Special Education and Learning Services

Extraordinary Lives Begin with a Great Catholic Education

Contents

The Board’s Consultation Process ................................................................................................ 1

SEAC Special Education Plan Consultation 2016-17 ............................................................... 2

The Board’s General Model for Special Education ....................................................................... 4

Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................ 5

Early Identification Procedures and Intervention Strategies ......................................................... 8

Special Needs Strategy ............................................................................................................. 8

Entry Planning Process ............................................................................................................. 8

Intervention Strategies and Supports ........................................................................................ 9

The Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Process and Appeals ................ 10

Educational and Other Assessments .......................................................................................... 12

Specialized Health Support Services in School Settings ............................................................ 15

Categories and Definitions of Exceptionalities ............................................................................ 16

Category: Behaviour ................................................................................................................ 16

Exceptionality: Behaviour .................................................................................................... 16

Category: Communication ....................................................................................................... 17

Exceptionality: Autism .......................................................................................................... 17

Exceptionality: Deaf and Hard of Hearing ............................................................................ 17

Exceptionality: Language Impairment .................................................................................. 18

Exceptionality: Speech Impairment ..................................................................................... 19

Exceptionality: Learning Disability ....................................................................................... 19

Category: Intellectual ............................................................................................................... 20

Exceptionality: Giftedness ................................................................................................... 20

Exceptionality: Mild Intellectual Disability ............................................................................ 20

Exceptionality: Developmental Disability ............................................................................. 22

Category: Physical .................................................................................................................. 23

Exceptionality: Physical Disability ........................................................................................ 23

Exceptionality: Blind and Low Vision ................................................................................... 23

Exceptionality: Deaf Blind .................................................................................................... 24

Category: Multiple ................................................................................................................... 24

Exceptionality: Multiple Exceptionalities .............................................................................. 24

Special Education Placements Provided by the Board ............................................................... 25

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) ............................................................................................... 27

Provincial and Demonstration Schools in Ontario ....................................................................... 29

School for the Visually Impaired, Blind and Deafblind ............................................................. 29

Provincial Schools for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing ..................................................................... 30

Demonstration Schools ........................................................................................................... 31

Special Education Staff ............................................................................................................... 33

Staff Development ...................................................................................................................... 34

Equipment ................................................................................................................................... 35

Computer-based Technology .................................................................................................. 35

Digital Learning Technologies ................................................................................................. 36

Accessibility of School Buildings ................................................................................................. 37

Transportation ............................................................................................................................. 38

The Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee .................................................................. 40

Coordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies ....................................................... 43

Preschool Programs ................................................................................................................ 43

Specialty Preschool Programs ................................................................................................ 43

Preschool Programs for Students Who Are Deaf ................................................................ 43

Preschool Programs for Students Who Are Blind ................................................................ 43

Preschool Speech and Language Programs ....................................................................... 43

Intensive Early Intervention Programs for Children with Autism.............................................. 44

Procedures for Students Transitioning from one Program to Another .................................... 44

Transitioning In and Out of Care, Treatment and Correctional Programs ............................... 44

Appendix ..................................................................................................................................... 45

Parent's Guide To Special Education ...................................................................................... 45

1 CONTENTS

The Board’s Consultation Process Each month, the agenda is set and shared with SEAC, with consultation time provided within each meeting to address required components. Graphic organizers to assist with the collection of feedback on each component are collected and then updated. Members may always also contribute feedback electronically via email to the Special Education and Learning Services (SELS) Administrative Assistant.

Minutes of the monthly SEAC meetings are posted on the board website and SEAC member, parents and members of the public can make their views on various topics relevant to Special Education known by being invited to attend a SEAC meeting or by submitting written feedback through the board's Social Media formats or by communicating with the SELS Administrative Assistant.

Feedback is then collated and shared with SEAC members in the form of a Summary chart annually to provide documentation that celebrates how the Committee fulfil its responsibilities.

2 CONTENTS

SEAC Special Education Plan Consultation 2016-17

MONTH SEAC: Staff Presentation/Consultation CBILC 2016-19 Alignment

SEAC Consultation aligned with 2016-17 SEAC Goals

MONTHLY Catholic Board Improvement Learning Cycle (CBILC)

Catholic Community Culture and Caring [CCCC]

SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grant CCCC Provide on-going communication with parents, Associations and Community

SEPTEMBER Special Education Plan/Report

ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Summer Learning Teaching and Learning

Promote programs/initiatives that develop literacy and numeracy for all students with special needs

Budget Update ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

SEAC Goals ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Special Needs Strategy ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

OCTOBER Religious Education and Family Life Program – Revised Physical and Health Education Program

CCC Provide on-going communications with parents, Associations and Community

SEAC Goals 2016 -2019 All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Special Needs Strategy ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

NOVEMBER Financial Update All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Transitions Advisory Committee (TAC) Pathways Provide information for parents/guardians in key Transition periods

SEAC input into Board Budget Process All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

DECEMBER Enabling Garden – Programs for Students with Diverse Learning Needs

CCC Provide a variety of opportunities to engage the community

Responsive and Inclusive Supports ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

JANUARY Nurturing the Catholic Conditions for Well-being and Achievement, Mental Health Strategy Update

CCC SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Parent Evening to Support Transition of Students with Differing Abilities into Kindergarten

Pathways Advise the board/and/or provide information for parents /guardians in key transition periods

SEAC input into Board Budget Process All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

FEBRUARY Knowing the Learner: Special Education and Support Services – Programs and Services

ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Early Learning Update Teaching and Learning

SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

3 CONTENTS

SEAC input into Board Budget Process All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

MARCH Creating Pathways to Success: My Blueprint

Pathways Advise the board/and/or provide information for parents/guardians in key transition periods

System Technology All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Technology and Learning – Supporting Students with Differing Abilities

Professional Learning and Leading

Support a developed awareness (throughout the school) of the needs of the diverse learner.

APRIL Financial Update All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

Safe Schools Data, Suspension/Expulsions, Alternative Supports

All SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

MAY Voices of the Graduate CCC/Pathways Advise the board and/or provide information for parents/guardians in key transition periods

Special Education Plan ALL SEAC Consultation/Framework in Context

SEAC PRO Grant 2016-17 CCC Provide on-going communication with parents, associations and community

JUNE

4 CONTENTS

The Board’s General Model for Special Education

Responding to God's call, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board fosters and nourishes a safe, caring and inclusive education community rooted in tradition and scripture. Our Catholic culture, supported through the home, parish, and school community including trustees, staff and/or community associations, invites students into a deeper relationship with and understanding of Christ.

In compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Education Act, and guided by the principles within Ministry document Learning for All, 2013, we recognize that "fairness is not sameness" and that each student is unique. Within our Catholic culture, and through personalized and precise programs and services, we promote success for all students through a cycle of continuous assessment for learning. ]

Dufferin-Peel promotes positive school climates through a culture of collaboration,

establishing effective communication among home, parish and school community.

