Publications

Reports:

BC Research Results: Inclusion of special education students doesn’t affect classmates’ education

The Centre for Education Research and Policy (CERP) at Simon Fraser University has released a compelling research report on the effects of inclusive education. It demonstrates that having special needs students in regular classes does not affect the learning of other students.

For some time inclusion has been criticized as setting up conditions where teachers are spending all their time with students with special needs and neglect other students. It has been suggested that inclusion holds other children back. This research shows this not to be accurate.

CERP at Simon Fraser University analyzed data from British Columbia to contribute credible new evidence. CERP researchers compared the performance of successive cohorts within every public elementary school in B.C. (as measured by the change in individual test scores between grades 4 and 7), to see if the proportion of disabled peers makes any difference to the achievement of non-disabled students.

“Attending school with a higher percentage of students with disabilities is found to have only extremely small and statistically insignificant effects on the reading and numeracy achievement of non-disabled students.”

Under current conditions, the placement of students with special learning needs and disabilities into regular classrooms does not compromise the education of their average non-disabled classmate. The study does not evaluate the helpfulness of the inclusion policy for disabled students themselves, or measure any non-educational effects.

Jane Friesen, Ross Hickey and Brian Krauth of Simon Fraser University conducted the research.

We recommend the full report to readers. Print the report and share it with others.

The press release on the report: http://www.sfu.ca/cerp/research/briefings.html#peers2

The full report http://www.sfu.ca/cerp/research/d_p_a_a.pdf

Defining a Rights Based Framework: Advancing Inclusion of Students with Disabilities – A Summary of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies’ 2008 National Forum

For the full report click here.

Inclusion International Issues Global Report on Inclusive Education
By Diane Richler, President of Inclusion International and
Connie Laurin-Bowie, Executive Director

Better Education for All: When We’re Included Too is a global report developed by Inclusion International and its members around the world to tell the story of our continued exclusion from education. This report documents information and analysis from parents, self-advocates, family based organizations in 75 countries about our experiences with inclusive education over the past 15 years since the adoption of the Salamanca Framework by UNESCO. The central finding of this report is that there are good examples of inclusive education in the world, both in rich and poor countries, which have not resulted in systemic change that promotes the inclusion of children with disabilities. The main reason for the continued systemic exclusion of millions of children with disabilities is that there continues to be two parallel agendas for education; one that promotes investment and monitoring for education systems as a whole and one that focuses on the special education needs of children and youth who have a disability.

Our report examines the global agenda for education (EFA and the Dakar Goals) in relation to the findings and evidence provided by our members around the world. It demonstrates how children and youth with disabilities are excluded from different priority initiatives in each of the Dakar Goal areas. The report points to the CRPD as the international legal instrument which can help to close the gap between the rhetoric of inclusive education and reality. Using the CRPD not only as the legal basis for promoting inclusive education but also as a framework for reform, the report provides a roadmap for governments and international agencies to move forward in building a new global agenda for education that includes people with disabilities.

Of the 77 million children who are not in school at least 25 million have a disability (UNESCO, 2006), most of whom live in developing countries. Our members report that most other children with disabilities do not attend school with their non-disabled peers or do not receive the supports they need.

Our study shows that in the past fifteen years, children and youth with disabilities, parents, educators and policy makers have demonstrated that inclusion works. We have numerous examples of those with the most significant disabilities being fully included and supported in regular classrooms.

Our study identifies systemic barriers to inclusive education:
• Political vacuum of leadership and accountability for inclusive education.
• Children with disabilities remain invisible to the education system.
• Families are not supported.
• Teachers lack training, leadership, knowledge and supports to adapt curriculum.
• Poor quality education.
• Poor access to knowledge and information for – parents, teachers, administrators and policy makers.
• No inclusive education infrastructure -governance, policy, planning, financing, implementation and monitoring.
• Lack of public support for inclusion.
• Lack of accountability and monitoring mechanisms.


The CRPD now provides both the framework and the obligations for completing what Salamanca began.

