Page 90 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12 Draft
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in the student’s Ontario Student Record (OSR), and make some initial program adjustments. Throughout the screening and intervention process, the teacher should keep the student’s parents informed about the student’s progress and the planned program adjustments. During this process, the teacher is able to assess the student’s strengths and needs. The teacher
and the principal then determine what resources, support personnel, and strategies are available to meet those needs.
If the student continues to have difficulty, a referral is usually made to the in-school team. Ongoing communication with the parents can elicit valuable information about the student and is encouraged.
Stage 2: Referral to the In-School Team
At the request of the student’s teacher or the principal, the in-school team will allocate time for the core members of the team to meet to discuss concerns regarding the student’s learning. Some school boards have a practice of notifying the parents prior to the meeting about their specific concerns.
The in-school team may include additional persons who have information or expertise to share. The selection of additional members depends on
the needs of the student and the personnel resources available to the school. Additional members may include other teachers (subject teachers, cooperative education teachers, guidance teachers/counsellors) who work with the student, early childhood educators, educational assistants who work with the student, and service providers from community agencies who may have relevant information to share. Where a number of teachers are involved (as in secondary school), some information may be presented through assessments or reports collected from the teachers. However, it is important for those most closely involved with the student to be present.
The in-school team may decide to do one or more of the following:
• determine whether interventions or accommodations are needed
• provide program interventions in the regular class
• provide specific supports in the classroom or withdraw the student
from the classroom for limited periods of time (e.g., for remediation
or enrichment)
• refer the student to other specialized services, including hearing, vision,
and/or speech and language services; psychological services; and social or medical services