require in order to provide
appropriate instruction and programme adaptations for the student;
• to pursue the necessary professional development;
• to participate in the development of the IEP and its periodic evaluation;
• to implement the necessary adaptations for the student as described in the IEP;
• to work with other staff members to sensitize the other students to the needs of the student with special needs;
• to evaluate the student’s progress;
• to ensure communication between the home and school on a regular basis.
Note: The resource teacher will provide on-going support to the student and the classroom teacher and support staff by assisting in the implementation of the programme as specified in the student’s IEP.
5.4 The Role and Responsibilities of the Special Education Technician
The role and responsibilities of the special education technician are in part:
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• to meet with the teacher in order to determine the needs of the student;
• to participate in the development of the IEP as a member of the school’s multidisciplinary team;
• to participate in the development of therapeutic programmes and student activities;
• to support the teacher in implementing the programmes as outlined in the IEP;
• to keep files, prepare reports and year-end summaries as requested by the school
administration.
5.5 The Role and Responsibilities of the Attendant to the Handicapped The role and responsibilities of the attendant to the handicapped are in part:
• to meet with the teacher in order to determine the needs of the student;
• to participate in the development of the IEP as a member of the school’s
multidisciplinary team;
• to carry out the teacher’s directives as they pertain to the safety, security and physical care of the students assigned to him;
• to assist the students, assigned to him, in performing pedagogical activities as planned by the
teacher;
• to prepare notes or summaries required by the teacher or other professionals involved with the student.
5.6 The Role and Responsibilities of the Primary Professional Assigned to the School
In elementary school, the school psychologist is designated as the primary professional. In secondary school, the primary professional is the guidance counsellor.
The role and responsibilities of the primary professional are in part:
• to meet with the school administration and school team to determine the needs of the student
being integrated;
• to establish a partnership with outside agencies in order to facilitate requests for external services for students as well as for professional development that may be required by the school;
• to consult with the Directorate in Complementary Educational Services to establish
professional training and services required by the school;
• to participate in the development of the IEP as a member of the school’s multidisciplinary team;
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• to help monitor the integration progress and provide consultation to the teachers and support
staff as needed;
• to ensure that the Confidential File is up-to-date both at the school and School Board in order that the application for the supplementary allocations and validation forms can be submitted to the Ministère de l’Education du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) by the required deadlines;
• to evaluate or recommend appropriate assessments in order to obtain additional information to
better meet the needs of the student;
• to provide information to teachers whenever a student with special needs is assigned to their classes;
• to function as the liaison between the school and the department of Complementary
Educational Services.
5.7 The Role and Responsibilities of the Special Education Consultant The role and responsibilities of the special education consultant are in part:
• to meet with the primary professional and principal as needed to discuss the student’s
integration into the school;
• to plan with the school administration any professional development which may be needed by the staff and to contact the necessary resources for the school;
• to provide the teacher with support in differentiation or adaptation of the student’s programme;
• to provide information and resources on the disability or handicap concerned;
• to ensure that the confidential files at the School Board are complete and up-to-date in keeping
with the requirements of the ministry.
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6.0 Support Measures
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6.0 Support Measures
The following specialized resources constitute support for both the teachers and their students. They provide
the necessary support to students with special needs in the least restrictive environment within the student’s
community.
6.1 Support Personnel Attendants for Handicapped Students
Attendants have a High School Leaving Certificate or Diploma in Child Care or an Attestation of studies,
recognized by the competent authority.
Role: The role of the attendant is to support the classroom teacher in ensuring the security, well-being and
hygiene of students with handicaps and to assist the teacher in the preparation and carrying out of pedagogical
and student activities. He also helps the students to use and manipulate the materials and objects necessary
for learning. The attendant works with the teaching staff to instil basic notions of social and communication
skills as well as community living.
Allocation and Distribution: The presence of students with handicaps in the class defines the allocation for
attendant time. The number of hours of attendant time is determined by the particular needs of the student, as
well as by the available resources in the School Board. The school principal sends his request for attendant
and technician hours to Complementary Educational Services.
Guidance Counsellors Guidance Counsellors are required to have completed an appropriate Master’s Degree as well as be licensed
by L’Ordre des Conseillers et Conseillères d’Orientation et des Psychoéducateurs et Psychoéducatrices du
Québec (OCCOPPQ) to use the title of Guidance Counsellor. Their expertise allows them to counsel and
advise students in both personal and career development issues. They are concerned with the interrelationship
of people and their surroundings specifically with difficulties such as chronic indecision, a lack of career
goals, or dysfunction at school or life in general. As these difficulties often reflect identity problems,
Guidance Counsellors are especially interested in the question of identity and the underlying psychological
processes.
Role: The task of a Guidance Counsellor falls into three broad categories – career development, educational
planning or personal counseling. While the following list of services is not meant to be exhaustive, it is an
indication of the types of services offered by a Guidance Counsellor.
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• consultation, referral and information resources for all the partners in the educational community within areas of expertise, such as: emotional-social development, mental health, learning disabilities, behavioural problems, community resources, career/vocational options and directions;
• personal counseling and follow up; • crisis intervention; • computer-assisted career/educational counseling; • registration and articulation regarding new students; • course selection; • educational assessment of students; • public relations activities; • policy / programme development.
Psychologists
Psychologists must complete a minimum of a Master’s Degree programme and must be a member of the
Order of Quebec Psychologists in order to practice their profession.
Role: The school psychologist works with students who have learning / behaviour difficulties as well as
emotional difficulties. He works on an individual basis or in small groups depending on the needs. The school
psychologist develops programmes to help teachers and parent/guardian apply effective techniques and
learning strategies to optimize a child’s learning, and to manage behaviour at home and in the classroom.
According to his expertise, the school psychologist is involved in:
• collaborating with teachers, parent/guardian, and administrators to find effective solutions to learning and behaviour problems;
• assisting in the development and implementation of programmes and strategies to optimize the
learning as well as the behaviour management of a child with special needs;
• working to strengthen relationships amongst teachers, parent/guardian, and service providers in the school and the community;
• helping families and school manage crises, such as death, illness, or community trauma;
• evaluating eligibility for special services;
• assessing academic skills and aptitude for learning;
• determining the social-emotional development of a child as well as mental health status.
Resource Teachers Resource teachers hold a diploma, certificate, or undergraduate degree in Special Education, or a post-
graduate degree in Educational Psychology or a related field, or have taught in the field one full year within
the past five years. Their chief responsibility is to work directly with individual students within the regular
classroom or with small groups.
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Role: In addition to working directly with students, the resource teacher provides support to the regular
teacher by team teaching, and collaborating in the adaptation of curriculum, teaching methods, teaching
materials and evaluation tools for students with special needs. The resource teacher plays a pivotal role as a
liaison among the teachers, professionals and administration and is a crucial participant in the development
and implementation of the IEP.
Allocation and Distribution: The allocation of resource teachers shall be in accordance with the provincial
norms and subject to the Collective Agreement and the School Board’s budget parameters. The current
practice at the elementary level has been established as 1:10 ratio, one resource teacher per 10 homeroom
groups, excluding kindergarten.
At the Secondary School level, individual schools may choose to organize their resources to allow the
implementation of a resource model in keeping with their particular needs.
The criteria for the distribution of resource teachers shall be developed with the collaboration of the
Management Committee and the Special Education Parity Committee.
Special Education Consultants
Special education consultants hold a diploma, certificate, or undergraduate degree in Special Education, or
post-graduate degree in Educational Psychology or a related field and have taught in the field for a minimum
of five years. Their responsibility is to work directly with resource teachers and classroom teachers.
Role: The pedagogical consultant works closely with the schools, both elementary and secondary, to ensure
that support is available for those requiring assistance in the understanding and teaching of students with
special needs. The consultant’s role is to assist the classroom and resource teacher adapt or modify the
curriculum for students with special needs in order to develop best teaching practices and resources. These
can include the development of an IEP, appropriate social skills, and communication skills for students with
special needs. Other responsibilities include:
• assisting with the setting up of services within a school
• assisting in the preparation of Ministère de l’Education, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) declaration of handicapped students and the preparation of requests for funding including special measures
• providing a liaison with external agencies and schools
• working in conjunction with other members of Complementary Educational Services: speech
language pathologists, psychologists, occupational therapists, guidance counsellors
• developing and providing professional development opportunities for classroom teachers and resource teachers.
