Special Education

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Home : 2002 : July : 6

Special Education
By Cathy-Dee

Special Education is so broad in terms and resources that it would be difficult to come up with just one statement or thought on the subject.

In Alberta we have many "at risk" students who in some ways are on special education
modified programs but are not classified as special ed students. It takes a lot for a child to be listed and funded as a special needs student. For those students program are set up and in place to help them where their needs are whether it be academic, physical, behavioural, social or a combination of all or any of them. There are literally hundreds of programs available so each

school chooses and purchases what they prefer to work with. Most of the special needs students have some sort of teacher-assistant time as well. In that case the teacher plans the program but the teacher-assistant carries it out. Some schools do not even have a special education teacher, most at least have the Principal or designate who handles the paperwork for testing.

Then we have all those students who do not qualify for special education funding but who are categorized as "low" learners or who may have FAS which is hard to get diagnosed without a parent admitting to drinking, etc., These students do not receive extra funding so schools do what they can through extra programs (early literacy, reading recovery, teacher-assistants) to help these students. Teachers learn to modify lessons and expectations.

As far as working with the special needs teachers in a school - it varies again from school to school. In many schools at least in my district, they are there to coordinate testing, order in special resources, set up parent-teacher meetings and sometimes provide assistance in the classroom. They may also do some pull-out but this is becoming less popular in my district. The move has been to move more towards modifying lessons and school work rather than pull-out. However with some children who require physical therapy, etc., pull-out will still occur.
If you are really lucky the special ed teacher and the classroom teacher will have monthly or even weekly meeting times to discuss the child's progress.