Keeping the student at the centre, Special Education and Learning Services practice is

rooted in the home school community. Students are supported by promoting

accessibility, honouring diversity and mutual respect and by demonstrating support for

student identity, well-being and achievement.

The Special Education and Learning Services staff, system leaders and educational stakeholders work as a community to support the provision of programs and services through the Catholic Board Learning Improvement Cycle, 2016-2019. This system direction promotes independence, growth and purposeful transitions for all students

through team planning, staff collaboration and student participation in authentic learning

opportunities.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools provide a spectrum of programs and services,

differentiated to meet the strengths, needs and interests, identity and well-being of all

students, including those identified as exceptional.

The home school can provide general information regarding site specific programs and

services and will also provide guidance regarding appropriate referral information to the

Family of Schools Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education and services

and will also provide guidance regarding appropriate referral information to the Family of

Schools Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education and Learning Services

Department, which can provide specific information regarding processes, programs and

services available within Dufferin-Peel.

5 CONTENTS

Roles and Responsibilities

The 2007 Ministry of Education document, Shared Solutions-A Guide to Preventing and

Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special

Education Needs, outlines the roles and responsibilities of all partners in special

education.

Appendix A within the Ministry document states the following:

The Student The student complies with the requirements as outlined in the Education Act,

regulations, and policy documents, including policy/program memoranda; complies with

board policies and procedures; participates in Identification, Placement, and Review

Committees (IPRCs), parent-teacher conferences, and other activities, as appropriate.

Parents

Parents familiarize themselves with board policies and procedures in areas that affect

their child; participate in IPRCs, parent-teacher conferences, and other relevant school

activities; participate in the planning of the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP);

become acquainted with the school staff who work with the student; support the student

at home; work with the school principal and teachers to solve problems; are responsible

for the student’s attendance at school.

The Teacher

The teacher carries out duties as outlined in the Education Act, regulations, and policy

documents, including policy/program memoranda; follows board policies and

procedures regarding special education; works with the special education teacher to

acquire and maintain up-to-date knowledge of special education practices; where

appropriate, develops the IEP with special education staff and parents for a student with

special education needs; provides the program for the student with special education

needs in the regular class; communicates the student’s progress to parents; works with

other school board staff to review and update the student’s IEP.

The Special Education Teacher

The special education teacher (in addition to the responsibilities listed above for

teachers): holds qualifications, in accordance with the regulations under the Education

Act, to teach special education; monitors the student’s progress with reference to the

IEP and modifies the program as necessary; assists in providing educational

assessments for exceptional pupils.

6 CONTENTS

The School Principal The school principal carries out duties as outlined in the Education Act, regulations, and

policy documents, including policy/program memoranda and board policies; ensures

that appropriately qualified staff are assigned to teach special education classes;

communicates ministry and board policies and procedures about special education to

staff, students, and parents; ensures that the identification and placement of exceptional

pupils, through an IPRC, is done according to the procedures outlined in the Education

Act, regulations, and board policies; consults with school board staff to determine the

most appropriate program for students with special education needs; ensures the

development, implementation, and review of a student’s IEP, including a transition plan,

according to provincial requirements; ensures that parents are consulted in the

development of their child’s IEP and that they are provided with a copy of the IEP;

ensures the delivery of the program as set out in the IEP; ensures that appropriate

assessments are requested and that, if necessary, appropriate consents are obtained.

The Special Education Advisory Committee

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) makes recommendations to the

board with respect to any matter affecting the establishment, development, and delivery

of special education programs and services within the board; participates in the board’s

annual review of its special education plan; participates in the board’s annual budget

process as it relates to special education; reviews the financial statements of the board

as they relate to special education; provides information to parents, as requested.

The District School Board or School Authority

The district school board or school authority establishes school board policy and

practices that comply with the Education Act, regulations, and policy documents,

including policy/program memoranda; monitors school compliance with the Education

Act, regulations, and policy documents, including policy/program memoranda; requires

staff to comply with the Education Act, regulations, and policy documents, including

policy/program memoranda; provides appropriately qualified staff to deliver programs

and services for the students with special education needs in the board; reports on the

expenditures for special education; develops and maintains a special education plan

that is amended from time to time to meet the current strengths and needs of the

students with special education needs in the board; reviews the plan annually and

submits amendments to the Minister of Education; provides statistical reports to the

ministry as required; prepares a parent guide to provide parents with information about

special education programs, services, and procedures; establishes one or more IPRCs

to identify students with special education needs and determine appropriate placements

for them; establishes a Special Education Advisory Committee; provides professional

development to staff on special education.

7 CONTENTS

The Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education sets out, through the Education Act, regulations, and policy

documents, including policy/program memoranda, the legal obligations of school boards

regarding the provision of special education programs and services; prescribes the

categories and definitions of exceptionality; requires school boards to provide

appropriate special education programs and services for their students with special

education needs; establishes the funding for special education through the structure of

the funding model; requires school boards to report on their expenditures for special

education; sets province-wide standards for curriculum and for reporting achievement;

requires school boards to maintain special education plans, review them annually, and

submit amendments to the ministry; requires school boards to establish Special

Education Advisory Committees; establishes the Ontario Special Education (English

and French)Tribunals to hear disputes between parents and school boards regarding

the identification and placement of exceptional pupils; establishes a Minister’s Advisory

Council on Special Education to advise the Minister of Education on matters related to

special education programs and services; establishes a Provincial Parent Association

Advisory Committee on Special Education Advisory Committees; operates Provincial

and Demonstration Schools for students who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind, or who have

severe learning disabilities.

8 CONTENTS

Early Identification Procedures and Intervention Strategies

Dufferin-Peel recognizes the benefits of early identification and interventions on student

well-being and achievement. Our support of the early years through programs and

collaborative partnerships allows us to form a relationship with learners as they begin

their journey of growth within the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations and

towards their vocational calling.

Further information on the Dufferin-Peel Kindergarten Program can be accessed by

clicking on this link: Kindergarten.

Special Needs Strategy

Ontario’s Special Needs Strategy connects children and youth to the services they need

as early as possible and improves the service experience for families.

One of the areas that the Special Needs Strategy is working towards is identifying

children’s needs earlier and connecting them to the right help as soon as possible. The

Special Needs Strategy is also working towards ensuring that there is a seamless

transition into school.

Entry Planning Process Children with differing abilities may require a specialized entry process. The purpose of

the transition process is to formulate and initiate a successful school entry plan for

children with differing abilities that focuses on the strength of the child. As every child is

different, each transition process is different and does not necessarily follow the same

sequence of events.

Families are invited to attend an Information and Entry Planning Session to support the

transition of children with differing abilities into Kindergarten. This event is usually held

in January of each year at the Catholic Education Centre.