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Special Education Consultants in Behaviour The Special Education Consultants in Behaviour may hold a university degree in the helping professions, in education and its related areas. Role: The Special Education Consultants in Behaviour provide schools with the following services:
• professional development workshops on a variety of topics related to assisting students in developing new and more appropriate ways of behaving at school. This is in keeping with the School Board’s strategic goal of providing safe school environments conducive to learning. The focus of the workshops is on working with students with disruptive behaviour and/or psychiatric disorders with an emphasis on creating a safe school environment which favours learning over punishment;
• supporting and training school staffs in the implementation of the Intensive Behaviour Programme; • consulting with school staff to develop strategies and interventions for particular students
experiencing significant difficulty in the school setting. This additional support is offered primarily to schools that have already taken the preliminary steps to address these difficulties through their school team and resources (technician, psychologist etc);
• responding to crisis at schools through short term intensive intervention in the form of staff support.
This is accomplished primarily through psycho-education, behaviour intervention plans, and professional development workshops for teachers and support staff.
Allocation and Distribution: Interventions at the school level may include:
• observations; • consultations with individual teachers, as well as with all teachers in a cycle; • consultation / participation in IEP meetings; • consultation / participation in multidisciplinary and/or Ad Hoc meetings; • formal and informal workshops addressing particular difficult behaviours; • development of behaviour intervention plans; • follow up services; • at the request of the principal, additional services may be offered (i.e. meetings held with outside
systems, with families; parent workshops, and non-targeted grade-wide student interventions). Special Education Technician Special Education Technicians hold a Collège d’Enseignement Général et Professionel (CEGEP) diploma in
Special Care Counseling or another relevant diploma. An Attestation of studies may be accepted as an
equivalent by the competent authority.
Role: The technician’s role is to apply the special education techniques and strategies developed in
collaboration with the classroom teacher, resource teacher, and professionals as specified in the student’s IEP.
The technician participates in the elaboration of special programmes and student activities, applies and
adapts, as needed, re-educational methods and techniques, for every aspect of student life. The technician
may also collaborate in the organization and supervision of the Work Study Programmes for students with
learning or behavioural difficulties.
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Allocation and Distribution: Each year, the allocation of technician time to the school is based on the
number of students with handicaps and their individual needs.
Technicians are assigned to work with groups in special programmes such as IPL Continuous, 16+ in
Secondary Schools or in special classes at the Elementary level. They may also work as a Special Education
Technician in Behaviour, at both the elementary and secondary levels, to provide services to integrated
students who are experiencing behaviour difficulties.
Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists are non-teaching professionals who have earned a Master’s Degree and are
members of the Ordre des Orthophonistes et Audiologistes de Québec.
Role: The speech-language pathologist supports the development of students’ communication skills by:
• providing direct and indirect services to children with speech and language difficulties by : a. observing
b. assessing c. giving suggestions to teachers and attendants
d. providing home programmes for parent/guardian e. working with individual students or small groups;
• supporting the use of classroom strategies that facilitate listening, speaking, reading and writing
development for all students;
• working as part of a multidisciplinary team to identify the referred student’s problems, establish goals and recommendations, and monitor progress.
Allocation and Distribution: Because of the value of early intervention in preventing problems, the Speech
Language Service makes the Kindergarten and Cycle One levels a priority. Coded students with language
disorders are also given important consideration.
Technicians in Oral Interpreting Technicians in Oral Interpreting have completed a CEGEP diploma or equivalent and have the training and
qualification in Oral Interpreting as well as all other appropriate modes of communication such as American
Sign Language (A.S.L.) etc.
Role: An oral interpreter will interpret, simultaneously, for a student with a hearing impairment, the message
spoken by teachers and other persons with whom the student must communicate during class and during other
activities related to learning and school life.
The oral interpreter may also provide appropriate assistance to the student if he also has learning or behaviour
difficulties. He assists the student to facilitate his learning and his social integration.
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Allocation and Distribution: An oral interpreter is assigned to a student with a hearing impairment when it
is judged to be a necessary service in order for the student to learn, integrate and thus, succeed in school.
6.2 Specialized Programmes and Classes
6.2.1 Early Intervention Programmes in Literacy address one of the Strategic Goals of the Sir Wilfrid
Laurier School Board. They are integral in the prevention of learning and behavioural difficulties.
Some of the programmes / approaches currently being implemented in the schools include: • ADOR • Intensive Intervention • ETIR • SoundPrints • Balanced Literacy: phonological awareness / guided reading • Laval Language Therapy
N.B. Refer to Appendix 6.1 for a description of these programmes. 6.2.2 Pro-Social Behaviour Programmes
In keeping with the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board’s Strategic Goal of providing a Safe School
Environment conducive to learning, the following programmes promote pro-social behaviour and
deal with crisis in a positive and effective manner. The programmes offer pro-active and problem-
solving strategies. Some of the programmes currently being used within the Sir Wilfrid Laurier
School Board include:
Second Steps École en Santé Kelso Choices Mentoring Fluppy Leadership Programme Pacific Path Anger Replacement Therapy (A.R.T)
• Centralized funding is utilized to provide behavioural consultative services and crisis intervention. N.B. Refer to Appendix 6.1 for information on these programmes
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6.2.3 GOAL – Guidance Oriented Approach to Learning
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board supports the Guidance Oriented Approach to Learning
(GOAL). GOAL is a province wide initiative that was developed in response to the Estates General
Report in 1996 which noted many disturbing trends among students. These included student
ambivalence concerning their studies, a majority of students lacking a career plan, inappropriate
choice of post-secondary programmes, and a shortage of graduates to meet the current demands of
the labour force. GOAL addresses these problems in the following ways:
• promoting the integration of career orientation elements into the curriculum; • ensuring student access to a variety of career orientation tools and resources;
• providing access to individual career counseling;
• providing support for hands-on learning activities that allow students to learn by doing
and increase their awareness of their own unique skills, talents and interests.
The partners in the GOAL approach are many, and include students, teachers, guidance counsellors,
parent/guardian, principals, consultants, librarians as well as partners community and industry.
6.2.4 Regional Special Education Classes
Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board has regional special classes as a support measure. Crestview Elementary
School and Laval Liberty High School are the current locations for the regional classes for students with
handicaps who are 4 to 21 years old. These classes enable students to stay in a regular school environment
within the school board territory.
These regional classes are organized into small ratio groupings taking into account similar age and level of
functioning, wherever possible. The overall programme includes pre-academics and academics,
communication skills, social skills and life skills. The students have an IEP and work on appropriate
individualized goals. Regional classes receive consultative support from speech language pathologists,
occupational therapists, and psychologists. In addition, support services in these classes include special
education technicians and attendants for students with handicaps.
The types of classes may vary from year to year. Currently, the School Board has an Early Intervention
Centre located at Crestview Elementary. This school also has a cycle one class for students with language
impairments who will return to their community school at the end of the cycle. Both Crestview Elementary
and Laval Liberty High School have other heterogeneous classes for students with different handicaps.
Students are referred by the schools and/or outside agencies according to the following criteria:
• Students who have a handicap and multiple difficulties including learning, behaviour, language, motor problems, and these challenges have a significant impact on all aspects of school performance.
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Priority is given to students with a major handicap – autism, psychopathology, or moderate to severe intellectual deficiency.
• Students who have learning/behaviour difficulties with no handicap code, but have severe problems and multiple needs, may be considered under special circumstances.
• Students who have had a psycho-educational assessment within the last two years. • Students who have an IEP and have had several interventions put in place prior to being
recommended for this alternative special class placement. These interventions will have been documented and monitored. The student has not made progress as a result of these interventions and requires more daily intensive assistance in all aspects of learning and behaviour.
Other factors which will be considered to support the special class placement are as follows:
parent/guardian support for the alternative special class placement; a reasonable distance for daily travel to and from the regional special class;
outside or additional therapies or services are not available;
appropriate grouping of students e.g. age and disabilities are available in the regional class;
prior to returning to his community school, daily intensive transitional support is still
required once the student has terminated a treatment programme or has transferred from a special school setting.
Students are accepted into the regional special classes according to the following procedures:
1. Students will be recommended for a special class placement by a multidisciplinary team of a Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board school if he meets the above criteria. The MELS validation form for the coding of students with handicaps will be completed at the school. This form and all pertinent documents and a recommendation for special class placement will be forwarded to Complementary Educational Services.
