The most important sources of information that can help you understand special education are the Ontario Ministry of Education and school board websites.
• Legislation
• Regulations
• Policy/Program Memorandums
• Resource Guides
Copies of these documents can be found on the Ministry of Education website.
School boards must comply with legislation, regulations and policies and they are responsible for the special education programs and services delivered in the schools. To fully understand the programs and services that your child can access at school, you need to be familiar with both the provincial framework and the school board plan. To find your school board website, use the Find a School Board database.
There is lots of helpful information on the Ministry of Education website. This includes an overview with information on the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) and the Individual Education Plan (IEP). You can also download the key documents such as Special Education in Ontario Kindergarten to Grade 12 Policy and Resource Guide. There are also links to other Ministry websites and, at the bottom of the page, a Question and Answer Section with information on special education.
The Ministry of Education has also supported the development of a great parent resource on the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO) website, IEP 101 Online Workshop for Parents and Students.
Another useful website that has been recommended by parents is Special Needs Road Map. This website has been developed by parents who have created a visual road map to describe the various pathways in special education.
This list includes a few of the main websites that can help you to understand special education on Ontario. There are many more useful websites that can help parents websites are included in articles on this website. Future posts will include key websites relevant to each topic.