Non-categorical Special Education
Existing Special Education Policies (1987) Revised (1992) indicate that "Special
Education resources are assigned to provide quality programs for all students with
identified exceptionalities". Therefore, access to the non-categorical special
education teaching resource is for:
- any student who has an identified exceptionality, i.e., cognitive delay,
emotional/behaviour disorder, exceptional ability, health/ neurological/related disorders,
learning disability, physical disability, speech and/or language delay/disorder, hearing
impairment, visual impairment, developmental delay (0-8 years).
- where the exceptionality is verified through comprehensive assessment.
- Some of these students, can also receive support from categorical teaching resources, if
they meet eligibility criteria.
- the program will be documented through an Individual Support Services Plan, and will
contain outcomes that are not traditionally part of the curriculum, e.g., social skills,
self help skills, organizational skills, visual perceptual functioning, etc.
- Using the Programming Pathways Model, students who receive support from special
education teaching resources will be primarily those on Pathway 5 (alternate curriculum),
Pathway 4 (alternate courses) and Pathway 3 (modified curriculum)
- Students who are on Pathway 2 (prescribed curriculum with supports) will primarily be
the responsibility of the classroom teacher, with support from the special education
teacher. This support could include consult/exploration of individualized technological
supports, environmental modifications and/or alternate teaching strategies. It may also
include individualized strategy instruction, or instruction in program areas that are not
part of the prescribed curriculum e.g. organizational strategies.