As part of Dufferin-Peel’s transition procedure, educators consult with families to get to

know each child as soon and as thoroughly as possible in order to provide early

learning opportunities that will help each child. In order to facilitate a smooth transition

for these students, parents/guardians are encouraged to share relevant assessments or

information with the child’s school.

The family, school team, board staff, child care and appropriate community

agencies/service providers, collaborate in the development of an individualized

transition plan. Additional support is provided by the appropriate Itinerant Team(s) and

support services staff to ensure that personalized strategies are in place as the child

transitions into school. The school team will continue to monitor the student and will

provide ongoing support as required.

9 CONTENTS

Children with differing abilities also participate in the transition events for all

Kindergarten children including Welcome to Kindergarten and the initial classroom visit

in September.

Intervention Strategies and Supports

At Dufferin-Peel, there is a tiered approach to providing interventions.

Tier 1 supports are strategies for all (Learning for All).

Tier 2 involves strategic preventions for some

Tier 3 is Interventions for Few

Through a collaborative team approach, the school team will meet as required to review

further interventions required based on student’s needs and abilities. There is ongoing

communication between the school and families regarding student progress and needs

and the school will ensure that consent is obtained before proceeding with additional

supports.

These procedures are a part of a continuous assessment and program planning

process which is initiated when a child enters school and continues throughout a child’s

school life.

Beginning in September 2016, the assessment, evaluation, and reporting children’s

learning in Kindergarten in Ontario schools will be based on the policies and practices

described in the Growing Success - The Kindergarten Addendum: Assessment,

Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, 2016.

10 CONTENTS

The Identification, Placement and Review Committee

(IPRC) Process and Appeals

Dufferin-Peel adheres to the IPRC process as outlined in Regulation 181/98 of the

Education Act. Exceptional students require a formal identification and/or placement

through the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) process. In

practice, Dufferin-Peel has divided IPRCs into three levels: board, family and school. At

the board and family levels, the IPRC will:

I: Decide whether your child should be identified as exceptional

•Identify the areas of your child’s exceptionality, according to the Categories and

Definitions of Exceptionalities provided by the Ministry of Education

P: Decide an appropriate placement for your child.

•If the recommending placement is in a special education class, the IPRC must set out

the reasons for this recommendation in their decision (Regulation 181/98)

R: Review the identification and placement at least once in each school year

For a chart of the five Ministry placement options aligned with Dufferin-Peel Catholic

District School Board Programs and Services, refer to the Special Education

Placements section of this report.

Generally, school level IPRC meetings are convened annually for the review of

identification and/or placement. Parents/guardians/adult students may agree in writing

to dispense with or “waive” the annual review. IPRCs are not waived for more than 3

consecutive years or during a transition which involve a change of school, panel or

program. A parent/guardian/adult student may request a review of the IPRC decision 3

months after the placement has begun. The review cannot be requested more than

once every three months.

Parents/guardians/adult students may, within 15 days of receiving the statement of

decision, request a second meeting of the IPRC to further discuss the decision; or within

30 days of receiving the statement of decision, file a notice of appeal with the Board.

Further to the follow-up meeting, parents/guardians/adult students who do not agree

with the upheld or revised decision of a follow-up meeting may request to have the

matter referred to a special education appeal board within 15 days of receipt of the

statement of decision of the second meeting of the IPRC.

11 CONTENTS

For further details on the IPRC process, please refer to the Dufferin-Peel Parent's Guide

to Special Education which is available in multiple languages. Braille copies are

available through the Special Education and Learning Services department.

12 CONTENTS

Educational and Other Assessments Literacy and Mathematical Literacy are foundational to success for all students and early identification of a student’s learning needs is critical to effective intervention. Knowledge about a student’s strengths and needs guides teachers and support services staff in providing effective programming by linking assessment to practice. Instructional strategies that include differentiated instruction, and match the learning profiles of students, ensure access to learning for all children.

There has been an on-going focus on collaborative professional learning to develop

instructional, assessment and learning strategies and resources to enhance the

capacity of teaching and support staff to assist all students, including those with special

education needs, through greater precision and personalization.

Dufferin-Peel educators and support services staff, in consultation with parents, may

initiate informal assessment measures that may enhance effective programming and

support student achievement. As appropriate, the provisions within the Personal Health

Information Protection Act are followed. Documentation regarding informed consent

and the commitment to protecting privacy of information are shared through Support

Services and Special Education staff. Accordingly, formal professional assessments

initiated by board psychology and speech and language pathology staff, require signed

informed consent prior to the initiation of the assessment.

Information regarding consent, timelines, and the process of the communication of

results, will be shared with parents/families through board structures which include:

parent-teacher interviews; School Team meetings, transition and/or case conferences;

Individual Education Plan development consultation and the Identification Placement

and Review Committee process.

School Teams, under the direction of the school principal will collaborate in sharing

information with staff and, as permitted by the family, relevant outside agencies to

support the student's well-being and achievement.

A variety of Educational assessment tools are made available to Special Education

teachers to provide information about student's strengths and needs. This annually

updated information will inform the development of the Individual Education Plan. For

students requiring one, the IEP will be used to guide staff in assessing, evaluating and

reporting achievement.

13 CONTENTS

The Ontario Ministry of Education’s Assessment and Evaluation

policy, Growing Success is founded on seven fundamental

principles to ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are

valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of

learning for all students.]

These principles support assessment practices and procedures that:

are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students; supports all students, including those with special needs, those who are learning the

language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;

are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs and experiences of all students;

are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;

are on-going, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;

provide on-going descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement; and

develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

In conjunction with the new Kindergarten program, the Ministry of Education has released the policy document, Growing Success - The Kindergarten Addendum: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, 2016. Assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy is based on the view of the young child as "competent, capable of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential".

All learners and their families will be informed annually of the board's assessment and

evaluation practices via information sessions, student agendas, School Advisory

committees, and the Board website.

14 CONTENTS

The three types of assessment that inform student achievement as defined in Growing

Success are as follows:

assessment for learning is the on-going process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning for the purpose of determining where students are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. The information gathered is used by teachers to provide feedback and adjust instruction and by students to focus their learning. Assessment for learning is a high yield instructional strategy that takes place while the student is still learning and serves to promote learning;

assessment as learning is the process of developing and supporting student metacognition. Students are actively engaged in this assessment process; that is, they monitor their own learning; use assessment feedback from teacher, self, and peers to determine next steps; and set individual learning goals. Assessment as learning requires students to have a clear understanding of the learning goals and success criteria. Assessment as learning focuses on the role of the student as the critical connector between assessment and learning; and

assessment of learning is the process of collecting and interpreting evidence for the purpose of summarizing learning at a given point in time, to make judgements about the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria, and to assign a value to represent that quality. The information gathered may be used to communicate the student’s achievement to parents, other teachers, students, themselves and others. It occurs at or near the end of a cycle of learning.

