Module 2: Inclusive Education in Canada - What did you begin to understand?

Inclusive Education Across Canada

The inclusion process remains challenging across Canada for a number of reasons. For one, each province has their own curricula and policies around education due to the British North American Act that gave provinces reassurance they would keep their language and culture, so there is no nationwide policy and no comprehensive plan on inclusion. (Hutchinson, 2019)

Key Points on Inclusion in Canada's Provinces and Territories

Province	Key Points	Source
Prince Edward Island	-uses "inclusive education" but "special education" still predominant -alternative programs available for exceptional behavior -mentions that stakeholders work together to decide on a level of inclusion that works for the child (similar to BC)	Inclusionary Policy
Labrador and Newfoundland	-uses "inclusion," "inclusive schools," and "inclusive education" in documents -explicitly mentions learners with exceptionalities -alternative settings for learners with exceptionalities when needed -focus on the teacher's responsibility in the process of inclusion	Inclusive Schools
Nova Scotia	-uses the term "inclusive" rather than "inclusion" -flexible programming put together with stakeholders -commitment to increasing access to technology that supports inclusion -encourages co-teaching opportunities and push-in support	Nova Scotia's Action Plan for Education
New Brunswick	-uses the term "inclusive education" but no mention of students with exceptionalities -all students receive a high school diploma -all students learn within the mainstream classroom -no alternative settings	Respect-Diversity-Inclusion
Quebec	-no mention of "inclusive education" -integrational practices rather than inclusion -the last document on this topic published in 2009	Adapting Our Schools to the Needs of All Students
Ontario	-uses the term "inclusive" within documents but changed the name of the policy on inclusion to Education Equity Plan in 2017	Education Equity Plan
Manitoba	-uses the term "inclusion" -advocates for keeping students "with special needs" in the same learning space as other peers as much as possible	Manitoba Mandate
Saskatchewan	-uses the term "inclusive" in education policy -has Inclusion and Intervention Plans (similar to competency-based IEPs) -Adaptive Dimension Framework -teachers keep learning objectives but teach through differentiation	Supporting Students with Additional Needs Adaptive Dimension
Alberta	-uses "inclusion" and "inclusive education" -references students with diverse backgrounds but not explicitly students with exceptionalities -funding not based on designation codes	Inclusive Education Curriculum Development Guiding Framework
British Columbia	-uses the term "inclusive" in special education policy -allows alternative settings for learning for students with exceptional needs  -IEPs for students with ministry designations	Special Education Policy
Nunavut	-uses term "inclusive" in policy -teachers educated on local Indigenous groups -elders important in teaching and learning -Turmit Model-similar to RTI	Inclusive Education Policy
Northwest Territories	-uses the term "inclusive education" -has a "program support teacher" that collaborates with and provides professional learning opportunities for classroom teachers -practices are trauma-informed to tend to the history of residential schooling	Inclusive Education Manual and Guideline
Yukon Territories	-use of the word "inclusive" in education policies -intervention hierarchy replaces special designations for students with exceptional needs  -does not practice total inclusion, students with exceptionalities can be taught outside the mainstream classroom in alternative settings	Yukon Education Manual

Barriers to Inclusive Education

1. The positive attitude toward inclusion hinges on the idea that it comes with additional supports for the child, and if it doesn’t teachers view it as unreasonable. 
2. Little teacher education in inclusive education so teachers don’t know how to support their students. Teachers need to change their frame of mind because many ways they would support students with exceptionalities would be beneficial to the rest of the students in the class.
3. Funding also seems to be one of the arguments. Funding is tied to one student instead of being diverted to schools with greater needs.
4. Mental health needs put a burden on the system because mental health issues don't garner any supplemental funding.  (Sokal & Katz, 2015)

Barriers 1, 2, and 3 can be removed through Universal Design for Learning

I started to understand that to remove barriers to inclusion, we (teachers) have to change the ways we plan to be accessible to all. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is "an approach to curriculum that minimizes barriers and maximizes learning for all students." (Cast, 2010) Below you will find ways to minimize the barriers for learning through representation, engagement, and action.

chart created by me

References

Cast. (2010, Jan 6). Udl at a glance [video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4

Hutchinson, N. (2019). Chapter 1 Exceptional Students, Universal Design for Learning, and Differentiated Instruction. In Inclusion of Exceptional Learners in Canadian Schools (pp. 9-14). Pearson Canada.

Sokal, L., & Katz, J. (2015). Oh, Canada: Bridges and barriers to inclusion in Canadian schools. Support for Learning, 30(1), 42-54. doi:10.1111/1467-9604.12078