Special Education
Students who have behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical, or multiple exceptionalities may require special education programs and/or services to benefit fully from their school experience.
Special education programs and services primarily consist of instruction and assessments that are different from those provided to the general student population. These may take the form of accommodations (such as specific teaching strategies, preferential seating, and assistive technology) and/or an educational program that is modified from the age-appropriate grade level expectations in a particular course or subject, as outlined in the Ministry of Education's curriculum policy documents.
The Ministry of Education has developed Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide (2017) to support educators in the implementation of effective programs and/or services for students with special education needs. This document, also available in PDF format (2.1 MB), supersedes Special Education: A Resource Guide (2001) as well as the following policy and resource documents:
- Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans (2000)
- Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation (2000)
- Transition Planning: A Resource Guide (2002)
- The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide (2004)
Note that while this document supersedes the two standards documents, the standards described in both documents remain unchanged and are reflected in this guide.
Overview
- An Introduction to Special Education in Ontario
- The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee
- The Individual Education Plan Process
- Ministry Support for Special Education
Policy Direction
- The Education Act on Special Education
- Policy/Program Memoranda Concerning Special Education
- Special Education Policy Documents
- Special Education Regulations
- Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans – see: Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: A Policy and Resource Guide (2017), Part B
Funding
- Funding for Special Education
- Special Education Funding Guidelines: Special Equipment Amount (SEA)
- Special Education Funding Guidelines: Special Incidence Portion (SIP)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Resource Documents
- Caring and Safe Schools in Ontario: Supporting Students With Special Education Needs Through Progressive Discipline, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (PDF, 1.29 MB)
- Effective Educational Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Guidelines for Educational Programs for Students in Government Approved Care and/or Treatment, Custody and Correctional (CTCC) Facilities
- Learning for All – A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013
- Planning Entry to School – A Resource Guide, 2005
- Publications for Parents
- Resolving Identification or Placement Issues (Procedures for Parents/Guardians)
- Shared Solutions – A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special Education Needs
Special Education Reports/Recommendations
Roles and Responsibilities
- Special Education (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Additional Information on Special Education
- Categories of Exceptionalities, 2011 (PDF, 40 KB)
- Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario: IEP 101 for Parents and Students
- School Information Finder
Related Information
- Council of Directors of Education (CODE)
- Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education (MACSE)
- Provincial and Demonstration Schools
- Special Education Tribunals
- Special Needs Opportunity Windows (SNOW)
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Advice to Parents
There are a number of non-profit advocacy organizations that provide advice and guidance to parents on various issues related to the special needs of their children. The Ministry has listed a number of them below.
Disclaimer: The Ministry does not endorse any services and or products being offered by the organizations listed below. The list is merely intended to make parents aware of their existence.
- Association for Bright Children
- Association francophone de parents d'enfants dyslexiques ou ayant tout autre trouble d'apprentissage (AFPED)
- Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO)
- Canadian Association of Community Living
- VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children
- Integration Action for Inclusion in Education and Community
- Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders (OAFCCD)
- Parents for Children's Mental Health
- The Canadian Hearing Society (CHS)
- Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario
- Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada
- Silent Voice Canada
- Bob Rumball Foundation for the Deaf
- Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf
- Ontario Association for the Deaf