The Renewed Mathematics Strategy 2017 outlines the instructional and assessment goals for all learners of mathematics, and will accommodate the strengths and needs of students with diverse learning needs.

15 CONTENTS

Specialized Health Support Services in School Settings

Through the Ontario Special Needs Strategy, the provincial government is taking steps

to help children and youth with special needs get the timely and effective services they

need at home, at school, in the community and as they transition to adulthood. As a

result, some of the services listed below may be impacted by changes within the

Special Needs Strategy during this transition period.

In accordance with Policy/Program Memorandum No.81, the responsibility for the

provision of specialized health support services in school settings will be shared by the

Ministries of: Education, Health and Long-Term Care, and Community and Social

Services.

At the local level, the responsibility for the provision of specialized health support

services in school settings is shared by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board,

Community Care Access Centers (CCAC) and designated agencies operating under the

Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Details of the specialized health support services are available through the home school

principal. A variety of departments and/or outside agencies assist students with

specialized health supports which may include:

Nursing Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Chest Therapy Accessibility and Environmental Assessment Specialized Equipment Prescriptions and Recommendations Nutrition based on medical diagnosis Speech Therapy (CCAC through school Speech and Language Pathologist) Administration of prescribed medications Catheterization Suctioning (shallow/deep) Lifting and Positioning Assistance with Mobility Feeding (by mouth or G-tube) Personal Care Self-Care

Questions regarding individual student needs related to health support services and/or

process for dispute resolution may be referred to the home school and/or Family of

Schools Special Education Consultants.

16 CONTENTS

Categories and Definitions of Exceptionalities

The following are the Ministry mandated Categories of Exceptionalities with aligned

Dufferin-Peel expanded descriptions. For further information on the Ministry Categories

please refer to the Ministry of Education and/or the home school.

Category: Behaviour

Exceptionality: Behaviour

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A learning disorder characterized by specific behaviour problems over such a period of

time, and to such a marked degree, and of such a nature, as to adversely affect

educational performance and that may be accompanied by one or more of the following:

inability to build or maintain interpersonal relationships; excessive fears or anxieties; tendency to compulsive reaction; and/or the inability to learn which cannot be traced to intellectual, sensory, or other health

factors, or any combination thereof.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

A behavioural exceptionality is defined as behavioural, social and/or emotional

responses that are of such severity in terms of frequency, intensity and/or duration that

the pupil’s performance within the school setting is adversely affected. These

behaviours may be manifested as one or more of the following:

inability to build or maintain interpersonal relationships; excessive fears or anxieties; tendency to compulsive reaction; and/or aggressive, hostile, or violent behavior.

These behavioural responses are not due to another known or identifiable

exceptionality, and persist in more than one setting and with more than one individual,

even though appropriate modifications in classroom management and changes in the

pupil’s academic setting and/or program have been implemented.

17 CONTENTS

Category: Communication

Exceptionality: Autism

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A severe learning disorder that is characterized by:

disturbances in: (a) rate of educational development (b) ability to relate to the environment (c) mobility (d) perception, speech, and language; and

a lack of representational symbolic behaviour that precedes language.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Included in this definition is Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise

Specified, Atypical Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Rett’s Syndrome and Childhood

Disintegrative Disorder.

A significant impairment in the development of social relationships, verbal and non-

verbal communication as diagnosed by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner,

psychologist, or psychological associate. Symptoms may include:

impairment in verbal and non-verbal communication; lack of appropriate social or emotional interaction with others; lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to others; failure to develop peer relationships; lack of make-believe-play or social imitative play; restricted, repetitive and stereotyped pattern of behaviour; and/or extreme variability of intellectual functioning.

Exceptionality: Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

An impairment characterized by deficits in language and speech development because

of a diminished or non-existent auditory response to sound.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Varying degrees of hearing that require amplification and perhaps specialist teaching in

order to comprehend and acquire spoken language. Amplification may include hearing

aids, cochlear implants and FM systems. A low percentage of deaf children may need

sign language for communication.

18 CONTENTS

Exceptionality: Language Impairment

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A learning disorder characterized by an impairment in comprehension and/or use of

verbal communication or the written or other symbol system of communication, which

may be associated with neurological, psychological, physical, or sensory factors, and

which may:

involve one or more of the form, content, and function of language in communication; and

include one or more of the following: (a) language delay; (b) dysfluency; and/or (c) voice and articulation development which may or may not be organically or functionally based.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

A learning disorder characterized by an impairment in the comprehension and use of

oral and/or written language (listening, speaking, reading or writing), which significantly

interferes with communication and academic achievement and may:

involve one or more of the form, content and function of language in communication; and

include one or more of the following: (a) language delay or disorder; and/or (b) phonological delay or disorder.

A language impairment differs from the category of learning disability in that it is not

defined by a significant discrepancy between academic achievement and assessed

intellectual ability. A language impairment often co-exists with a speech impairment,

specifically an articulation and/or phonological disorder. Very young children with

language impairment may be re-assessed at a later grade level and may be identified

with a learning disability or with another exceptionality (i.e., Mild Intellectual Disability,

Behaviour, Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder, or Developmental Disability).

19 CONTENTS

Exceptionality: Speech Impairment

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A disorder in language formulation that may be associated with neurological,

psychological, physical, or sensory factors, that involves perceptual motor aspects of

transmitting oral messages, and that may be characterized by impairment in articulation,

rhythm, and stress.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

An impairment in speech production which significantly interferes with the student’s

communication and learning, (e.g. articulation and/or phonological disorder, dysfluency,

apraxia, dysarthria, voice and resonance). A speech impairment may also be

associated with other exceptionalities such as intellectual, developmental and physical

exceptionalities.

Exceptionality: Learning Disability

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

The Ministry of Education defines learning disability as one of a number of

neurodevelopmental disorders that persistently and significantly has an impact on the

ability to learn and use academic and other skills and that:

affects the ability to perceive or process verbal or non-verbal information in an effective and accurate manner in students who have assessed intellectual abilities that are at least in the average range;

results in (a) academic underachievement that is inconsistent with the intellectual abilities of the student (which are at least in the average range) and/or (b) academic achievement that can be maintained by the student only with extremely high levels of effort and/or with additional support;

results in difficulties in the development and use of skills in one or more of the following areas: reading, writing, mathematics, and work habits and learning skills;

may typically be associated with difficulties in one or more cognitive processes, such as phonological processing; language processing; memory and attention; processing speed; perceptual-motor processing; visual-spatial processing; executive functions (e.g., self-regulation of behaviour and emotions, planning, organizing of thoughts and activities, prioritizing, decision making and problem solving);

may be associated with difficulties in social interaction (e.g., difficulty in understanding social norms or the point of view of others); with various other conditions or disorders, diagnosed or undiagnosed; or with other exceptionalities;

is not the result of a lack of acuity in hearing and/or vision that has not been corrected; intellectual disabilities; socio-economic factors; cultural differences; lack of proficiency in the language of instruction; lack of motivation or effort; gaps in school attendance or inadequate opportunity to benefit from instruction.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Learning Disability should be diagnosed by an appropriately qualified psychologist or

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psychological associate. Average intellectual functioning is interpreted as being in the

broad average, or potentially average, range.