2. The Directorate in Complementary Educational Services and the Special Education Consultants
will review the documentation and recommendations and may observe and / or meet the student and /or his family. This may take place at any time during the school year; however, June and August are reserved for student placement for the following school year.
3. The schools will be informed as to the refusal or acceptance of the student into a regional special
class. The school principal will inform the parent/guardian if the student has been accepted and obtain parental permission for the placement.
4. Complementary Educational Services will approve and request special transportation for
students to a regional special class or programme. 5. A student may attend a regional special education class for one or more years depending on his
needs. The special class placement is reviewed as part of the IEP process.
6. School administrators in conjunction with Complementary Educational Services will establish special classes each school year according to the number of students who meet the criteria, their needs, and the available resources.
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6.2.5 Individualized Paths for Learning (Secondary Schools) At the secondary school level, services for students with special needs are organized in a programme called
Individualized Paths for Learning. These paths are organizational models for teaching secondary students
who have fallen more than one year behind especially in the core subjects of English, French and Math. In
general, the students receive adapted and/or modified instruction in a reduced class-size grouping. Students in
these programmes can be recommended by their teachers to take the necessary exams to demonstrate
competencies in the various subjects at any time and at any level. The goal is to pass these subjects at the
different levels of secondary school.
Three programmes are available to students with special needs:
Individualized Path for Learning – Temporary Individualized Path for Learning – Continuous Individualized Path for Learning – 16+ programme
N.B. Please note that these are the programmes available at the present time; however, there will be major changes in the future in light of the new Quebec Education Reform moving into the secondary school level.
Individualized Path for Learning – Temporary (IPL-T)
IPL-Temporary is intended for students with identified skill weaknesses or diagnosed learning difficulties;
these challenges have affected their progress. IPL-T is a temporary measure designed to help students
develop the necessary skills to meet the regular requirements of secondary school courses and/or return to
regular placement and programme of studies. In addition, it is designed to allow students additional time to
achieve the goals of secondary school courses at the different cycles. If the student achieves the
competencies, he can return to the regular programme of studies.
For each school year, each individual secondary school may choose the kind of IPL-T programmes or
services which will best meet the students’ needs at the two cycles of secondary. Some of the current IPL-T
programmes and services being used are as follows:
resource teacher resource room smaller class groupings, namely in English and Math additional periods of instruction in English, Math and French
Procedure: 1. Each secondary school will inform its feeder elementary schools at the time of course
selection of the different kinds of IPL-T programmes and services for following school year. The students will be recommended by their teachers in elementary schools for the IPL-T services. The parent/guardian will be informed of this recommendation.
2. Secondary school teachers will recommend their individual students for IPL-T services for the following school year. 3. Some students who currently do not have an IEP may still be recommended for IPL-T services or programmes.
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4. Students receiving IPL-T programmes or services may or may not have an IEP, depending on their needs. (see Appendix 4.0 on IEP’s)
Individualized Path for Learning – Continuous (IPL-C)
IPL-Continuous is intended for students who have fallen more than two years behind in two or more core
subject areas. These students may have handicaps and/or serious learning/ behavioural difficulties which
impact significantly on school performance. Identification of needs can be achieved via a psycho-educational
assessment as well using other pertinent documentation on school performance. Students enrolled in IPL-C
will often require that 50% of their courses be in smaller special classes.
IPL-C is designed to enable students to pursue, as far as possible, the general education objectives as
prescribed for all students. IPL-C in the two cycles of secondary is designed to prepare students to integrate
into society - enter the workforce and to function independently. In IPL-C, students may be assigned fewer
courses than the full workload in any one school year.
To assist the IPL-C students to cope with their studies, some of the courses will be allowed an increase in
time allocation, especially the core subject areas. IPL-C students will have an IEP specifying all adaptations
and modifications.
There are IPL-C classes currently located at Mother Teresa Junior High School, Laurier Senior High School,
Rosemere High School, and Laurentian Regional High School. Laval Liberty High School has IPL-C classes
which are the regional special education classes for students with certain handicap codes.
Procedure: 1. During the course selection period, each secondary school informs its feeder elementary
schools of the different IPL-C programmes and services being offered the following school year. The students will be recommended by their teachers in elementary schools for the IPL-C services. Parent/guardian will be informed of this recommendation. Students may need to attend a specific high school where an IPL-C programme is being offered.
2. Students currently following a regular or IPL-T programme at the secondary level and experiencing great difficulty may be recommended for an IPL-C programme by their teachers. 3. The recommendation to attend an IPL-C programme must come from a multidisciplinary team and this applies to both, students from elementary school, and those already in secondary school. The recommendation must be accompanied by all pertinent documentation, including a psycho-educational assessment completed within the last 2 years. 4. Students who are recommended for an IPL-C programme have an IEP in place and a number of significant interventions have been attempted; however, the student requires a more intensive daily assistance in many aspects of his learning and behaviour. 5. The recommendation for IPL-C should be forwarded to the Special Education Consultants / Complementary Educational Services.
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6. Students who attend an IPL-C class should have an IEP. They may attend IPL-C classes for 1 or more years depending on their needs. This class placement is reviewed yearly as part of the IEP process. 7. IPL-C classes will be established each school year according to the numbers of students who need these services, their needs, and available resources.
Individualized Path for Learning – 16+ programme
This IPL programme is for students who are between sixteen and eighteen years of age, and have not yet
attained the necessary number of credits by age sixteen to graduate in a regular programme of studies.
Students who have handicap codes may remain in school up to twenty-one years of age.
The 16+ programme is a two-year programme which includes both academic training and work skills
competencies. The programme consists of:
communication skills (English and French) mathematics life skills work skills on the job training – ‘stages’ social skills
Students receive an official MELS attestation of achievement certificate at the end of the programme. In
addition, students receive an attestation of skills certificate for each job training profile completed.
The IPL 16+ Programme classes are currently located at Joliette High School, Lake of Two Mountains High
School, Laurentian Regional High School, Laval Liberty High School, Mountainview Batshaw, and Laurier
Senior High School.
Procedure: 1. Students who have not obtained the accreditation necessary to qualify for a Secondary School Diploma or to gain admission to a Vocational Programme
and who wish to continue their schooling, will be offered a programme leading to social and vocational integration or the 16+ programme. These students will be recommended by both their teachers and the secondary school guidance counsellor. 2. Students recommended for a 16+ programme and/or their families may be interviewed by the 16+ team for admission to the programme.
3. Students may be recommended or may choose to attend a specific 16+ programme which meets their special needs and interests.
4. The student is accepted into a particular 16+ programme by the individual secondary school where the programme takes place.
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Home Tutoring When a student is absent for a prolonged absence due to illness, the child may receive home tutoring to assist the child in maintaining his studies. (See Appendix 6.2)
Procedure: 1. A student must be away from the school for at least one month before a subsidy for home tutoring is granted.
1. The School Board will pay for a maximum of six hours per week of home tutoring.
2. The choice of tutor is made in conjunction with the school principal.
3. Parents must complete sections one and two of the government form.
4. The student’s doctor must complete the appropriate section on page two of the government form.
5. Return the parental request and medical forms to Complementary Educational Services for approval.
6. Payroll sheets are to be sent to Complementary Educational Services.
6.2.6 Phoenix Alternative High School
Phoenix is an alternative school within the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board that provides an
opportunity to students who have had various challenges in school and are now ready to complete
their schooling. The school offers a unique experience where personal initiative and commitment are
emphasized. Individual success is determined by level of interest, motivation, academic progress,
and willingness to accept responsibility for choices and decisions. In order to accomplish these
goals, the students must assume full responsibility for their academic and behavioural growth.
Phoenix Alternative has smaller classes and a semestered programme. Phoenix offers regular
courses in a concentrated intensive programme. Personal growth and positive attitudinal
development are encouraged. Process as well as product is emphasized. All the objectives of the
courses are taught, and the students write the same exams as the other students in the Sir Wilfrid
Laurier School Board. Attendance is essential since the programme is intensive; therefore,
attendance is very carefully monitored. Each semester is composed of sixteen weeks of instruction,
plus two exam periods in January and June. The courses offered are those necessary for the
attainment of a secondary school diploma. Career planning is an integral part of the programme. All
students are assigned a teacher advisor with whom they meet weekly to discuss the previous week’s
accomplishments.
