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Criteria for Special Education Programs

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  • Special Education Programs and Placements
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​​​Part I: Categories & Criteria of Exceptionalities

The Education Act identifies five categories of exceptionalities for exceptional students: behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical, and multiple. These broad categories are designed to address the wide range of conditions that may affect a student's ability to learn, and are meant to be inclusive of all medical conditions, whether diagnosed or not, that can lead to particular types of learning difficulties. (Special E​ducation in Ontario, Categories of Exceptionalities).

Behaviour​

  • ​Behaviour

Communication

  • Autism
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Language Impairment
  • Speech Impairment
  • Learning Disability

Intellectual

  • Giftedness
  • Mild Intellectual Disability
  • Developmental Disability

Physical

  • Physical Disability
  • Blind and Low Vision

Multiple

  • Multiple

Part II: Criteria for Special Education Programs and Placements ​

A special education program is defined as an educational program that is based on and modified by the results of a continuous assessment and evaluation of the pupil and that includes a plan (now referred to as an Individual Education Plan) containing specific objectives and an outline of the educational services that meets the needs of the exceptional pupil (subsection 1(1)) (The Education Act)

In keeping with legislative requirements (Reg. 181/98), the principles of inclusion as outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Guidelines on Accessible Education, and the beliefs of the Halton District School Board, placement in a regular classroom setting is given first consideration when it meets the needs of the student and is consistent with parental preferences.

Contents - Programs & Placements

  • Halton District School Board Special Education Definition of Placements
  • Kindergarten Expressive Language and Literacy Program - KELLP (SK)
  • Expressive Language and Phonological Awareness Class - ELPhA (Grade 1)​
  • Communication Program (SK - Early Junior)
  • Structured Learning Class (SLC - pilot starting September 2021)
  • Behaviour Resource Class (BRC - Grade 1 - 8*)
  • Learning Disabilities Class (LD Class Grade 4-8)
  • Life Skills (Grade 4-8 Elementary)
  • Community Pathways Program (CPP - Secondary)
  • Gifted Self-Contained (Elementary)
  • Secondary Gifted Placement (Secondary)

Care, Treatment, Custody and Corrections Programs (CTCC)

  • Woodview Programs (CTCC):
    • Halton Intensive Program: Queen of Heaven Catholic School (Milton)
    • Woodview - Youth Overcoming Depression and Anxiety (YODA)
    • Nelson Youth Centres - Half Day Intensive Program
    • Syl Apps School - Secure Treatment

Partnerships with Halton Healthcare

  • Halton Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Services (CAPIS)
  • Halton Recovery Through Education for Adolescents (REACH) Day Treatment

Trillium Demonstration School Programs

  • Trillium Demonstration School
  • Provincial Schools for the Blind and Deaf
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