Please see Policy/Program Memorandum No. 8 for more information on Recognition

and Identification of Learning Disabilities and Program Planning.

Category: Intellectual

Exceptionality: Giftedness

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated

learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the

regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

To be identified as gifted within the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, a

student must score at or above the 98th percentile on the Full Scale IQ or General

Ability Index (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition) or at or above the

98th percentile on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition, or at or above

the 98th percentile on the Overall IQ (Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition)

They may be identified at any age and in any grade.

* Canadian norms will be required for the Wechsler scales as of September 2005

Characteristics of students with gifted intellectual ability may include:

giftedness that is not always apparent in regular curriculum areas and is not always demonstrated in the achievement of high grades;

an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability; an unusually strong aptitude in a particular area; and/or a requirement for differentiated programming and learning experiences of a depth

and beyond those normally provided in the program in the regular classroom, to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

Exceptionality: Mild Intellectual Disability

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A learning disorder characterized by:

an ability to profit educationally within a regular class with the aid of considerable curriculum modification and supportive service;

an inability to profit educationally within a regular class because of slow intellectual development; and

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a potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment and economic self-support.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Students with a Mild Intellectual Disability display:

intellectual functioning that is in the mild range of intellectual disability, as measured on an individual test of intellectual ability. Care must be taken to ensure that the instruments are suitable for the student’s socio-cultural background, native language, education, associated communication, motor and sensory handicaps, motivation and cooperation;

academic achievement is well below average and is commensurate with the student’s intellectual ability. These students are able to meet some curriculum expectations with support; and

a requirement for intensive programming to realize their potential. They will require modified programs and/or different individualized programs. They may require extra time to achieve their goals at their own pace. It is also important to offer opportunities to develop practical life skills that will enhance their independence in the school and in the community.

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Exceptionality: Developmental Disability

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A severe learning disorder characterized by:

an inability to profit from a special education program for students with mild intellectual disabilities because of slow intellectual development;

an ability to profit from a special education program that is designed to accommodate slow intellectual development; and

a limited potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment, and economic self-support.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Students with a Developmental Disability display:

varying degrees of intellectual disability, which are below the mild range of intellectual disability, as measured on an individual test of intellectual ability. Care must be taken to ensure that the instruments are suitable for the student’s socio-cultural background, native language, education, associated communication, motor and sensory handicaps, motivation and cooperation;

concurrent disabilities in at least two areas of adaptive functioning (i.e., how effectively individuals cope with common life demands and how well they meet the standards of personal independence of someone in their particular age group, socio-cultural background, and community setting): communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety. Adaptive functioning may be influenced by various factors including education, motivation, personality characteristics, social and vocational opportunities and other associated medical conditions. It is essential to gather information from two or more reliable sources (parents, teacher, medical history, etc.) As with the intellectual assessment, care must be taken to ensure that the instruments are suitable for the student’s socio-cultural background, education, associated handicaps, motivation and cooperation;

academic achievement is well below average and is commensurate with the student’s intellectual ability. The student’s ability to meet provincial curriculum expectations will vary according to the student’s strengths and weaknesses; and

requirement for intensive programming to realize their potential. They will require modified programs and/or different individualized programs. They may require extra time to achieve their goals at their own pace. It is also important to offer opportunities to develop practical life skills that will enhance their independence in the school and in the community.

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Category: Physical

Exceptionality: Physical Disability

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A condition of such severe physical limitation or deficiency as to require special

assistance in learning situations to provide the opportunity for educational achievement

equivalent to that of pupils without exceptionalities who are of the same age or

developmental level.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

An ongoing condition that may limit physical functioning and may require adaptations

and assistance, according to the degree of disability. Students may experience difficulty

with fine motor and gross motor development; require specialized equipment and/or

adaptations to programme goals and learning expectations, and may require

adaptations to school environment.

Many students with physical disabilities may access the school curriculum and

participate academically and socially in regular school classes. They may require

minimal to moderate accommodations, and may also require special equipment.

Other students with chronic health needs may require a great deal of assistance with

activities of daily living and may require ongoing medical intervention.

Exceptionality: Blind and Low Vision

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A condition of partial or total impairment of sight or vision that even with correction

affects educational performance adversely.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Varying degrees of vision which interfere with progress in a regular educational

programme and result in the need for special materials, teaching strategies, classroom

accommodations and equipment to facilitate learning (e.g. print modifications, braille

instruction and materials).

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Exceptionality: Deaf Blind

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

Note: The Ministry of Education does not include this category; nor is a definition of this

category provided within the Memorandum of January 15th, 1999.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Deafblindness is a total or partial loss of both vision and hearing, such that neither of

these senses can be used as the primary means of learning.

Identification must be supported by assessment from the W. Ross MacDonald

Provincial School for the Blind and Deaf Blind.

Category: Multiple

Exceptionality: Multiple Exceptionalities

Ministry Category of Exceptionalities and Definitions:

A combination of learning or other disorders, impairments, or physical disabilities, that is

of such nature as to require, for educational achievement, the services of one or more

teachers holding qualifications in special education and the provision of support

services appropriate for such disorders, impairments, or disabilities.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Expanded Description:

Multiple exceptionalities may include any combination of exceptionalities that are of

such a nature as to require a multifaceted approach to meet the student’s unique needs.

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Special Education Placements Provided by the Board

Category of Exceptionality

Regular Class with Indirect Support

Regular Class with Resource Assistance

Regular Class with Withdrawal Assistance

Special Education Class with Partial Integration

Special Education Class Full Time

Behaviour: Behaviour

yes yes yes Sensitivity/ Behaviour Class (E)

Sensitivity/ Behaviour Class (E)

Communication: Autism

yes Ontario Secondary School Diploma Support Program for Students with ASD (S) Career Path (Open) (S)

yes Prim ASD Class (E) Jr/Int ASD Class (E) Needs Moderate/Severe Class (E) Planning for Independence Moderate/Severe (S) Needs Moderate Communication (S) Needs Moderate Communication (E)

Needs Moderate/ Severe Class (E) Planning for Independence Moderate/ Severe (S)

Communication: Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Support from Itinerant Teacher Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Support from Itinerant Teacher Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Support from Itinerant Teacher Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Communication: Language Impairment

yes Career Path (Open) (S)

yes Special Education Resource Class -SERC (E) Needs Moderate Communication (E) Needs Moderate Communication (S)

