Special Education Plan: “An education program for an exceptional pupil that is based on the results of continuous assessment and evaluation and which includes a plan containing specific objectives and recommendations for education services that meet the needs of the pupil.” (Education Act)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based educational philosophy that provides a framework for designing curricula that enable all students to develop knowledge, skills and an enthusiasm for learning. The principles of UDL hold that the needs of the greatest number of students can be met by maximizing the usability of programs, services, practices and learning environments. Barriers to learning are reduced and supports are provided to ensure that students can participate in learning. You can learn more about UDL by visiting www.CAST.org.
The key to UDL is for the teacher to provide options in these learning areas:
The what of learning – The teacher uses various methods to present information so that all students can build knowledge.
The how of learning – The teacher provides different activities and opportunities for each student to express his or her knowledge and to learn skills.
The why of learning – The teacher builds enthusiasm for learning among all students by offering challenges, supports, and encouagement that motivate and engage each student.
UDL enables teachers and students to use a range of strategies, technologies or adjustments at their own discretion to meet learning needs in the classroom and during assessment. Because they are available to all students if required, these are called universal accommodations and they don’t require an SEP or prior approval for provincial assessments.
A few examples of the many universal accommodations include sound-field systems, extra time, special seating and large print. When UDL and universal accommodations cannot meet a student’s individual needs, an SEP will be required.
Justifiable Accommodations and the SEP
When UDL alone is insufficient to meet the individual needs of a student, an SEP is required, identifying justifiable accommodations that will meet the student’s needs.
Justifiable accommodations are strategies, technologies or adjustments without which the student would be unable to access the curriculum.The SEP documents justifiable accommodations and prior approval may be required to access them during provincial assessments.
Examples:
—Extended time would be a justified accommodation if it were more than double the time.
A scribe who records a student’s answers would be a justified accommodation if the child would not be able to succeed without the accommodation.
UNIVERSAL AND JUSTIFIED ACCOMMODATIONS LINK
Special Education Plan: This is a plan that contains recommended adjustments for educational goals and
programs and which identifies supports and services to effectively enable an exceptional student to learn
and achieve. Planning can involve accommodation, modification, and/or individualization. One or more
types of planning can occur within the Special Education Plan. A Special Education Plan is developed
collaboratively among classrooms teacher(s), a resource teacher, parent(s), student and other involved
parties, for example, a speech language pathologist. Planning is inclusive of all educational settings that
relate to the student’s program. Special Education Plans need to be reviewed frequently and evaluated
yearly to assess their efficacy.
Accommodation: These are the strategies, technologies or adjustments that enable the student to reach
prescribed outcomes, whether they are for regular, modified, or individualized programming. Planning with
accommodations only, applies to the students in the regular classroom for whom the grade level curriculum
outcomes of the subject area have not been changed, but for whom accommodations are required because
of processing, physical, and/or emotional difficulties that have been observed and documented over an
extended period of time, and without which the student would not be able to access the regular curriculum.
The need for a Special Education Plan outlining accommodations will be the responsibility of both the
classroom teacher and the resource teacher in consultation with the parent(s), as well as the school-based
Student Services Team, should the former feel it necessary to involve the whole team. This type of planning
needs to be documented using an accommodations checklist. With planning for accommodations only,
specific goals and measurable outcomes will not be stated on the Special Education Planning form as they
are articulated in the grade level curriculum documents. Accommodations can apply to one course/subject
or to all courses/subjects, depending on the needs of the student. Planning of this type needs to be
reviewed at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan
should occur at the end of the year.
Modification: With this type of planning, the grade level curriculum outcomes of a subject area have been
changed to address the specific needs of the student. With modification, the majority (50% or more) of the
outcomes of the grade level curriculum have been altered. These changes could involve simplified tests,
exams or assignments; material presented at a lower reading level; or simplified texts and projects.
Students’ achievement will be assessed on a different basis from that of their peers. Decisions for
modification must involve the classroom teacher(s), the resource teacher, the parent(s), as well as be
discussed at the regular meetings of the school-based Student Services Team. Special Education Plans
reflecting modification may be simply described in terms of the type of modification made to the grade level
curriculum or may include long-term goals, and measurable short-term outcomes, as well as the methods
and materials to achieve the goals and outcomes. The district Student Services administrator will choose
the level of detail of documentation required for this planning. Planning of this type needs to be reviewed
at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan should occur
at the end of the year. Modification can occur in one or more courses or subjects and still is based on the
regular curriculum.
Individualization: In a minority of cases, the pervasive and significant nature of the disabling condition that
a student displays will require planning that deviates from the regular curriculum. The student will not be
expected to achieve many, if any, of the outcomes of the grade level curriculum, although he or she will be
expected to be included in classroom themes and activities as much as possible. The student’s program
will be individualized. In the majority of cases, individualization will be pervasive and will involve planning
in areas other than educational outcomes, for example speech/language or occupational therapy outcomes,
as well as documenting other types of support needed such as a tutor or teacher assistant. Planning of
this nature generally follows a person-centred planning process such as the McGill Action Planning System
(MAPS) or Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH), and will identify long-term goals as well as
short-term measurable outcomes. There may be cases, few in number, where only one subject area will
need to be individualized. For example, a student with a significant physical disability will be able to achieve
very few of the grade level outcomes of a physical education program, and therefore would need his or her
program individualized in that area. Decisions for individualization must involve the classroom teacher(s),
the resource teacher, the parent(s), the school-based Student Services Team, and one member or more of
the district Student Services Team. The district Student Services Administrator or designate for the district
office will have the main responsibility for approval of these plans. Planning of this type needs to be
reviewed at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan
should occur at the end of the year. Transition planning is particularly critical for this planning process.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based educational philosophy that provides a framework for designing curricula that enable all students to develop knowledge, skills and an enthusiasm for learning. The principles of UDL hold that the needs of the greatest number of students can be met by maximizing the usability of programs, services, practices and learning environments. Barriers to learning are reduced and supports are provided to ensure that students can participate in learning. You can learn more about UDL by visiting www.CAST.org.
