Educating Students with Special Needs in Quebec

Cindy Finn, Ph.D.October 24, 2012

Classification of Special Needs in Quebec (MELS)

** Identification procedures and government funding differ for both

categories

Special Needs

Students in Difficulty (Learning or Behavior)

Students with Social Maladjustments

or Handicaps

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

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

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)

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

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%)

Provincial Picture

• Policy on Special Education (1999)• Promotes success for all

– “Educational success has different meanings depending on the abilitiesand 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

Complementary Educational Services

• Services to assist schools in supporting the diverse learning and social needs of all students

• 12 services, 4 programs

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

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)

• 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

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

Organization of Services

• Delivered at the School level

• Importance of Resource Teams

Purpose of Resource Teams

Learn more about student Review teaching strategies already 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

PRINCIPAL

CLASSROOM TEACHER

SP. ED TECH SOCIAL AIDE

TECH

Possible Resource Team

ParticipantsCLSC (SOCIAL

WORKER/ NURSE )

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

RESOURCE TEACHERS

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST OR

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

CONSULTANT FOR SPECIAL

NEEDS/OTHER SSD PROFESSIONALS

INVITED GUEST

INTEGRATION AIDE

FSSTT

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 needed but 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

Points of TransitionELEMENTARY

• 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)

Building capacity in our schools

• Provincial Resources housed at LBPSB

• Ongoing Professional Development

• Projects (e.g., ALDI, FLASH)

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)

Collaboration with Partners• Parents & Families • Health & Social Services

– Batshaw Youth & Family Centres – Hospitals (MCH, JGH, Douglas)– CSSS (4 on our territory)– Readaptation Centres

• 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)

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)

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

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