Image: photo of a classroom with empty desks and chairs.
IAO was pleased to have two students from the Fanshawe Childhood Early Leadership program join us last fall for a placement. They worked through the fall to research the Special Education Plans of the Toronto District School Board and the Upper Canada District School Board with an eye to inclusive education practices. They observed Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meetings at the boards and worked with two volunteers serving on those SEACs. We also had an informal, anonymous survey of families to inform the discussion.
If you’re interested in watching the presentation they gave on November 27, 2023, you can access it here.
You can download the materials from the presentation here.
Both boards emphasize inclusion of students with disabilities. But TDSB has a high number of specialized schools and classrooms for students with disabilities. UCDSB has historically had a fully inclusive model of students with disabilities in the regular classroom, but in the last few years has moved towards more special education classrooms.
Key takeaways from families include a high awareness of families of the existence of Special Education Plans and Special Education Advisory Committees, but more than half of the participants were not aware of the Parent Guide for Special Education. Most of our participants indicated difficulty acquiring educational access for their children with exceptionalities.
We look forward to next year’s students joining us in a placement and building on their work.