Some of the services offered to the students are:
adapted programmes guidance counsellor
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substance abuse information and counselling conflict resolution counselling computer and science labs access to CLSC social worker
Phoenix Alternative High School, located in the Duvernay, Laval area, caters to students completing
subjects at the cycle two secondary level. For more information, contact the Principal at (450) 668-
4385. Students wishing to apply for admission to this school must contact the school directly for an
interview.
6.3 External Support 6.3.1 Inclusive Education Service - Centres of Excellence The Centres of Excellence are part of the provincial initiatives for inclusive education services. They are
designed to offer support and expertise to the English sector in the organization of programmes and adapted
teaching for students with special needs in an inclusive setting. Inclusive education is funded and mandated
by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS).
The Centres of Excellence are mandated to provide: • support to schools and school boards • continuous professional development • research and development activities • contribution to the development of provincial expertise
The Centres of Excellence are available for consultation. Meetings regarding specific topics can be held for
small groups or individuals. The centres are open to host schools and school boards for professional
development activities. In addition, the centres offer on-site support to school boards throughout the province
including in-service activities. The primary goal is to develop expertise within the individual school boards.
The current Centres for Excellence are as follows:
Centre of Excellence for Autism Spectrum Disorders Lester B. Pearson School Board Contact: Karen Zey 1925 Brookdale Avenue Tel: (514) 422-3000 ext. 4437 Dorval (Quebec) [email protected] H9P 2Y7 Internet:fc.lbpsb.qc.ca/~asdn/
Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management Riverside School Board Contact: Eva de Gosztonyi 299 Sir Wilfrid Laurier Tel: (450) 672-4010 ext. 4802 St. Lambert (Quebec) Fax: (450) 465-8809 J4R 2V7 [email protected]
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Centre of Excellence for Physically, Intellectually and Multi-Challenged Eastern Townships School Board Contact: Elaine Baylis Creary 101 du Moulin, No. 205 Tel: (819) 868-0512 Magog (Quebec) [email protected] J1X 6H8
Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development English Montreal School Board Contact: Carol Jazzar 6000 Fielding Avenue Tel: (514) 483-7200 ext. 7238 Montreal (Quebec) Fax: (514) 483-7514 H3X 1T4 [email protected]
Learning Difficulties Resource Centre Riverside School Board Contact: Lynn Senecal 299 Sir Wilfrid Laurier Tel: (450) 672-4010 St. Lambert (Quebec) Fax: (450) 465-8809 J4R 2V7 [email protected]
Individual Centres of Excellence websites also provide useful information for teachers. The Centres of
Excellence can be contacted directly by the school. The preference, however, is that requests for services be
channelled through Complementary Educational Services.
6.3.2 Outside Agencies and Schools
Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board works in partnership with outside agencies, hospitals, special schools, and
other school boards for services and programmes for their special needs students. The School Board
collaborates with external support agencies in a variety of capacities. Some students attend Sir Wilfrid
Laurier School Board schools while concurrently receiving services from outside agencies. Other students
attend a partial or full-time day school programme provided by an external agency. External support can be
either short-term or long-term. There are numerous voluntary or private external support programmes and
services which are not listed below. The following are the external supports most commonly accessed for Sir
Wilfrid Laurier School Board students with special needs.
1. Child Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital – A day treatment and school programme for students with severe behaviour problems who are 4 – 12 years old. (514) 340-8226
2. Montreal Oral School for the Deaf – A day school programme for
some students; itinerant services provided in Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board elementary and high schools for hearing impaired students. (514) 488-4946
3. Montreal Association for the Blind – A day school programme for some students; itinerant services provided to elementary and high school students in Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board schools who are visually impaired. (514) 489-8201
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4. Peter Hall School & Summit School – Private schools in the public
interest which provide day school programmes and classes for elementary and high school students who have intellectual impairments and other severe disabilities. Peter Hall School (514) 748-6727
Summit School (514) 744-2867
5. Mackay Centre – Day programmes and rehabilitation services for elementary and high school students who have hearing impairments, language impairments, or physical handicaps. (514) 482-0500
6. Le Bouclier – Re-adaptation centres north of Laval which provide
speech-language and occupational therapy services for students who have neuro-developmental problems. 1-800-363-2783
7. Centre de Réadaptation Normand-Laramée – Day programmes and home educators for students who live in Laval and who have developmental delays or autism spectrum disorder. Referral from CLSC is required.
(450) 668-9840
8. Centre du Flores – Day programmes and home educators for students who live north of Laval and who have developmental delays or autism spectrum disorder. 1-877-569-2970
9. Paediatric Language Programme, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital –
Individual language therapy and occupational therapy services for young children who live in Laval and who have been diagnosed as having a language impairment or dysphasia. (514) 340-8222
10. Hughesson Hall of the Child Psychiatry Programme, Royal
Victoria Hospital – Day treatment and school programme for students with affective disorders who are 5-12 years old. (514) 934-1934
11 Paul VI High School of the English Montreal School Board –
Small day school programme and classes for students with intellectual deficiencies and other disabilities. (514) 723-2845
12 St. Raphael School of English Montreal School Board – Day
programme and classes for students with severe behavioural problems and / or social maladjustments (elementary and secondary school). (514) 381-0811
The aforementioned support services can be accessed by parents directly or through Complementary
Educational Services at Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. However, the school principal or primary
professional must inform Complementary Educational Services. Transportation may be provided for some of
the external support programmes and services. All information and requests for transportation should be
addressed to Complementary Educational Services.
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6.4 Transportation
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board shall assume the responsibility for providing transportation for a
student with special needs who, as determined by the School Board, must be educated outside of his
community school. Special transportation arrangements can be arranged to another school in the Sir Wilfrid
Laurier School Board or to outside agencies and/or schools during school hours or after hours.
A request for special transportation must be made directly to Complementary Educational Services. The
designated member of Complementary Educational Services and the Director of School Organization and
Transportation will review the requests and approve the special transportation as required.
Adapted transportation shall be made available where appropriate and required, after consultation with
Complementary Educational Services and the Director of School Organization and Transportation.
6.5 Specialized Equipment and Technological Aids / Adaptive Learning Materials
Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board schools will use the appropriate equipment and materials to meet the
physical and learning needs of students with special needs. Special equipment and materials may be outlined
in the student’s IEP. The following materials are being used in Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board schools:
• occupational therapy equipment to meet sensory needs • adaptive computer hardware and software e.g. Intellikeys, touch screens, Zoomtex magnifier,
Boardmaker, etc. • personal FM Systems for the hearing impaired • equipment for safety and security and comfort e.g. Tripp Trapp chair, Medipac rescue seat,
Stairmaster, etc.
Complementary Educational Services will provide some learning packages and a list of websites and other
sources for adaptive equipment and materials, wherever possible. The department will assist in providing
information and professional development on the effective use of specialized equipment and materials.
Any equipment and materials for students with special needs will be purchased by Sir Wilfrid Laurier School
Board and/or Complementary Educational Services, and will remain the property of the School Board. Some
specialized equipment and materials are also supplied to individual students with special needs by outside
support agencies.
Le Ministère de l’Education, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) allocates funds to the School Board each year as
part of the Mesure 30810 – Volets 1 and 2 for specialized equipment and computer hardware / software for
students with handicap codes. Requests must meet specific criteria. Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
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schools may send any specific requests for adaptive equipment and materials to Complementary Educational
Services department at any time during the school year.
6.6 Adaptations to Building Facilities
When a student with a physical handicap requires special building adaptations, the principal makes a formal
request to Complementary Educational Services who, together with the Director of Material Resources,
analyses the needs and possible solutions.
The Director of Material Resources begins the procedure for adaptations to the building in keeping with the
building codes and available resources.
Whenever possible, adaptations are be made at the student’s community school. However, in certain cases,
the student may need to attend a school other than his community school where the physical environment is
already adapted to meet his needs and which may have been designated as the area school for those students
with physical handicaps.
6.0 APPENDIX
6.1 Early Intervention Programs in Literacy
6.2 Request Form for Home Tutoring
1. Accelerated Development of Reading (ADOR) Program
First four months of the First Grade
This program integrates some elements from the Explicit Teaching in Reading (ETIR)
program as well as principles drawn from scientific research on early reading.
Furthermore, it takes into account scientific research on effective teaching strategies.