Communication: Speech Impairment

yes

Communication: Learning Disability

yes Career Path (Open) (S)

yes Special Education Resource Class -SERC (E) Needs Moderate Communication (E) Needs Moderate Communication (S)

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Intellectual: Giftedness

yes International Baccalaureate (Open) Program (S)

yes Self-Contained Gifted (E)

Intellectual: Mild Intellectual Disability

yes Career Path (Open) (S)

yes Special Education Resource Class -SERC (E)

Intellectual: Developmental Disability

yes yes Needs Moderate/Severe Class (E) Planning for Independence Moderate/Severe (S)

Needs Moderate/ Severe Class (E) Planning for Independence Moderate /Severe (S)

Physical: Physical Disability

yes yes yes

Physical: Blind and Low Vision

yes Support from Itinerant Teacher Blind/Low Vision

Support from Itinerant Teacher Blind/Low Vision

Physical: Deaf/Blind

Support from Itinerant Teacher Blind/Low Vision Support from Itinerant Teacher Deaf and Hard of Hearing Contracted staff: Intervenor [PPM 76C]

Support from Itinerant Teacher Blind/Low Vision Support from Itinerant Teacher Deaf and Hard of Hearing Contracted staff: Intervenor [PPM 76C]

Multiple: Multiple

The Identification Placement and Review Committee [IPRC] placement statement is informed by the individual student profile of assessed needs.

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Before the IPRC can consider placing a student in a special education class, it must

consider whether placement in a regular class with appropriate special education

services will meet the student's needs and be consistent with parental preferences. If,

after considering all the information presented to it, the IPRC is satisfied that placement

in a regular class will meet the student's needs and that such a decision is consistent

with parental preferences, the committee will decide in favour of placement in a regular

class with appropriate special education services.

Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

As defined in the The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource

Guide, 2004…

…an IEP is:

a written plan describing the special education program and/or services required by a particular student, based on a thorough assessment of the student’s strengths and needs;

a record of the particular accommodations needed to help the student achieve his or her learning expectations;

a working document that identifies learning expectations that are modified from the expectations for the age-appropriate grade level in a particular subject or course, as outlined in the Ministry of Education’s curriculum policy document and/or alternative expectations, if required, in program areas not represented in the Ontario curriculum;

a record of the specific knowledge and skills to be assessed and evaluated for the purpose of reporting student achievement of modified and/or alternative expectations.

…an IEP is not:

a description of everything that will be taught to the student; a list of all the teaching strategies used in regular classroom instruction; a document that records all learning expectations, including those that are not

modified from the regular grade level curriculum expectations; a daily lesson plan.

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Regulation 181/98 requires that an IEP must be developed for all exceptional students

in Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board within a period of 30 school days after

the student has been identified and placed in a program.

An IEP must be developed as supporting documentation for a Special Equipment

Amount (SEA) claim for all students; exceptional or not exceptional.

An IEP may be developed when a student is not formally identified as exceptional, but

requires special education programs and/or services including modified and/or

alternative learning expectations and/or accommodations.

Dufferin-Peel has participated in all Ministry of Education (EDU) and/or board Individual

Education Plan Reviews. As per Regulation 181/98 within the Education Act, principals

are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the IEP is developed collaboratively within

the resources available to the board and that parents and students over 16 are

consulted.

The parent/guardian/adult student must be asked to sign the Parent/Student

Consultation form to indicate whether:

they were consulted in the development of the IEP; they declined the opportunity to be consulted; they have received a copy of the IEP.

Parent/guardian/adult student comments may also be noted on the form.

Should a parent/guardian/adult student disagree with school staff on significant aspects

of the IEP, the school team will work collaboratively with the parent/guardian/adult

student to resolve issues. Collaborative processes may include phone contact and/or

meetings. Family of Schools and/or board supports may also be accessed as part of a

team endeavoring to facilitate support for dispute resolution.

The Ministry of Education resource document Shared Solutions, 2007 provides

strategies and identifies best practice in collaborative conflict resolution.

The IPRC/Case Conference process provides a further opportunity for parents to share

input regarding programs and services which may include issues related to the IEP.

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Provincial and Demonstration Schools in Ontario

In Ontario, the Provincial and Provincial Demonstration Schools:

are operated by the Ministry of Education; provide education for students who are deaf or blind, or who have severe learning

disabilities; provide an alternative education option; serve as regional resource centres for students who are deaf, blind, or deafblind; provide preschool home visiting services for students who are deaf or deafblind; and provide learning materials and media for students who are deaf, blind, or

deafblind; provide school board teachers with resource services; and play a valuable role in teacher training.

Hearing and vision staff and Special Education Consultants facilitate visits to the

provincial schools.

School for the Visually Impaired, Blind and Deafblind

W. Ross Macdonald School is located in Brantford and provides education for students

who are visually impaired, blind, or deafblind.

W. Ross MacDonald Website

The school provides:

a provincial resource centre for students who are blind, visually impaired and/or deafblind;

support to local school boards through consultation and the provision of special learning materials, such as Braille materials, audiotapes, and large-print textbooks and alternative format of materials;

professional services and guidance to ministries of education on an interprovincial, cooperative basis.

Programs are tailored to the needs of the individual student and:

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are designed to help the student learn to live independently; are delivered by specially trained teachers; follow the Ontario curriculum developed for all students in the province; offer a full range of courses at the secondary level; offer courses in special subject areas such as music, broad-based technology,

family studies, physical education, and mobility training; are individualized, to offer a comprehensive “life skills” program; and through home visits, assist parents and families of preschool deafblind children to

prepare for school.

Provincial Schools for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

The following Provincial Schools offer services for deaf and hard of hearing students:

Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Belleville Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Milton Robarts School for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing in London Centre Jules-Léger in Ottawa

Admittance to a Provincial School is determined by the Provincial Schools Admission

Committee in accordance with the requirements set out in Regulation 296. These

schools provide elementary and secondary school programs for deaf students from

preschool level to high school graduation.

Eligible Dufferin-Peel CDSB students would attend the E.C. Drury School in Milton.

Ernest C. Drury School Website

The curriculum follows the Ontario curriculum and parallels courses and programs

provided in school boards. Each student has his or her special needs met as set out in

his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Schools for the Deaf:

provide rich and supportive bilingual/bicultural educational environments which facilitate students’ language acquisition, learning, and social development through American Sign Language (ASL) and English;

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operate primarily as day schools; and provide residential facilities five days per week for those students who do not live

within reasonable commuting distance from the school.

Each school has a specialized Resource Services Department which provides:

consultation and educational advice to parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and school board personnel;

information brochures; a wide variety of workshops for parents, school boards, and other agencies; and an extensive home-visiting program delivered to parents of deaf and hard of hearing

preschool children by teachers trained in preschool and deaf education.

