Educating Students with Special Needs in Quebec

1. Educating Students with Special Needs in Quebec Cindy Finn, Ph.D. October 24, 2012

2. Classification of Special Needs in Quebec (MELS) ** Identification procedures and government funding differ for both categories

3. Students in difficulty • Students identified as having academic difficulties and behavioral challenges • Learning difficulties/Mild Intellectual Delay • Behavior disorders • a priori Funding, based on historical percentage of student population (10-12%) • School boards determine identification, in accordance with MELS guidelines and collective agreements • LBPSB Policy on Special Needs

4. Students with Handicaps/Severe Behavior Disorders • Variable Per capita funding (per board per code) • Validation process to substantiate “codes” 3 necessary elements to support a code • Diagnosis by professional • Limitations that affect learning • School-based Services • Code = Dx + limitations + services • Represents +3.8% of LBPSB population

5. MELS Codes for students with Social Maladjustments/Handicaps Categories (identified by MELS with numerical code): • Severe behavioral disorder (14) • Mild motor impairment/Organic impairment (33) • Severe motor impairment (36) • Language Disorder (34) • Moderate to severe intellectual impairment (24) • Profound intellectual impairment (23) • Pervasive developmental disorder (50) • Psychopathological disorder (53) • Visual impairment (42) • Hearing impairment (44) • Atypical disorder (99)

6. LBPSB Stats on Special Needs • 12% of total LBP population • 1810 students in difficulty (2012) • 34% at elementary level • 66% at secondary level • 879 students with handicaps (2012) • 50.6% at elementary • 49.4% at high school • Students with special needs in all LBPSB schools except Soulanges

7. Breaking down the data • In difficulty: Learning Difficulty (74.6%), Behavior Disorders (16.3%), Mild Intellectual Delay (9.1%) • Handicaps: Autism (47%), psychopathological disorders (13.5%), moderate-profound intellectual impairments (11%), language impairment (10.5%), mild motor/organic disorders (7.9%), sensory impairments (6.6%), severe motor disability (2.9%)

8. Provincial Picture • Policy on Special Education (1999) • Promotes success for all • “Educational success has different meanings depending on the abilities and needs of different students” (p. 15) • 6 ways to promote success • Prevention & early intervention • Adapting services to the needs of students • Favoring inclusion/integration in natural environment • Creating community & enhancing partnerships • Assisting students ‘at-risk’ • Evaluating students’ educational success

9. Complementary Educational Services Services to assist schools in supporting the diverse learning and social needs of all students 12 services, 4 programs

10. 4 Complementary Education Programs Prevention and Promotion: Provide students with an environment conducive to the development of a healthy lifestyle, their health and well being Assistance:Help students with academic and career choices Student Life:Develop students’ sense of autonomy, responsibility, moral and spiritual dimension, interpersonal relationships and sense of community and school belonging Support to Learning:Provide students with conditions conducive to learning

11. Educational Services for Students within LBPSB • Classroom teachers • Resource teachers • Support from paraprofessionals (Integration aide/Special Education Technician/Social Aide Technician) • Student Services Department (Non-teaching professionals) • Educational Services Department (Curriculum/Program Consultants) • Itinerant Teacher Services – MOSD & MAB (Vision and Hearing) • Professionals from outside agencies (CSSS, Batshaw)

12. Non-teaching professionals supporting all schools • Direct services to students (e.g., assessment) • Services to schools (e.g., consultation, professional development) • Services to parents and families (e.g., FSSTT) • Assist with Ministry of Education-related duties (coding, committees, measures, training) • Work in partnership with other ministries and community groups (e.g., Batshaw, health, police) • Conduct research on best practices regarding special needs and inclusive education • Supervise interns/placements, peer supervision

13. SOURCES OF FUNDING • General funding (teacher posts = resource teachers, aides/techs, professionals) • In difficulty funding (base funding) • Code-generated funding (per capita) • Special grants (examples) • 30059: IEP release $ • 30053: Supports Inclusion • 30364: Professional resources • 30810-1/2: Adapted equipment and technology

14. Organization of Services Delivered at the School level Importance of Resource Teams

15. Purpose of Resource Teams • Learn more about student • Review teaching strategiesalready in progress • Brainstorm additional strategies with multi-disciplinary group • Develop/monitor an action plan • Facilitate communication within the school, with parents, with other professionals involved • Carry out referrals for consultation, assessment, or identification of special needs

16. Possible Resource Team Participants INVITED GUEST PRINCIPAL RESOURCE TEACHERS CLSC (SOCIAL WORKER/ NURSE ) SP. ED TECH SOCIAL AIDE TECH SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST OR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST INTEGRATION AIDE CONSULTANT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS/OTHER SSD PROFESSIONALS FSSTT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

17. Individual Educational Plan • A legal, confidential document • Must be created when a student is identified with special needs • Formal identification (LD,BD,MI + Handicapped codes) • May be developed when an intervention plan is neededbut there is no formal identification • Linked directly to the QEP and report card • To be developed in collaboration with key players • A hands-on tool that outlines objectives and strategies that should be referred to regularly and updated as to student’s progress

18. Points of Transition ELEMENTARY • Registration procedures • Resource team planning • Emphasis on early intervention • Collaboration with outside partners HIGH SCHOOLS • Graduation Track/Individual paths • Work-Oriented Pathway (WOTP) • Students with high special needs • Academic emphasis + Life skills (hygiene, sexuality, independent living) • Transition planning (until age 21 for some)

19. Building capacity in our schools • Provincial Resources housed at LBPSB • Ongoing Professional Development • Projects (e.g., ALDI, FLASH)

20. More initiatives • For students with emotional/social/behavioral challenges • Focus on early intervention, proactive focus • Meaningfully involve parents in child’s world • REACH Program • Cycle 1 elementary program for students with severe behavioral difficulties • LIFE/Transition Programs • Programs for 16+ students with high special needs • Co-op program (John Abbott & Vanier) • Supports autonomous secondary students (18-21)with developmental challenges who participate in college life • Focus on basic academics, life skills, work skills (Light a Dream)

21. Collaboration with Partners • Parents & Families • Health & Social Services • Batshaw Youth & Family Centres • Hospitals (MCH, JGH, Douglas) • CSSS (4 on our territory) • ReadaptationCentres • CRDI (Centres for Intellectual Handicaps) e.g., CROM • CRDP (Centres for Physical Handicaps) e.g., MAB/Mackay • Universities (McGill, Concordia) & CEGEPS(Vanier, Dawson) • Community groups(e.g., WIAIH) • Professionals in Private Practice • Other schools/school boards(e.g., Montreal Oral School for the Deaf)

22. Entente MELS-MSSS/Specialized schools • Dawson Alternative/Portage (Batshaw) • Angrignon School (Douglas Institute) • Philip E. Layton & Mackay Centre School (EMSB) • Hors reseau schools (e.g., Peter Hall, MOSD)

23. MELS Resources http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/DGFJ/das/orientations/orientations.html

24. Thank you http://snac.lbpsb.qc.ca/