The main goal of this program is to promote the early “eclosion” (break through) and
development of reading skills by all students, in regular classrooms, within the first sixty
days of a school year. It aims at teaching decoding and comprehension strategies
directly to the reader. Recent meta-cognitive studies tend to demonstrate that it is not
sufficient to expose students to interesting literature and meaningful context for them to
be able to read. Teachers must also model reading behaviours and strategies for students
to emulate. Direct instruction of reading strategies becomes necessary when simple
exposure to literature is not enough. In many English school boards, similar approaches
are being used; Reading Recovery, Re-Quest, Reciprocal Reading, QAR, Think Aloud,
etc…
The ADOR program chooses the decoding approach not as a mean, but as a special tool
for children. It places emphasis on tenacity, effort, the recuperation of students
experiencing learning difficulties, and on coaching (training and support are given to
teachers in the classrooms). It is a very structured approach with a formative evaluation
as a tool to detect those students who are experiencing learning difficulties and to adjust
the teaching. It uses a behavioural approach.
2. SESSIONS Programs: Explicit Teaching in Reading (ETIR) Program For students from grade two through High School and grade one students from January to June
The Explicit Teaching in Reading (ETIR) program is a program which allows students
to recognise cognitive procedures involved in the completion of academic tasks. The
ETIR program focuses on procedures and develops reading abilities such as question
analysis and hypothesis formulation when lack of comprehension occurs. The program
also establishes links between information, drawing inferences and self-questioning.
Some activities are planned to facilitate the acquisition of decoding skills (reading speed
and accuracy). The main objective of this program is to ensure that all children in the
regular classroom develop effective reading and reasoning skills.
3. Intensive Intervention in Reading For Students with Learning / Behaviour Difficulties
The Intensive Intervention in Reading method is an alternative to the free flow model,
the resource rooms, and special education classrooms. The Intensive Intervention
Program integrates elements of the ETIR program as well as several principles
originating from scientific research on effective teaching of students with learning /
behaviour difficulties. Intensive Intervention in Reading is a very demanding approach
that challenges and shakes up many conceptions and current ideas in education. The
main goal of this program is to reduce, in a group of student, the gap between high
achievers and low achievers within a group of students.
The program is condensed, simple to use and produces immediate and easily measurable
results. It provides a service for ten to twelve students at a time, 3 times a year for a total
of 30 to 36 students per teacher, per school year. It uses instructional materials entirely
made by the “Groupe Sessions” or by the teacher. It will give sustained support to
children for a period of 40 to 50 days. It has been found to be more effective than a 30
minutes intervention once or twice a week over many years.
4. SoundPrints
SoundPrints is a collection of complementary reading/writing resources for inclusive
schools. Resources are developmental (non-graded), in order to meet the learning of
multi-level classes and struggling learners. Students build reading/writing fluency
through systematic word study, applying their learning through reading and writing in
the sciences. Reading challenging and concept-rich text promotes enthusiasm for
learning and helps learners to better understand their world. SoundPrints is designed to
support – not to replace – a language-rich curriculum.
Learners’ need for (a) early experience with concept-rich, natural text, and (b)
systematic study of the English sound-print code (including ample, in-context practice),
is balanced through the use of the following ‘three-pronged’ approach to building
reading/writing fluency:
• early mastery of Power Words (e.g., the, of, so, do), oddly-spelled words that appear so frequently in natural text rapid mastery greatly increases students’ reading/writing power,
• systematic, cumulative study of both the phonic (Sound) and graphic (Print)
characteristics of regularly spelled words with emphasis on the high frequency words of greatest use to students, and
• contextualization of word level study through shared reading and writing in the
sciences which ensures a focus on meaning, heightens motivation for reading and writing, and world knowledge/understanding.
5. Laval Language Therapy
The Regie Régionale social services agency of Laval only provides funds each school
year for speech and language therapy services for students with dysphasia or severe
language impairment (code 34). Small group language therapy for these students takes
place in 10-week blocks at different Laval elementary schools. Individual students are
selected by the speech language pathologist from Laval school referrals. An external
speech language pathologist hired by the Jewish Rehab Hospital in Laval conducts the
small group therapy in various Laval elementary schools. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier
School Board Complementary Services Department chooses the schools each school
year according to the number of students and appropriate groupings of students for the
therapy sessions.
6. What is Balanced Literacy?
Balanced literacy is an approach for teaching literacy that is widely used in classrooms
across the country. It involves several methods of teaching and learning reading and
writing, whole class instruction directed by the teacher with independent work in
reading, writing, and oral language. By integrating a variety of approaches, a balance is
achieved in which students learning to understand text (from a whole language
approach) as well as how to read text (from a phonics approach).
Overview of the Major Components:
Read Aloud
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Independent Reading
Write Aloud
Shared Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Writing
Word Study
Read Aloud
To help foster a love for reading and expose students to texts that they might not become
familiar with ordinarily, balanced literacy includes an important read-aloud component.
Teachers read to students, normally in a full class format, from texts that they would not
be able to read on their own. Reading aloud also puts language in context, reflecting
“research (that) demonstrates that skills taught, practiced, and tested in isolation are not
used as consistently or effectively as skills taught when children are actually reading and
writing” (www.earlyliterature.ecsd.net/balancedliteracy.htm).
Shared Reading
To help readers learn new words, teachers read along with students in shared reading. In
these lessons, students read familiar, predictable books along with the teacher. This not
only teaches students the reading process, it also provides a time for teachers to teach
phonics skills in context, to make them more meaningful and more likely to be
mastered.
Guided Reading
Continuing with the idea of learning in context, teachers conduct guided reading
sessions in which they work with small homogeneous groups of students. Students read
on their level, while the teacher is there to reinforce skills and guide the group through
questioning and discussion of the text. Since the teacher is working with a small
number of students, he or she can also use this opportunity to assess individual students’
reading strategies and to provide mentoring on specific skills.
Independent Reading
Finally, students engage in independent reading, a component of the balanced literacy
process that reinforces skills that have been addressed through guided and shared
reading, while allowing students to read on a level comfortable for them. Independent
reading also helps to foster a love for reading, as students choose their own texts and
have a chance to deepen comprehension and work on fluency. Teachers who give
students time to develop close relationships with books show students that reading is a
priority.
Another important aspect of a balanced approach to literacy is writing instruction.
Research shows that “60% of children can learn to read first from their own writing”
(http://www.cherylsigmon.com/about.asp). Learning to write goes hand-in-hand with
learning to read. In a balanced literacy classroom, writing is taught much in the same
way as reading, with four components necessary to thoroughly tackle the writing
process.
Write Aloud Writing is modeled for students by teachers in write-aloud or modeled writing time.
Shared Writing
Working collaboratively, teachers and students compose written accounts in a shared
writing session, so that strategies can be modeled and explained and specific writing
skills can be introduced.
Guided Writing
In guided writing, students creating their own writing, with the teacher as guide.
Activities associated with guided writing take place in small homogenous groups of
students. Teachers serve as mentors as students go through the process.
Independent Writing
Integral to the process is independent writing, which provides students with the
consistent opportunity to apply and practice the skills already introduced and to cultivate
their love of and comfort with writing on their own level.
Working with Words
In conjunction with teaching literacy through a balanced approach, some districts choose
to give extra attention to phonics instruction in the younger grades to reinforce the skills
taught in context. Using this approach, students are taught how to attack high frequency
words and analyze patterns and sounds to help them decode and construct words on their
own.
The word wall is an important part of “working with words.” By displaying high
frequency words where they can always be seen in the classroom, the wall aims to assist
students in developing a sight vocabulary. Teachers choose “three to five new words per
week on the basis of diagnostic information such as observing words that students
misspell in journals, being aware of words that children often ask how to spell, or
noticing words that are frequently used in their new books for guided reading”
(Kaufman, 2002, p. 723). Since many words do not fall into traditional spelling patterns,
some words are necessary for students to know by sight alone, and displaying them
alphabetically helps students with recall while emphasizing the idea of first letter sounds
as well.
Adapted from Teaching Matters http://www.teachingmatters.org/c/@Re6DZfe39hWUw/Pages/promising_overview.html
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7.0 Transition Procedures / Re-integration
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7.0 Transition Procedures / Articulation Articulation, referring primarily to the transfer from the elementary feeder school to the secondary receiving
school, is critical in ensuring a successful transition for all students, and is primordial so for students with
special needs. Clearly specified procedures are important when a student moves from one Cycle to the next
or is being re-integrated after completing an external support programme. Communication between
parent/guardian and school is essential when deciding placement for the student.
