Special Education Policy Manual - Home - Province Of .

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICESA Manual of Policies, Procedures and GuidelinesAp r i l 20 1 6

BRITISH COLUMBIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATIONSpecial Education Services: A Manual ofPolicies, Procedures and Guidelines BC Ministry of EducationBox 9887 Stn Prov Govt4th Floor, 620 Superior StreetVictoria British Columbia CanadaV8W 9T6

S P ECIAL E DUCA TI ON S E RVI CES : A M A NUA L OF P OL I CIES , P RO CE DURE S A ND G UIDE LI NESTABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction ----------------------- iiiUsing this Manual ----------------------------------------------- ivGlossary ---------- vA. Policy ----------------------------- 1Special Education Policy --------------------------------------- 1B. Roles and Responsibilities ------------------------------------------------- 6B.1 Ministry of Education: Special Education ------------- 6B.2 School Districts ---------------------------------------------- 6B.3 Schools ------ 9B.4 Parents ----- 10B.5 Students --- 11C. Developing an Individual Education Plan ---------------------------- 12C.1 An Overview of the Process ---------------------------- 12C.2 Identification & Assessment ---------------------------- 13C.3 Planning --- 15C.4 Program Support & Implementation ------------------ 19C.5 Evaluation of Student Learning ------------------------ 20C.6 Reporting Student Progress ---------------------------- 20C.7 Students with Different Cultural or Linguistic Backgrounds -------------------------------------- 21D. Special Considerations: Services -------------------------------------- 23D.1 Learning Assistance Services ------------------------- 23D.2 Counselling in Schools ---------------------------------- 26D.3 School Psychology Services --------------------------- 29D.4 Speech-Language Pathology -------------------------- 31D.5 Physiotherapy/Occupational ----------------------- 33D.6 Hospital Education Services --------------------------- 35D.7 Homebound Education Services ---------------------- 37D.8 Distributed Learning -------------------------------------- 38D.9 Funding Special Education Services - Update ---- 39E. Special Needs Categories ------------------------------------------------- 40E.1 Considerations for Reporting --------------------------- 40E.2 Intellectual Disabilities ----------------------------------- 41E.3 Learning Disabilities -------------------------------------- 47E.4 Gifted ------- 53E.5 Behavioural Needs or Mental Illness ----------------- 56E.6 Physically Dependent ------------------------------------ 63E.7 DeafBlind -- 67E.8 Physical Disabilities or Chronic Health Impairments ----------------------------------------------- 70BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 2016I

S P ECIAL E DUCA TI ON S E RVI CES : A M A NUA L OF P OL I CIES , P RO CE DURE S A ND G UIDE LI NESE.9 Visual Impairments --------------------------------------- 74E.10 Deaf or Hard of Hearing ------------------------------- 79E.11 Autism Spectrum Disorder ---------------------------- 85F. Provincial Resource Program -------------------------------------------- 91F.1 Provincial Resource Programs- PRPs --------------- 91F.2 Eligibility for PRP Status --------------------------------- 91F.3 Procedures for Designation ----------------------------- 92F.4 List of Programs ------------------------------------------- 93G. Quick Reference - Internet Resources -------------------------------- 97H. Appendices --------------------- 1H.1 Accessible School Facilities Planning ----------------- 1H.2 Access to Equipment, Technology & Services ------ 2H.3 Adjudication: Provincial Examinations --------------- 11H.4 Appeals: Resolution of Conflicts ---------------------- 12H.5 Classification of Educational and Psychological Tests (Levels A-C)--------------------------- 13H.6 Distributed Learning for Students with Special Needs--------------------------------------------- 16H.7 Full Day Kindergarten ------------------------------------ 17H.8 Inter-Ministry Protocols - Provision of support Services -------------------------------------------18H.9 Removal Health Safety ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- 20H.10 Steps for Protection against Germs and -------21H.11 Integrated Services & Case Management ------- 23H.12 Children & Youth with Special Needs (CYSN) Framework for Action------------------------ 23H.13 Relevant Governing Legislation: School Act - Ministerial Orders ----------------------------- 25H.14 Student Records: Use and -------------------- 26H.15 Summary: Distributed Learning Policy ------------- 27H.16 Summary: Funding Special Needs Policy --------- 31H.17 Transition Planning ------------------------------------- 34H.18 Transportation -------------------------------------------- 36H.19 Work Experience ---------------------------------------- 37BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 2016