Demonstration Schools

Each of the four provincial Demonstration Schools for students with severe learning

disabilities has an enrolment of forty students. The language of instruction at the

Amethyst, Sagonaska, and Trillium schools is English; at Centre Jules-Léger, instruction

is in French. Application for admission to a provincial Demonstration School is made

with parental consent on behalf of students by the school board. The Provincial

Committee on Learning Disabilities (PCLD) determines whether a student is eligible for

admission. Although the primary responsibility to provide appropriate educational

programs for students with learning disabilities remains with school boards, the ministry

recognizes that some students require a residential school setting for a period of time.

The Demonstration Schools were established to:

provide special residential education programs for students in intermediate and secondary levels;

enhance the development of each student’s academic, social and emotional skills; and

develop the abilities of the students enrolled to a level that will enable them to return to programs operated by a local school board within two years.

In addition to providing residential schooling for students with severe learning

disabilities, the Provincial Demonstration Schools have special programs for students

with severe learning disabilities in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

(ADD/ADHD). These are highly intensive, one-year programs. Eligible Dufferin-Peel

CDSB students would attend the Trillium Demonstration School adjacent to the E.C.

Drury School in Milton.

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Trillium Demonstration School Website

The Trillium School also operates Learning for Emotional and Academic Development

(LEAD), a special program for students with severe learning disabilities who require an

additional level of social/emotional support.

An in-service teacher education program is provided at each Demonstration School.

This program is designed to share methodologies and materials with teachers of

Ontario school boards. Information about the programs offered should be obtained from

the schools themselves.

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Special Education Staff

Special education programs and services are provided by a wide variety of professional

and support staff which may include the following:

Elementary Panel:

Classroom Teacher

Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)

Special Education Resource Class Teacher (SERC)

Special Education Class Teacher

Designated Early Childhood Educator (DECE)

Secondary Panel:

Classroom Teacher

Academic Resource Department Head (ARDH)

Academic Resource Teacher

Planning for Independence (PIP) Teacher

Needs Moderate Communications Teacher

ASD Diploma Support Resource Teacher

Career Path Program Teacher

Elementary and Secondary Panels:

Administrator

Coordinator

Consultant

Itinerant Teacher

- Deaf and Hard of Hearing

- Blind and Low Vision

- Autism Spectrum Disorder

- Physical and Medical Needs

- Transition

- Behaviour

- Assistive Technology

Educational Resource Worker (ERW)

Deaf Blind Intervener (ERW)

Child and Youth Worker (CYW)

Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP)

Social Worker (SW)

Psychology Staff

Questions regarding special education staffing may be directed to the home school.

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Staff Development As aligned to the Catholic Board Improvement Learning Cycle, 2016-2019, the goal of the Staff Development Plan is to focus on core principles that offer staff the opportunity to participate in initiatives that support our diverse learners through personalized approaches to: student achievement, individualized instructional strategies, assessment practices and mental health and well-being. Professional Learning Opportunities are offered through multiple layers which include board level, family networks, school based initiatives and local and regional workshops and conferences. Our core beliefs include knowing the learner through assessment and responding with effective instructional practices which are infused throughout professional learning opportunities within both elementary and secondary panels. The DPCDSB’s responsive and needs based model of Staff Development centres upon:

supporting staff in the specialized roles within special education providing opportunities for self-directed professional learning structuring professional development opportunities to increase capacity in instruction

and assessment practices increasing awareness of diverse learners within our system

Staff are invited to provide feedback regarding their professional learning opportunities. In collaboration with the Board Research Team, feedback is consolidated and monitored to determine further priorities and to differentiate for the learning needs of staff.

The Special Education Advisory Committee is consulted to establish budget priorities for special education. Staff development updates are provided at SEAC meetings.

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Equipment The Special Education and Learning Services Department reviews recommendations for equipment from qualified professionals based on the assessment of student needs. These reviews occur on a regular and on-going basis.

Funds can be used to purchase personal equipment for any student with a special need

where the equipment is required to support the student’s access to the Ontario

Curriculum and/or alternative program. Students need not be formally identified as

exceptional but the equipment must be recommended by a qualified professional and

evidence of the use of equipment must be documented in the student's IEP. Efforts are

made to share equipment among students when appropriate and possible.

Guidelines for accessing Ministry of Education Special Equipment Amount (SEA) funding for individualized equipment are described in: Special Equipment Grant Guidelines.

When a qualified professional makes a recommendation for equipment that is under $800, the board acquires the equipment.

When a qualified professional makes a recommendation for equipment that is appropriate for the student and over $800, the board purchases the equipment and submits a SEA claim to the Ministry of Education.

Tools for learning provide students with diverse learning needs support for literacy learning and equipment to access the curriculum and/or alternative programs. Types of equipment may include: computer hardware, software, customized woodwork, mobility supports, FM systems, augmentative communication devices and CCTVs. Where appropriate, the equipment ordered is in accordance with current board standards.

Parents are informed about the processes involved in acquiring specialized equipment

either through board staff or through community agencies such as Community Care

Access Centre (CCAC), occupational therapists, physiotherapists or other staff.

Computer-based Technology

In addition to computer hardware/software acquired through the SEA process, Dufferin-

Peel elementary and secondary schools have access to specialized computer programs

to support the literacy learning and well-being of all students. These programs include

optical character recognition (OCR) and text-to-speech software, speech-recognition

software, word prediction software and software to support planning and organization.

Improved access to technology is aligned with the goals of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic

Board Improvement Learning Cycle. As an example, literacy support software is

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available to students on all standard computers in the board’s elementary and

secondary schools.

Computers and devices with specialized software are deployed to a variety of special

education class placements and programs.

Digital Learning Technologies

In support of 21st-century learning, the board provides opportunities for critical thinking,

collaboration, innovation and the use of new technologies including offering a variety of

options to prepare students for a dynamic and ever-changing world.

Dufferin-Peel continues to provide a variety of supports to promote student engagement

that ultimately improves student well-being and achievement. Demonstrated support for

board wide expansion of technology integration provides a means to foster

differentiated instruction and assessment and evaluation practices with a focus on

supporting learning and access to curriculum for all within a universal design for

learning (UDL) model.

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Accessibility of School Buildings

Dufferin-Peel Special Education and Learning Services is committed to improve

accessibility for students with diverse learning needs and to provide opportunities for

their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full

participation in school.

The board strives to provide support through the continual improvement of access to

board facilities and/or programs and services. Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School

Board is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

ACCESS Dufferin-Peel is a working group comprised of board employee groups and

education partners who are working together to provide accessible facilities and

services for those with disabilities in accordance with AODA and the Ontarians with

Disabilities Act, 2001.

For more information about ACCESS Dufferin-Peel, link to the Board Access website:

Access Dufferin-Peel or contact the Employee Relations Department at 905-890-0708

ext. 24249.

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Transportation Special Education transportation requests are submitted to the Family of Schools Supervisory Officer and reviewed annually. Students are assigned to central pick-up locations in the vicinity of their home. Occasionally students are provided with door to door service.

