Page 43 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 to 12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

In planning First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies courses for students with special edu- cation needs, teachers should begin by examining both the curriculum expectations in the course appropriate for the individual student and the student’s particular strengths and learning needs to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the student:
• no accommodations8 or modified expectations; or
• accommodations only; or
• modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations; or
• alternative expectations, which are not derived from the curriculum expectations for a course and which constitute alternative programs and/or courses.
If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). More detailed information about planning programs for students with special education needs, including students who require alternative programs and/or courses,9 can be found in Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide, 2017 (Draft) (referred to hereafter as Special Education in Ontario, 2017). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s requirements for IEPs, see Part E of Special Education in Ontario. (The document is available at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/ document/policy/os/onschools_2017e.pdf.)
Students Requiring Accommodations Only
Some students with special education needs are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow the student with special education needs to access the curriculum without any changes to the course expectations. The accommodations required to facili- tate the student’s learning must be identified in the student’s IEP (Special Education in Ontario, 2017, p. E38). A student’s IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, subjects or courses.
Providing accommodations to students with special education needs should be the first option considered in program planning. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.
There are three types of accommodations:
• Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. Some examples include the use of graphic organizers, photocopied notes, adaptive equipment, or assistive software.
• Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting.
8. “Accommodations” refers to individualized teaching and assessment strategies, human supports, and/or individualized equipment (see Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010, p. 72).
9. Alternative programs are identified on the IEP by the term “alternative (ALT)”.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING
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