S P ECIAL E DUCA TI ON S E RVI CES : A M A NUA L O F P OL I CIES , P RO CE DURE S A ND G UIDE LI NESI NT RO DUCTI O NIntroductionThis resource conveys policies, procedures, and guidelines that support the delivery ofspecial education services in British Columbia's public schools. It was originally published in1995, following an extensive provincial Special Education Review (1993-94).The purpose of this manual is to provide a single point of reference regarding legislation,ministry policy and guidelines to assist school boards in developing programs and servicesthat enable students with special needs to meet the goals of education. The manual alsocontains procedural information to assist in accessing programs and services provided at theprovincial level. It is intended primarily for the use of principals, school-based teams andspecial educational professionals, but may also prove of interest to other professionalswithin the education, social service or health care communities, to parents and to membersof the public at large.In preparing this manual in 1995, the Ministry of Education received valuable advice from aSpecial Education Advisory Committee, school district representatives, groups of specialistteachers and administrators, and associations throughout British Columbia. The ministryacknowledges the contributions of these many individuals and groups.Please direct any queries or comments to:Ministry of EducationLearning SupportsPO Box 9887 Stn Prov GovtVictoria, British Columbia, CanadaPostal Code: V8W 9T6Email Contact: EDUC.LearningSupports@gov.bc.caBC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 2016III

S P ECIAL E DUCA TI ON S E RVI CES : A M A NUA L O F P OL I CIES , P RO CE DURE S A ND G UIDE LI NESI NT RO DUCTI O NUsing this ManualThis manual is divided into six sections (A to F), a quick reference guide (G), and aset of appendices (H), listed in the Table of Contents.A. Policy: provides policy for the delivery of special education programs andservices in British Columbia.B. Roles and Responsibilities: outlines the roles and responsibilities of theministry, school boards, district and school-based personnel, parents and students inthe development and implementation of special education services.C. Developing an Individual Education Plan: describes the process of identifyingstudents who have special needs, planning and implementing individual programs forthem, and evaluating and reporting on their progress.D. Special Considerations - Services: describes the generic services that shouldbe available in school districts to support service delivery.E. Special Needs Categories: defines the various kinds of students who havespecial needs and the essential elements that should be included in programs forthem and the criteria that must be met for supplemental funding.F. Provincial Resource Programs: describes what these programs are and liststhose currently designated across the province.G. Quick Reference – Internet Resources: provides a quick reference for onlineinformation websites.H. Appendices: includes information about facilities planning; access to equipment,technology and services; resolution of conflicts; classification of psychological tests;distributed learning; full-day K; graduation requirements; in-school nursing supportservices; use of student records; transition planning; transportation and workexperience.BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 2016IV

S P ECIAL E DUCA TI ON S E RVI CES : A M A NUA L O F P OL I CIES , P RO CE DURE S A ND G UIDE LI NESG L OSSA RYGlossaryTo ensure common interpretation, the definitions of terms used in this manual arebeing placed at the front of the document.1. Adaptations are teaching and assessment strategies especially designed toaccommodate a student’s needs so he or she can achieve the learning outcomes ofthe subject or course and to demonstrate mastery of concepts. Essentially,adaptations are “best practice” in teaching. A student working on learning outcomesof any grade or course level may be supported through use of adaptations.Adaptations do not represent unfair advantages to students. In fact, the oppositecould be true. If appropriate adaptations are not used, students could be unfairlypenalized for having learning differences, creating serious negative impacts to theirachievement and self-concept.2. Assessment is a systematic process of gathering information in order to makeappropriate educational decisions for a student. It is a collaborative and progressiveprocess designed to identify the student's strengths and needs, set goals, and resultsin the identification and implementation of selected educational strategies.3. Collaborative consultation is a process in which people work together to solve acommon problem or address a common concern. A successful collaborative processis characterized by the following features: it is voluntary; there is mutual trust andopen communication among the people involved; identification/clarification of theproblem to be addressed is a shared task; the goal is shared by all participants; eachparticipant's contribution is valued equally; all participants' skills are employed inidentifying and selecting problem-solving strategies; and there is sharedresponsibility for the program or strategy initiated.4. A guardian of a person (in the wording of the School Act) ".when used inreference to a student or child, means guardian of the person of the student or childwithin the meaning of the Family Relations Act".5. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable accessto learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of theireducation. The practice of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with integrationand goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion ofinteraction with others.6. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a documented plan developed for astudent with special needs that describes individualized goals, adaptations,modifications, the services to be provided, and includes measures for trackingachievement.7. Integration is one of the major strategies used to achieve inclusion. Withintegration, students with special needs are included in educational settings withtheir peers who do not have special needs, and provided with the necessaryaccommodations determined on an individual basis, to enable them to be successfulthere. The principle of "placement in the most enabling learning environment"BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 2016V