To facilitate the transition, the following points must be considered:
1. A detailed process for articulation must be established for the transfer of files. This includes: knowing who is responsible for preparing and sending the files as well as who will be receiving and signing for them.
2. For a student with a handicap code, a Case Study meeting should take place with the concerned
parties whenever a transition will occur. The parent/guardian should be invited to participate and if this is not possible, the parent/guardian must be informed of his child’s academic level and subsequent placement.
3. No code should be altered without an Ad Hoc meeting being called to recommend the change. The
receiving teachers need to be aware of a student’s difficulties so that they may be vigilant and prepared to intervene at the first signs of difficulty. This is particularly important during the articulation process between elementary and secondary;
4. The Student’s Special Assistance file and the Student’s Confidential file should be reviewed and
discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting, whenever possible, in order to plan for a successful transition (see sections 8.2 & 8.3).
7.1 Between Cycles
At the end of the school year, the cycle team of teachers meets with the teachers receiving the students for the
next cycle to discuss the individual students who will require particular interventions and assistance in the
coming school year.
At the beginning of the school year, teachers and attendants and/or technicians should become familiar with
their students’ IEP. They can contact the school’s primary professional and special education consultant
should they require help in developing material and strategies for the students in their classes with special
needs.
7.2 Between Elementary and Secondary School The transition of elementary students to secondary school is known as articulation. Early February
• End of Term 2 feedback is given. • Feeder schools are visited by receiving school principals. • Teachers from the feeder schools are made aware of the programmes available in the receiving
schools. • The needs and placement of students with special needs are discussed at this time.
Mid-February
• Application forms are handed out to feeder schools. • Feeder school teachers meet with students to discuss probable placement for the upcoming
school year: - student’s progress to date is examined - student’s needs and placement in a special class or programme is addressed.
End of February – Early March
• Completed applications are returned to the receiving schools indicating their recommended placement.
April
• Receiving school professionals examine the prospective clientele, taking into consideration the recommendations of the feeder school professionals.
• If the student is new to the School Board, both the teacher and the professional meet to examine the file in order to ensure appropriate placement.
May
• Verification and acknowledgement of the provisional placement for all students with special needs takes place.
June
• Feeder schools make a final verification and examination of the student’s files to ensure that the provisional placement is valid.
• The level of achievement of the student in each of the competencies is noted so that the receiving school can place the student at the appropriate level for the upcoming school year.
• Receiving school administration, after consulting with the professionals in the school, confirms the placement of the incoming student.
• A meeting between the feeder school teacher(s) and the receiving teacher(s) along with the school professionals is strongly recommended.
Early August
• Early registration takes place. • Receiving school confirms the registration of new students to ensure that the student is going to
be attending the school. • Receiving school ensures that all files (general and confidential) have reached the receiving
school. This is the responsibility of the school principal or the designated professional. Mid-August
• Professionals at the receiving school verify that the status of the incoming student has not changed. This is done prior to the return of the teachers.
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Late August • Anecdotal lists are given to the receiving teachers. • Case studies take place for all students who have a handicap code or are considered to have a
learning/ behaviour difficulty – this involves administration, professionals, teacher(s), parent/guardian and student, whenever possible; Complementary Educational Services may be invited to participate.
• Case studies take place prior to the start of school. • Basic IEP plans are outlined. • Revision of the IEP should take place in October / November.
September / October
• follow up N.B. The Articulation Committee, in 2004, recommended that files be transferred between principals. For the
most part, this works well when principals are available to receive them.
Due to the need to respect confidentiality and to ensure that all the files have been sent and received, the
responsibility of receiving and checking the list of files should be delegated to specifically identified
individuals, those who will be sending the files and those who will be receiving them.
A signed form confirming the reception of the files should be returned to the sending school where it will be
filed for future reference. This would also provide an immediate verification, and ensure that a request for
any missing files could be made by the receiving school before the end of the school year.
7.3 Between Cycle I and Cycle II of Secondary
A multidisciplinary meeting involving administrators, teachers, and professionals is required to determine the
student’s placement in Cycle II of Secondary. It is recommended that the parent/guardian and the student be
also involved, whenever possible.
This marks a critical point for the student with special needs, as different paths of learning become available
to him. The student’s choice and placement will focus on his possible future occupation.
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8.0 Student Files
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8.0 Student files There are three student files recognized by the ministry: 1. Student Academic File also known as the PRC (Personal Record Cards) 2. Student Special Assistance File 3. Student Confidential File
8.1 Student’s Academic File (PRC) Definition The Student Academic File contains all the administrative and pedagogical information related to the student’s admission, registration, attendance, and academic results. To whom it applies Students registered in any school of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Person Responsible The school principal is responsible for the Student Academic File. Opening a file As soon as the student is registered in the school, a file is opened containing his personal information, sociological and academic results, if applicable. Contents
birth certificate or any other legal document required by immigration such as passport, visa, etc. certificate of eligibility for English instruction all academic records
Access
parent/guardian and student, after a written request to the principal school, School Board and Ministry personnel whose duties are related to the student
Location The Student Academic File is kept in the general office. Transfers within Board
directly to another school – no parental permission required written parent consent (or student over 14) is required for files to be sent to another
school board Closing and Conservation
based on the School Board policy on closure and conservation of student files
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8.2 Student’s Special Assistance File Definition The Student Special Assistance File contains recorded data concerning the student’s progression and the support he is receiving. To whom it applies It applies to any student with a handicap code or student experiencing a learning/behaviour difficulty for which a written follow-up is deemed necessary. This can be the result of an Ad Hoc meeting or a case study meeting. A Special Assistance File can be created for any student receiving interventions even if an IEP is not required. Person Responsible The school principal is responsible for the Student Special Assistance File. Opening a file A Student Special Assistance File is opened when an Ad Hoc meeting or Case Conference is called. All recorded data from the meeting is kept in the Student Special Assistance File. Content If deemed necessary, the following documents will be kept in the Student Special Assistance File:
• student identification: academic history, any parental background information • minutes of meetings with parent/guardian or school team • minutes of Ad Hoc meeting or Case Conference • copies of referral forms • consent and release forms • IEP(s) • all pertinent written reports and recorded observations • all written documentation pertaining to adaptation and modification of learning materials • any and all recommendations made by the multidisciplinary team involved with the IEP process
Location The Student Special Assistance File must be kept in a cabinet at school. The file can be placed alongside the student’s Academic File, clearly identified (sticker) and made accessible to the members of the multidisciplinary team. The file should not leave the school building, unless the student transfers schools or school board. Access Involved teachers, administrators, guidance counsellors and Complementary Educational Services professionals have access to the files. The school principal must ensure that confidentiality is respected. Parent/Guardian The parent/guardian may request access to the Student Special Assistance File. If so, an appointment is arranged with the school administrator. Together, they examine the file. If the parent/guardian requests a copy of a report originating from the school board, a Parental Consent for Release of Information form is signed by the parent/guardian* and forwarded to Complementary Educational Services. Only documentation produced by Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board personnel can be released1. Transfers within Board
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It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify schools of changes in registration. Transfers out of Board If a student transfers to a school or facility outside of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, the parent/guardian must provide a written request for the Student Special Assistance File to be transferred to another school board or organization. By law, only documentation produced by Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board personnel can be released1. Duration of Student Special Assistance File The shredding of a Student Special Assistance File will take place at the school by the principal 5 years subsequent to the last intervention or 5 years following the departure from the School Board, whichever comes first2. * “student if age is over 14” 1 Section 59 – Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and The Protection of Personal Information 2 S.W.L.S.B Document Retention Schedule as approved by the Quebec National Archives
8.3 Student’s Confidential Files
Definition The confidential file contains all recorded data (reports, evaluations, observations, etc.) written by a Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board professional within the mandated framework set up by the school principal. Concerned Student Any student with a handicap code or student experiencing a learning/behaviour difficulty for whom a written follow-up is deemed necessary. This can be the result of an Ad Hoc meeting, a case conference or a request made by a classroom teacher. Responsible The principal is responsible for the confidential file.
