Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia

LDABC: Students with Learning Disabilities’ Right to a Full Continuum of Services

(A position statement by the Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia)

All students with Learning Disabilities must be guaranteed full access to appropriate education so that they may optimize their potential in accordance with the mandates of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Codes.

The right of an individual to an appropriate education must be the principal concept on which all educational programs and services are developed. An appropriate education for children, youth, and adults with learning disabilities requires alternative and modified instruction as well as a diverse range of services provided by professionals with differing preparation, skills, and expertise. It also requires that a full continuum of educational programs and services and a variety of instructional strategies that are flexible be available for all individuals from early childhood to adulthood.

LDABC does not support any policy that mandates the same placement, instruction or treatment of all students with learning disabilities or the idea that all students with LD must be served only in regular education classrooms at the exclusion of all other special education placement options. LDABC believes that this violates the rights of parents and students with disabilities as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Human Rights Codes which guarantee education equality and freedom from discrimination and rejects the arbitrary placement of all students in any one setting.

Because each student with learning disabilities has unique needs, an individualized program must be tailored to meet those needs. For one student, the program may be provided in the regular classroom; yet for another student, the regular classroom may be an inappropriate placement. Therefore, the LDABC supports the use of a continuum of services and rejects the arbitrary placement of all students in any one setting. Research confirms that instruction rather than placement is the most important consideration (Horcutt, 1996).

It is the position of the Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia (LDABC) that special education programs and support services for individuals with learning disabilities must be part of a school district’s total instructional program and must not be regarded as a separate and parallel system.

We recognize there are challenges that must be addressed in developing a full continuum of educational programs and services. One challenge is related to financial constraints that may influence establishment of program priorities. Nevertheless, it remains the legal responsibility of school boards and the Ministry of Education to ensure a full continuum of appropriate educational programs and services for individuals with learning disabilities is available.

The public education system should establish system-wide and district-based plans specific to educating students with learning disabilities. Plans must include identification strategies, specific instructional strategies that research has shown to be effective and individualized plans for the student (LDAC, 2003, Horcutt, 1996 & Swanson, 1999). The responsibility for developing plans must be shared by regular and special educators, parents, and student consumers of the services. Once developed, a plan must be supported at all levels of the educational system.

Providing Appropriate Education for Students With Learning Disabilities in Regular Education Classrooms

Many children and youth with diverse learning needs can be educated within the regular education classroom. This setting is appropriate for some, but not all students with learning disabilities. Most students with learning disabilities are taught in regular education classrooms for some part of their school day. When appropriate support is provided within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. The regular education classroom is one of many educational program options but is not a substitute for the full continuum necessary to assure the provision of an appropriate education for all students with learning disabilities. Academics are not the sole important focus for children with Learning Disabilities. An education that spawns resilience in a student is just as important so that they may be successful throughout school and throughout the life span (LDAC, 2003). A review of the research reveals that pullout yields better academic results, whereas inclusion is more successful when measuring the student’s social needs (LDAC 2003, Horcutt, 1996). Therefore a balance of the individual needs is required.

The LDABC is committed therefore, to support the following:

• The education, social, and emotional needs of the individual, and the types of disabilities, as well as the degree of severity should determine the design and delivery of educational programs and services.
• A continuum of education placements, including the regular education classroom, must be available to all students with learning disabilities and must be flexible enough to meet their changing needs.
• Specialized instructional strategies, materials, and appropriate accommodations must be provided as needed.
• The educational, social, and emotional needs of students with learning disabilities change over time, therefore systematic and ongoing review of the student’s progress and needs is essential to make appropriate adjustments in current educational programs and related services.
• Learning depends on the quality of the programs and services provided, therefore systematic and ongoing evaluation of programs and their effectiveness in producing desired long-term outcomes is essential.