Our recommendations are:
• Establish strong and effective governance, policy and planning for inclusive education.
• Governments, donor and international agencies must create targeted financing mechanisms for inclusive education plans
• Effective delivery systems must be established at the school district level to coordinate efforts.
• Governments, donor and international agencies must develop a disability-inclusive, and CRPD-compliant, monitoring and reporting framework for EFA.

We urge governments, donors and international agencies not to fail us this time.

For the full report click here.

New Brunswick Human Rights Commission issues new Guideline on Accommodating Students with Disabilities

For the full report click here

Focusing on Students – The ISSP and Pathways Commission Report

A new report on special education services has been completed in Newfoundland and Labrador. The report is called - Focusing on Students – The ISSP and Pathways Commission Report. In releasing the report, Minister of Education Joan Burke noted that “ … (s)ubstantive and immediate changes will be made to improve the delivery of special education programming in the K-12 education system.

"This was one of the first issues brought to my attention when I took over the education portfolio," said Minister Burke. "We heard from educators and administrators that they have been overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork required under the current system, detracting from their ability to focus on individual student learning in the classroom.

"The report is a straight-forward assessment of the current process, based on extensive consultations with teachers, parents, administrators and many others involved in the K-12 system. It places the focus squarely on student needs in the classroom and our response respects the importance of having these needs addressed in a timely manner."

For the full report connect to: http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/pub/Focusing_on_Students.pdf

Brief on Systemic Barriers to Implementing Inclusive Education in New Brunswick
New Brunswick ACL releases “Brief on Systemic Barriers to Implementing Inclusive Education in New Brunswick” - a thorough analysis of issues that will be of interest to educators, parents and policy makers.

» Check it out – click here (pdf, 49KB)

Canadian Teachers Federation Issues Conference Report
CACL has been working closely with the Canadian Teachers Federation over the past two years, and was involved in the November 2005 Conference as a follow-up to the 2004 CACL-sponsored National Summit on Inclusive Education.

Participants were given opportunities through presentations, workshops and discussions to examine and develop solutions and strategies that ensure children and youth are not excluded by culture, race, language, socio-economic status, sexual orientation or ability. In March 2006, CTF issued a complete summary report.

» View 2005 Conference Report (pdf, 912KB)
» Visit www.CTF-FCE.ca for more information

Crucial Terms Final Report
The Marsha Forest Centre of Toronto recently released a report outlining the recommended terms to replace certain confusing or inaccurate terms currently being used to describe the special education and inclusive education approaches to teaching learners with disabilities.

The intent of the project was to lessen confusion in conversations and to provide the strongest educational service for Canadians with disabilities. Over the past few years, it has become apparent that certain terms have been misused, particularly when it comes to understanding the inclusive approach to education.

Click here to download and print the Crucial Terms Final Report. (pdf, 460KB)

CACL Regional Consultation Reports
From 2002- 2004 CACL held regional forums across Canada. These forums brought together parents of students with disabilities, representatives from ACLs, teachers’ unions, ministries of education and educators and parents to identify areas of common concern and to develop strategies for joint efforts for inclusive education.

Regional forums took place in Nova Scotia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and in the North. In October 2004 Manitoba hosted an Education Summit that focused on partnerships between parents and teachers; evaluating the quality of inclusive education; examining differentiated instruction; and perspectives of the legal aspects of Bill 13.

The purpose of these summits was to bring together key stakeholders who have direct interest in the issue of inclusive education:

1. Parents of students with special needs – specifically those with intellectual disabilities and other children traditionally represented by the Association for Community Living associations.
2. Representatives of the teachers associations.
3. Parents of students with special needs – specifically those with intellectual disabilities and other children traditionally represented by the Association for Community Living associations.
4. Representatives of the teachers associations.

The design for each meeting was tailored to meet the regions’ own unique features, concerns, issues, legislation and policies. However, the following goals were common throughout each summit:

• to identify areas of common concern;
  
• to find ways to mutually support teachers/schools to assure that inclusion goes well;
  
• to stimulate regional action to bring more focus to support for inclusion;
  
• to develop strategies for training and professional development for teachers, principals and other staff in best practices for inclusion;
  
• to identify research and information sharing strategies relevant to inclusion.