A special transportation request may be submitted if a student meets any of the

following criteria:

has a physical disability that prevents him/her from boarding a bus and walking to his/her seat;

attends a contained special education program outside his/her school attendance area;

has been identified by the school boards’ Special Education and Learning Services as requiring special transportation;

attends a provincial school or treatment centre; or has a medical condition requiring special transportation which is supported by a

doctor’s note.

Identified permanent medical conditions confirmed by a medical doctor, will not require

annual verification. All other medical transportation requests are approved and reviewed

on an annual basis.

Generally special needs bus routes are operated with smaller type vehicles that have been adapted in order to provide the safest possible environment for everyone on the bus. These modifications may include such things as safety apparatus and wheel chair lifts. All bus drivers are specially trained to operate these vehicles and transport special needs students. Drivers have also received Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) customer service training and have completed a criminal record and vulnerable sector check.

Special Needs Transportation requests for students residing within Peel Region will be handled by the Student Transportation of Peel Region Consortium (STOPR). Additional information regarding transportation procedures can be found on their website at: Student Transportation of Peel Region or call (905) 890-6000 or toll free 1-800-668-1140.

For students residing within Dufferin County, Special Needs Transportation requests will

be handled by the Service de Transport Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation

Services Consortium (STWDSTS). Additional information regarding transportation

procedures can be found on their website at Dufferin-Wellington Student Transportation

Services or call (519) 824-4119 or toll free 1-888-292-2224.

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Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) and the Service de Transport

Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS) are consortiums

formed by agreement between the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, and

other member School Boards for the purpose of providing a common administration of

transportation services for students residing within Peel Region and Dufferin County.

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The Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee

Membership and Directory

A trustee or alternate representative sits on SEAC. The individual trustee responsible

for this committee representation may rotate from year to year. For details on the role of

the trustee on SEAC, please contact your local trustee.

Membership on the Dufferin-Peel Special Education Advisory Committee includes

representation from the following local associations:

Association for Bright Children (ABC)

Member: Myra Del Rosario

dpseac@abcpeel.org

Autism Ontario (Peel Chapter)

Member: Janice Hatton

peel.seac.dpcdsb@autismontario.com

Brampton Caledon Community Living

Member: Dely Farrace

seac.dpcdsb@bramptoncaledoncl.ca

Community Living Mississauga

Member: Christine Koczmara

koczmarac@gmail.com

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Canadian Mental Health Association

Peel Dufferin Branch

Member: Nisha Lewis

lewisn@cmhapeel.ca

Central Committee for Catholic School

Councils

Member: Pamela Olivieri

po13@rogers.com

Down Syndrome Association of Peel: A

Caring Network

Member: Heather Bialowas

Contact: clanslever@rogers.com

Easter Seals Ontario

Member: Lissette Gaylie

lissetteseac@gmail.com

Epilepsy South Central Ontario

Member: TBD

info@epilepsysco.org

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Learning Disabilities Association of

Peel Region

Member: Leslie Silvestri

lesliejsilvestri@gmail.com

Views: Support for the Families of

Blind and Low Vision Children

Member: TBD

Voice for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Children

Member: Veronika Okrugic

admin@voicefordeafkids.com

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Coordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies

Dufferin-Peel participates in a variety of collaborations that support a smooth transition

for students with diverse learning needs who are entering or leaving a school.

The Board has an external agency protocol for services offered in schools to students by outside agencies. This protocol can be found on the board website at PPM 149 Collaborative Relationships.

Preschool Programs Collaborations with the Peel Children and Youth Initiative and Success by Six, Parent

and Family Literacy Centres and Peel Early Learning Special Needs Advisory

Committee (PELSNAC) supports the transition of diverse learners into school.

In Dufferin-Peel, families are made aware of the entry process for students with differing

abilities into Kindergarten through a variety of avenues; either through community

agency support personal or the Board’s Information Session to Support the Transition of

Children with Differing Abilities into Kindergarten. The flyer and Entry Planning Form is

distributed to parishes, licensed child care providers and community agency support

personal.

Specialty Preschool Programs Dufferin-Peel has connections to several specialized Preschool Programs.

Representatives from our Speech and Language Department, including Itinerant

Vision/Hearing Teachers attend the Information Session to Support the Transition of

Children with Differing Abilities into Kindergarten Session who can support families and

children who were receiving support from one of the specialized programs listed below

as they transition into school.

Preschool Programs for Students Who Are Deaf Since 1998, Dufferin-Peel has offered a preschool program for children who are deaf or

hard of hearing. The program has been recognized by the Ministry of Education and the

Ontario College of Teachers as innovative and exemplary practice.

Preschool Programs for Students Who Are Blind In addition, Dufferin-Peel also maintains connections to the Infant Hearing Program and

the Blind Low Vision Early Intervention Program.

Preschool Speech and Language Programs During the entry planning process, families are encouraged to share any relevant

assessment or information with the school. For children who have accessed preschool

speech and language supports, this information can be shared with the school during

the transition planning process as appropriate.

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Intensive Early Intervention Programs for Children with Autism Connections for Students is a joint initiative from the Ministry of Education and the

Ministry of Children and Youth Services to support seamless transitions from the

Autism Intervention Program (AIP) to school.

The board has developed a multidisciplinary team including ASD teachers, Child and

Youth Workers, Speech-Language Pathology and Psychology staff with ASD expertise.

The team is called Dufferin-Peel ABA Facilitators: Connections for Students. The

team works with school based transition teams, including families, to plan for the

student’s transition, beginning six months prior to and for six months after discharge

(once the student is in school full-time). The team supports schools in their efforts to

fulfill the expectations set out in PPM 140 and Connections for Students.

Procedures for Students Transitioning from one Program to Another

(including Policies Regarding Accepting Assessments) A broad spectrum of programs and services are available in Dufferin-Peel schools to students with diverse learning needs including special education needs. The admission or transfer of students transitioning from one program to another are

facilitated by the Family of Schools Special Education Consultant who will coordinate

with the in-school team, and the appropriate Itinerant Special Education support staff. A

transition plan will be developed as part of the transition process.

Through the Family of Schools Special Education Consultant structure, the board’s

practice is to review the assessment of incoming students, and if necessary arrange

Identification, Placement and Review Committees to align the assessment details with

board processes. Such reviews will occur as quickly as possible. Should reassessment

and/or further assessments be required, the school team in consultation with the Family

of Schools Special Education Consultant, will review and prioritize as appropriate.

Transitioning In and Out of Care, Treatment and Correctional Programs The Family of School Special Education Consultant will coordinate the transition of

students in and out of care, treatment and correctional programs.

Dufferin-Peel has several Mental Health Supports available to assist students as they

transition in and out of care, treatment and correctional programs including

collaborations with various Ministries and Community agencies.

45 CONTENTS

Appendix

Parent's Guide To Special Education