Opening a file A confidential file is created following the first consultation, and once the professional has obtained parental/guardian consent. In the case of a student 14 years and older, it is strongly recommended that the student in question, sign a consent form prior to starting up the file. Content The following documents will be kept in the student’s Confidential File:
• student identification: academic history, any parental background information • parent/guardian consent form for transmission of information • all reports, evaluations and observations done by professional staff members • medical, psychiatric, psychological or other reports from hospitals or private professionals • all correspondence, evaluations and pertinent documentation:
reason for consultation; professional services rendered; write up on student’s strengths, needs, likes, etc recommendations for type of service/intervention/support
• pertinent information found in the Student Special Assistance File
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Location The confidential file must be kept in a locked cabinet in the principal’s office. The file cannot leave the school building nor can its content be photocopied. The person reading the file must remain in the office. Only members of the school staff directly involved with that student are permitted to peruse the confidential file. Access The confidential file is accessible to the following people:
• the professional responsible for the file; • a member of the same profession who has an active file on the same student so that an
exchange of information can take place; • the parent/guardian or the 14 years and older student; • school personnel: administrators, teachers, professional, etc needing a particular information
regarding the student that cannot be found in the student Special Assistance File; this information will be read to the personnel in question by the professional;
• a professional from the Order for inspection purposes; • researchers once permission has been granted; • people authorized by the law to have access to these documents.
Transfers within the Board The School Board professional can request a transfer of information between professionals. The Confidential File is transferred automatically whenever a student transfers schools within the School Board. Transfer out of Board If a student transfers to a school or facility outside the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, the parent/guardian or the student 14 years and older must provide written permission to the School Board professional for a copy of the file to be transferred, in its entirety or a summary, to another school board or organization. Duration of Confidential File The Confidential File is kept for a minimum of five years following the closing of the file or the transfer of the student. After this period of time, the professional must destroy the file and record the date and sign the form.
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9.0 Evaluation of Students
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9.1 Evaluation of Students: Adapted Curriculum Versus Modified Curriculum
9.1.1 Student with special learning needs may require an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which would specify the manner in which the programme and / or the evaluation have been adapted (AP) or modified (MP). When the adaptations allow the student to follow the regular program, the evaluation and reporting will remain the same with the indication that the program has been adapted.
9.1.2 If the student’s needs are such that he will not be able to follow and succeed in the regular programme, then a modified program is developed and the evaluation will need to be anecdotal to accurately reflect the student’s progress.
9.1.3 In summary, adaptations are required for students whose needs are such that they can follow the regular programme. Modifications are required for students whose needs are such that they cannot follow the regular programme.
9.2 Evaluation: Support Measures and Exemption
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9.0 APPENDIX
9.1 Application for the Use of Support Measures During Ministerial
Examinations
9.2 Support Measures Applied to Ministerial Examinations for Students With an Educational Plan
APPLICATION FOR THE USE OF SUPPORT MEASURES DURING MINISTERIAL EXAMINATIONS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Permanent Code Name: _______________________ First name : _______________________ Session: January School Board : _______________________ June School : _______________________ August Outside regular session Codes and titles ___________________________________________________________________ of examinations: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
AUTHORIZATION
I authorize the transmission of personal information, including evaluations carried out by a physician, practitioner, psychologist or representative designated by the Direction de la sanction des études to study my request. I understand that the information provided will not be forwarded to anyone without my written consent. ______________________________________ ______________________________________
Student’s signature Date ______________________________________ ______________________________________
Parent’s signature Date
BASIS OF THE REQUEST
Hearing impairment Visual impairment Motor impairment *Learning difficulties *Other * Supporting document to be attached (Evaluation performed by a specialist): ______________________ Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
MEASURES REQUESTED: PLEASE CHECK THE MEASURE(S) REQUESTED
Additional time (specify duration): _________________________________________________
Reader
Writer
Computer without a checker
Computer with a checker
Other (please specify): Was an individualized education plan established for this student? Yes No If yes, please attach relevant extracts of the education plan: ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
If not, specify support measures requested: _________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
Are the measures requested used during local examinations? Yes No
FOR THE USE OF THE DIRECTION DE LA SANCTION DES ÉTUDES Yes No Other Comments: ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Approved by: _______________________________ ________________________________ Department Head Date Please forward to: Madame Marie Fluet Direction de la sanction des études 675, boulevard René-Lévesque Est Aile René-Lévesque, 4e étage Québec (Québec) G1R 6C8
ed by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
SUPPORT MEASURES APPLIED TO MINISTERIAL EXAMINATIONSFOR STUDENTS WITH AN EDUCATION PLAN CODE D’ORGANISME: SESSION: January NAME OF THE SCHOOL: June August Outside regular session SUPPORT MEASURES
Assistance Measures Permanent Code Examination
Code ed
a
nal
cify on)
uter ut
ker ader riter y)
IsolatreA
AdditioimeT
(spedurati
Comphowit
chec Re W Other (specif
SIGNATURE: _______________________________________ Telephone: _________________________ Date: ___________________________
Document translat
School Principal Please forward to the Direction de la sanction des études within 90 days following the administration of the examinations. Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
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10.0 Formal Recognition of Achievement
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10.1 Formal Recognition of Achievement
Whenever alternative forms of summative evaluation are used for students with special needs, formal
recognition of achievement for these students may include the diplomas and certificate from Le Ministère de
l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport as specified in the Policy Section 13.3.
However, when these certificates are not applicable, Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board issues a certificate
entitled “Reconnaissances Des Acquis / Recognition of Educational Achievement.
The template and instructions on its use are included in Appendix 10.1
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10.0 APPENDIX
10.1 Instructions on Using Templates of the Certificate of Attestation (REA)
Document translated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
Document translated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
Document translated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
Document translated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
Document translated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board
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11.0 References
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11.0 References
CHARTERS Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms ACTS
Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of
personal information
Canada Privacy Act
Education Act
Québec Youth Protection Act Ministère de l’Education, du Loisir et du Sport
Learning Difficulties - Summary Reference Framework for Intervention 2004 03.00885
Learning Difficulties.
Reference Framework for Intervention 2004 03.00866
Students with Handicaps, Social Maladjustments or Learning Difficulties: Definitions
19.6505A
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Adapting our School to the Needs of All Students Policy on Special Education 1999 99.0829
Adapting our School to the Needs of All Students
Plan of action for special education 1999 99.0830
Programme éducatif adapté aux élèves handicapés par une déficience intellectuelle profonde. (only in
French) 2004 04.00131
Policy on the Evaluation of Learning
2003 03.00065
Individualized Education Plan: Helping Students Achieve Success
Reference Framework for Establishing an Individualized Education Plan 2004 03.01049
Individualized Education Plan: Helping Students Achieve Success
In Brief 19-7053-01A
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12.0 Glossary of Terms
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12.0 Glossary of Terms
Adapted Curriculum An adapted programme retains the learning outcomes of the prescribed curriculum, but adaptations are provided so the student can participate in the programme. These adaptations can include alternate formats (e.g., Braille, books-on-tape), instructional strategies (e.g., use of interpreters, visual cues and aids) and assessment procedures (e.g., oral exams, additional time). Students on adapted programmes are assessed using the same evaluative tools as their peers. Ad Hoc Committee Meeting It is a meeting that should include a school administration representative, teachers working with the student, and at the school’s request, a professional. The parent/guardian of the student and the student, if possible, are invited to attend. If the parent/guardian and/or student are unable to attend, the meeting can take place. The results of the meeting must be conveyed to the parent/guardian by the student’s teacher or school administrator. It is the classroom teacher who makes the request, in writing, for an Ad Hoc Committee meeting. Anecdotal Reporting It is a style of reporting to the parent/guardian on the student’s progress. It is often completed in the narrative format. This model is used when the student’s special learning needs require an IEP that indicates a modified curriculum.
Apraxia of Speech It is a severe speech disorder characterized by the inability to speak, or a severe struggle to speak clearly. Apraxia of speech occurs when the oral-motor muscles do not or cannot obey commands from the brain, or when the brain cannot reliably send those commands. Children with apraxia can be helped significantly with intensive speech therapy. Articulation The process refers primarily to the transfer from the elementary feeder school to secondary receiving school. Asperger Syndrome A syndrome often referred to as “high functioning autism”. Individuals demonstrate deficits in social interaction and unusual responses to the environment. However, cognitive and communicative developments are within the normal range, and verbal skills are usually an area of strength. Assessment A systematic process of gathering information from the school team as well as any external agencies in order to make appropriate educational decisions for a student; a collaborative and progressive process designed to identify the student's strengths and needs, and results in the identification and implementation of selected educational strategies. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Considered to be a neurobiological disability that interferes with a person’s ability to sustain attention or focus on a task and to control impulsive behaviour. We may all have difficulty sitting still, paying attention or controlling impulses, but for some people the problem is so chronic and persistent that it gets in the way of daily life—at home, at school, at work and in social settings.