Atlantic Regional Meeting
The first regional summit took place in Amherst, Nova Scotia on January 9th, 2003, bringing together representatives from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI. Participants provided updates of the status of inclusive education in their provinces, identified areas of priority for action, discussed ways to collaborate and share information and laid out plans for future meetings and discussion. Click here to view report.

Western Regional Meeting
Two meetings took place at the University of Calgary in Alberta on March 13th and 14th, 2003 and were attended by representatives from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

The first meeting, facilitated by The Roeher Institute and the University of Calgary, focused on teacher preparation for inclusive education. Key themes that were explored included the present state of teacher preparedness to address diversity in the regular classroom; arrangements to foster more effective inclusive practice in the regular classroom; and engaging partners to move forward an inclusive education agenda.
Click here to view Roeher Institute report.

At the second meeting, hosted by CACL, participants discussed critical issues for schools, teachers, parents and governments, they identified areas of priority for action, and put together a leadership strategy.
Click here to view CACL report.

Ontario Meeting #1
The meetings held in Toronto, Ontario on October 17th and 18th were planned as the first of two provincial forums; the second to take place in the spring, 2004. This first meeting brought together 59 representatives from local Associations for Community Living, and the Ontario Coalition for Inclusive Education. Discussions focused on strategies for creating change in schools in Ontario and what parents and organizations can do to bring this change about.
Click here to view report.

Saskatchewan Meeting
In conjunction with the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living, two presentations were facilitated by Gordon Porter, Co-Chair of the Joint Working Group on Inclusive Education, which took place on November 27-28, 2003. On the first day presentations’ included “Accommodating Diversity in the Classroom: Toward a Multi-level Instruction Model” and “The Critical Factors in Creating and Sustaining Successful Inclusive Schools for Students with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities”. On the second day, a provincial forum was held on the preparation and continuing professional development of teachers, educational assistants and other personnel who work with students with intellectual disabilities.
Click here to view report.

Northern Meeting
From March 24-26, 2004 a forum was held in Whitehorse, Yukon to discuss the status of inclusive education in the three territories – the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Representatives from each area included families, educators, Ministry personnel as well as Zuhy Sayeed, President of CACL. Gordon Porter chaired the meeting. It became apparent from this consultation that, while challenges do exist, good examples and experiences have become clearly evident over the last decade. It is perhaps due to the fact that it is less political in the territories; there is more consensus and politicians are more accessible.
Click here to view report.

Ontario Meeting #2
On April 16, 2004, the Ensuring Excellence in Ontario’s Education System Roundtable Discussion was held in Toronto. Participants in the event included more than 50 individuals from a variety of backgrounds and considerable expertise in the field of education. Participants included teachers, teacher’s aids, school administrators, school board representatives, SEAC representatives, parents, community service providers, individuals with disabilities and others. The purpose of the day was to discuss approaches to education that would ensure excellence in education for students who have a disability. In particular, the discussion focused on strategies for ensuring the effective inclusion of students in all areas of education, the approaches and supports that would need to be in place to ensure a high quality of education for these students and the resources and supports that teachers and schools would require. The roundtable did not aim to be conclusive in its deliberation, but rather to explore issues and consider areas for future cooperation between the diverse groups of experts gathered at the event. A final discussion considered how participants in the event might continue to talk about and cooperate on issues. There was a consensus that such cooperation would be of considerable value. A number of strategies were suggested to facilitate continuing cooperation and some specific commitments were made for action.
Click here to view report.

Proceedings from the National Summit on Inclusive Education
The National Summit on Inclusive Education took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ottawa November 24-26, 2004. It brought together over 350 participants from across Canada, including educational professionals, families, government officials, young people, and representatives from teachers' unions, the disability community and the voluntary sector. The Summit provided an opportunity for delegates to discuss key issues and challenges, share information and to identify directions and opportunities for future dialogue and action in support of inclusive education in Canada. Presentations and a summary of the proceedings are available on CACL’s website:
www.cacl.ca/english/natconf/2004/conferencesummary.html