The key to UDL is for the teacher to provide options in these learning areas:
The what of learning – The teacher uses various methods to present information so that all students can build knowledge.
The how of learning – The teacher provides different activities and opportunities for each student to express his or her knowledge and to learn skills.
The why of learning – The teacher builds enthusiasm for learning among all students by offering challenges, supports, and encouagement that motivate and engage each student.
UDL enables teachers and students to use a range of strategies, technologies or adjustments at their own discretion to meet learning needs in the classroom and during assessment. Because they are available to all students if required, these are called universal accommodations and they don’t require an SEP or prior approval for provincial assessments.
A few examples of the many universal accommodations include sound-field systems, extra time, special seating and large print. When UDL and universal accommodations cannot meet a student’s individual needs, an SEP will be required.
Justifiable Accommodations and the SEP
When UDL alone is insufficient to meet the individual needs of a student, an SEP is required, identifying justifiable accommodations that will meet the student’s needs.
Justifiable accommodations are strategies, technologies or adjustments without which the student would be unable to access the curriculum.The SEP documents justifiable accommodations and prior approval may be required to access them during provincial assessments.
Examples:
—Extended time would be a justified accommodation if it were more than double the time.
A scribe who records a student’s answers would be a justified accommodation if the child would not be able to succeed without the accommodation.
UNIVERSAL AND JUSTIFIED ACCOMMODATIONS LINK
Special Education Plan: This is a plan that contains recommended adjustments for educational goals and
programs and which identifies supports and services to effectively enable an exceptional student to learn
and achieve. Planning can involve accommodation, modification, and/or individualization. One or more
types of planning can occur within the Special Education Plan. A Special Education Plan is developed
collaboratively among classrooms teacher(s), a resource teacher, parent(s), student and other involved
parties, for example, a speech language pathologist. Planning is inclusive of all educational settings that
relate to the student’s program. Special Education Plans need to be reviewed frequently and evaluated
yearly to assess their efficacy.
Accommodation: These are the strategies, technologies or adjustments that enable the student to reach
prescribed outcomes, whether they are for regular, modified, or individualized programming. Planning with
accommodations only, applies to the students in the regular classroom for whom the grade level curriculum
outcomes of the subject area have not been changed, but for whom accommodations are required because
of processing, physical, and/or emotional difficulties that have been observed and documented over an
extended period of time, and without which the student would not be able to access the regular curriculum.
The need for a Special Education Plan outlining accommodations will be the responsibility of both the
classroom teacher and the resource teacher in consultation with the parent(s), as well as the school-based
Student Services Team, should the former feel it necessary to involve the whole team. This type of planning
needs to be documented using an accommodations checklist. With planning for accommodations only,
specific goals and measurable outcomes will not be stated on the Special Education Planning form as they
are articulated in the grade level curriculum documents. Accommodations can apply to one course/subject
or to all courses/subjects, depending on the needs of the student. Planning of this type needs to be
reviewed at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan
should occur at the end of the year.
Modification: With this type of planning, the grade level curriculum outcomes of a subject area have been
changed to address the specific needs of the student. With modification, the majority (50% or more) of the
outcomes of the grade level curriculum have been altered. These changes could involve simplified tests,
exams or assignments; material presented at a lower reading level; or simplified texts and projects.
Students’ achievement will be assessed on a different basis from that of their peers. Decisions for
modification must involve the classroom teacher(s), the resource teacher, the parent(s), as well as be
discussed at the regular meetings of the school-based Student Services Team. Special Education Plans
reflecting modification may be simply described in terms of the type of modification made to the grade level
curriculum or may include long-term goals, and measurable short-term outcomes, as well as the methods
and materials to achieve the goals and outcomes. The district Student Services administrator will choose
the level of detail of documentation required for this planning. Planning of this type needs to be reviewed
at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan should occur
at the end of the year. Modification can occur in one or more courses or subjects and still is based on the
regular curriculum.
Individualization: In a minority of cases, the pervasive and significant nature of the disabling condition that
a student displays will require planning that deviates from the regular curriculum. The student will not be
expected to achieve many, if any, of the outcomes of the grade level curriculum, although he or she will be
expected to be included in classroom themes and activities as much as possible. The student’s program
will be individualized. In the majority of cases, individualization will be pervasive and will involve planning
in areas other than educational outcomes, for example speech/language or occupational therapy outcomes,
as well as documenting other types of support needed such as a tutor or teacher assistant. Planning of
this nature generally follows a person-centred planning process such as the McGill Action Planning System
(MAPS) or Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH), and will identify long-term goals as well as
short-term measurable outcomes. There may be cases, few in number, where only one subject area will
need to be individualized. For example, a student with a significant physical disability will be able to achieve
very few of the grade level outcomes of a physical education program, and therefore would need his or her
program individualized in that area. Decisions for individualization must involve the classroom teacher(s),
the resource teacher, the parent(s), the school-based Student Services Team, and one member or more of
the district Student Services Team. The district Student Services Administrator or designate for the district
office will have the main responsibility for approval of these plans. Planning of this type needs to be
reviewed at reporting time, and adjusted accordingly. Summative evaluation of the efficacy of the plan
should occur at the end of the year. Transition planning is particularly critical for this planning process.