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Autism Spectrum DisorderA developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.
Behaviour Modification The application of conditioning techniques which teach new responses, and attempt to reduce or eliminate maladaptive or problematic behaviours. The more successful form of behaviour modification focuses on the "reward" principle - rewarding for doing something right, rather than punishing for doing something wrong. Case Conference The multidisciplinary team consisting of the school team, external agencies (whenever possible), parent/guardian, and student (if able to do so), convenes to address the difficulties of a particular student from various perspectives, so that a comprehensive plan can be developed. Case Study In-depth study of an individual or situation achieved using a number of different methods – classroom observations, a needs assessment, discussion between peers, and a case conference. Central Auditory Processing Disorder Describes a condition in which the affected individual, whose hearing capabilities are otherwise functionally sound, will have difficulty understanding and processing information that is heard. It is believed that this occurs as the result of a communication breakdown somewhere between the ear and the parts of the brain that receive and interpret hearing stimuli. All of the possible causes of this disorder are still not known, but those that are known include: head trauma, lead poisoning, and possibly chronic ear infections. Because of the wide variety of possible causes of this disorder, and the strong likelihood of the existence of multiple contributing causes, each suspected case needs to be carefully evaluated on an individual basis. Cerebral Palsy A group of permanent disorders associated with developmental brain injuries that occur during fetal development, birth, or shortly after birth. It is characterized by a disruption of motor skills, with symptoms such as spasticity, paralysis, or seizures. Coding Categorization of students according to Ministère de l’Education, de Loisir et du Sport (MELS), in order to determine resources needed. Code validation Annual process whereby verification of student code status is prepared in order to determine if services for the student are necessary and appropriate. Co-morbidity Presence of more than one disease or health condition in an individual at a given time. Dyslexia A neurological disorder with biochemical and genetic markers; a disability in which a person’s reading and/or writing ability is lower than would be expected of someone of that person’s intelligence. Dysphasia One in a group of speech disorders in which there is impairment of the power of expression by speech, writing, or signs, or impairment of the power of comprehension of spoken or written language. More severe forms of dysphasia are called aphasia.
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Echolalia Echolalia is when a child with autism repeats what he has heard others say. It has several forms: immediate echolalia and delayed echolalia. The names suggest the definition of the two types with immediate echolalia meaning that the child repeats what he has heard said fairly soon after the occurrence while delayed means that the child says what he has heard up to months after the statements have been said. Expressive delay A limited vocabulary repertoire with poor grammar and sentence structure; delayed response time – sometimes no response at all; poor ability to explain; poor pragmatics. Fragile X Syndrome Genetic condition, the most common cause of inherited mental impairment; can range from learning disabilities to more severe cognitive or intellectual disabilities. Functional Assessment Gathering of information of the student’s present learning situation – curriculum, social skills, behaviour; facilitates the creation of the Individual Educational Plan (IEP). Global Development Delay Significant delay in two or more domains: gross/fine motor; cognitive; speech/language; personal/social resulting in a direct impact on their daily living. Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Legal document which permits the modification and adaptation of a student’s programme from the regular course of study (as per Policy # 2005-ED-06) Inclusion A value system that holds that all students are entitled to an equitable access to learning, achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their education; incorporates basic values that promote participation, friendship and interaction. Integration One of the major strategies used to achieve an inclusive philosophy. Integration sees students with special needs included in educational settings with their peers who do not have special needs, and provided with the necessary accommodations and adaptations, determined on an individual basis, to enable them to be successful there. The principle of "placement in the most enabling learning environment" applies when decisions are made about the extent to which an individual student is placed in regular classrooms, or assigned to an alternate placement. Intervention Plan Positive strategies, programme or curricular modifications and supplementary aids and supports required to address the behaviours of concern. Language Delay Failure to develop language abilities on the usual developmental timetable; refers specifically to a delay in the development of the underlying knowledge of language, rather than its implementation. Least Restrictive Environment Classroom placement that is most likely to foster development of potential, given a child's special learning needs.
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Modified Curriculum A modified programme has learning outcomes which are substantially different from the prescribed curriculum, and specifically selected to meet the student's special needs. For example, a Grade 9 student in a modified math programme could be focusing on functional computational skills in the context of handling money and personal budgeting. Or, in language arts, a Grade 5 student could be working on recognizing common signs and using the phone. In these examples the learning outcomes are substantially different from those of the curriculum for most other students. A student's programme may include some courses that are modified and others that are adapted. Needs Assessment A systematic process for determining goals, identifying discrepancies between optimal and actual performance and establishing priorities for action; facilitates the creation of the IEP. Non-Verbal Delay A wide range of visual-spatial, visual motor, sensory, and motor deficits; at the more basic levels, these deficits involve problems with visual and tactile perception and discrimination. Generally, children with demonstrate increasing difficulty as the spatial aspects of the task increase; they are likely to have extreme difficulty with tasks requiring them to find embedded figures; and likely to demonstrate difficulty with tactile perception and tactile discrimination. Such children are often described as better "auditory learners" than "visual learners." Observation Making and recording a measurement; watching and taking notes of what a student does; abilities and areas of concern. Oppositional Defiant Disorder A type of disruptive behaviour disorder characterized by a recurrent pattern of defiant, hostile, disobedient and negative behaviour directed toward those in authority, including such actions as defying requests or rules of adults, deliberately annoying others, arguing, spitefulness and vindictiveness that occur much more frequently than would be expected on the basis of age and developmental maturity. Paraprofessional Individual who assists the teacher with specific activities for the child with special needs. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) A class of developmental disorders with the following characteristics: impairments in social interaction, imaginative activity, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and a limited number of interests and activities that tend to be repetitive. Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) Individuals with PDD-NOS do not fully meet the criteria of symptoms clinicians use to diagnose any of the four specific types of PDD and/or do not have the degree of impairment described in any of the four PDD specific types. Primary professional The school psychologist is the primary professional at the elementary level. The guidance counsellor is the primary professional at the secondary level. Personal and Social Intervention (PSI) If the student is receiving or requires services from Social and Health agencies, a PSI is developed in conjunction with other services. The IEP becomes part of the wider service plan.
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Psycho-educational evaluation Identifies the individual’s intellectual functioning status, unique learning style characteristics, present academic levels, career/vocational interests and aptitudes as well as social/emotional needs. Receptive Delay Great difficulty with abstract or more complex concepts (temporal, quantitative, spatial etc); attention problems; poor auditory recall of information; following multi-step instructions is difficult; and staying on task can be a challenge. Self-Stimulatory Behaviour Repetitive body movements or repetitive movement of objects; can involve any one or all of the senses. Self-stimulatory behaviour is sometimes done to self-regulate when feeling anxious or unsure. Self-Contained Classes Heterogeneous regional classes that are organized into small ratio groupings, taking into account similar age and level of functioning, wherever possible. Social Anxiety A common form of anxiety disorder that causes individuals to experience intense anxiety in some or all aspects of social interaction and public events in one’s daily living. Special Educational Needs Characteristics which make it necessary to provide a student undertaking an educational programme with resources different from those which are needed by most students. Special educational needs are identified during assessment of a student; they are the basis for determining an appropriate educational programme (including necessary resources) for that student. Social Maladjustment Seen as a conduct problem, whereby students choose not to conform to socially acceptable rules and norms; students demonstrate knowledge of school/social norms and expectations, and consistently demonstrate a pattern of intentionally choosing to break rules and violate norms of acceptable behaviour. Maladjusted youth perceive themselves as “normal.” Although these students are capable of behaving appropriately, they choose to break rules and violate norms of acceptable behaviour. Socially maladjusted students view rule breaking as normal and acceptable. Thus, intentionality is the distinguishing feature between social maladjustment and emotional impairment. Social maladjustment tends to be an educational term which is frequently interchanged with the term Conduct Disorder. Speech and Language Disorders Problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function; range from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, developmental delays, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and vocal abuse or misuse. Frequently, however, the cause is unknown. Tourette’s Syndrome A severe neurological disorder characterized by multiple facial and other body tics, usually beginning in childhood or adolescence and often accompanied by grunts and compulsive utterances, as of interjections and obscenities. Also called Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome.
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