| AFASE at school Advocate For Appropriate Special Education |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
My son who has autism is in a small placement class / special education class and is on an Alternative
program / Life Skills program. The school has sent me a list of community outings and programs, such as
cooking and is asking for payment to cover costs....as much as $25 per month. Why are they doing this? I
thought that my son was entitled to free public education.
Answer:
Since your son is in a "Life Skills" program, I will assume that these programs, where the school is asking
you to pay costs, meet the needs as stated on the IEP either directly or indirectly. Needs such as social
skills, life skills, motor skills, appropriate behaviour in the community, etc. As such they are "appropriate"
special education programs for your child and you should not be asked to pay for the cost, whether it is for
transportation, entrance fees, or cooking supplies.
Subsection 8(3) of the Act requires the Minister of Education to ensure that appropriate special education
programs and special education services are provided in accordance with the Act and regulations.
It states that: "The Minister shall ensure that all exceptional children in Ontario have available to them, in
accordance with this Act and the regulations, appropriate special education programs and special
education services without payment of fees by parents or guardians resident in Ontario..."
Question:
I have been requesting a daily communication sheet to be filled out by my son’s EA because he has weak
functional communication skills. He can say a few words when prompted, but is unable to come home from
school and tell me what he did at school, if any incidence happened, if he has homework, etc. The principal
has said that I am being unreasonable in requesting her staff to do so because they don’t have the time. My
question is, am I being unreasonable in requesting a daily communication sheet from the school?
Answer:
No. You are not being unreasonable. In fact the Ministry Publication “Effective Educational Practices for
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders” outlines the importance of this practice. It states: “While it
will take a few extra minutes each week to manage the home/school communication process, the responsive
and responsible reporting of the events of a student’s days at school makes a positive contribution to both
the home and the school experience. Parents feel informed, supported, and more able to support the
learning needs of their child.”
Question:
I would like to go in to the school to observe my child in the classroom but the principal will not allow it,
saying that it will distract the other students. How can I change her mind?
Answer:
This is a common question. Ministry of Education publications encourage parent involvement in the
education of all students, but especially exceptional students. How can parents provide suggestions for
strategies to help with problem behaviours, and/or support their child’s learning at home, if they don’t have
first-hand knowledge of what their child is able to do at school?
Try this: Make the request to observe your child his/her classroom in writing to the principal. Explain why
you want to observe and how it will help to strengthen your collaborative working relationship with the
school. In your letter, promise to do 5 things: 1) You will report in at the office when you arrive. 2) You will
not interfere with the instructions of the teacher or the EA. 3) You will respect the confidentiality and privacy
of the other students. 4) You will leave the classroom if you become a distraction to any student, including
your own. 5) You will share your observation notes with the school.
Question:
My son who has autism recently received a service dog to assist him. What should I do to arrange for the
service dog to attend school with him?
Answer:
Many school boards don't have written policies regarding service dogs at school for children with
disabilities. However, under the Human Rights Code, service dogs must be permitted to assist students with
disabilities at school. This Upper Grand District School Board service dog protocol will help you and the
school to plan for having a service dog at school so that all staff and students feel comfortable and
knowledgeable about the new addition to the school.
Question:
My 8 year old son with autism attends grade 3 part-time. I withdraw him from school 5 half-days a week for
his home ABA/IBI program. I have been trying to get permission for his therapist to go into the classroom in
order to support him using ABA methods while he is in school. He is only doing some of the curriculum since
he attends part-time and all expectations are modified (lowered). He also has Communication, Behaviour,
and Social Skills on his IEP as alternative programs. I feel that he could be doing much better if a qualified
IBI Instructor Therapist could work with him at school and I feel that it is extremely important that there is
consistency between home and school programs...in terms of both expectations and teaching strategies. I
have been told that it is against school policy to allow "third party" service providers into the classroom.
What are my son's rights? Does the new PPM 140 change anything?
Answer:
One of the requirements of PPM 140 is the following:
School boards must offer students with ASD special education programs and services, including, where
appropriate, special education programs using ABA methods.
It seems that Ontario School Boards' interpretation of the above is that PPM 140 mandates schools to use
ABA methods, not IBI (Intensive Behaviour Intervention) which by the way, is an ABA method. And from what
I understand, so far the ABA training for staff has been focused on ABA methods for dealing with
behaviours, not for teaching new skills, in spite of the fact that PPM 140 explains that ABA can be used to
teach new skills.
So as parents and advocates we need to continue to advocate strongly for appropriate ABA methods,
including Intensive Behaviour Intervention, to meet the educational needs of our children - at school. They
should not have to be withdrawn from public school in order to access methods or interventions (ABA/IBI)
that they need in order to learn.
So what steps should you take to ensure that your son gets the support he needs at school now?
First, I would ask the principal to show you a copy of the "third party" policy....just to make sure that there is
such a policy.
Next, ask if you or someone else (the instructor therapist) can volunteer in the classroom to support your
son and the classroom teacher. There are some principals, who truly have the best interest of the child in
mind that have allowed this. Be very clear to the principal, and to the teacher, that the volunteer will not be
telling the teacher how to do her job...but rather will be offering suggestions and sharing information about
what strategies work best for your son. It is the principal's job to assign volunteers (or any staff) to
classrooms as he/she feels is appropriate to meet the needs of the students, so it is very important to
articulate the student's needs to the principal -- don't simply say he needs someone to provide ABA or IBI.
Also, PPM 140 places great emphasis on collaboration. It states: "This memorandum is intended to
strengthen collaborative working relationships between parents, schools, and the community. This
collaboration is essential for supporting positive learning for students with ASD. An example of such
collaboration is the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student."
Bring the above statement to the attention of the principal and really become involved in the development of
the IEP. Don't leave it all to the teacher, but again, do it without telling him/her how to do his/her job - a fine
line. Ask for several IEP meetings if necessary to ensure that the IEP contains measurable goals and
expectations that are in line with, or bridge the home ABA program. Also ensure that the teaching strategies
on the IEP include ABA methods. This will be a new concept for teachers, so they will need your help. And
since your son has a home ABA program, you can and should help to develop a good school IEP for your
son.
My workshop covers how an IEP should be written that includes measurable goals and expectations and
teaching strategies that include ABA methods. See the workshop page of my website for details.
I hope that my comments are helpful. Thanks again for contacting me.
Question:
I attended one of your workshops about a year or more ago where Lindsay Moir spoke. He talked about
the process of requesting funding for needed equipment from the board, such as a laptop. I am currently
looking at getting an AlphaSmart for my son who has a learning disability and was wondering how to go
about doing so. Can you please provide me with some direction?
Answer:
The first step in accessing SEA (Special Equipment Amount) funding, is to get the appropriate professional
(psychologist, OT, SLP) to document your son's need for assistive technology. Ask that they (the
professional) be very specific about the technology or equipment needed, and ask that they
don't use words like "may benefit from" but use words like "is essential" "is required" "is necessary".
The first $800 is paid by the school board and the rest is funded by the Ministry of Education. The
paperwork should include expenses such as the cost of training staff, extended warranty, etc. The school
board should not wait for the funding before purchasing the equipment.
Equipment acquired for the student can be taken home by the student for the purpose of school work, but
not over the holidays. Your home insurance should cover the equipment in case of damage while it is in
your home...check with your home insurance provider.
Question:
I have a 7 year daughter with a Learning disability who is on an informal IEP at school. We recently had her
tested for central auditory processing because she had a speech delay and it confirmed she does in fact
have a hearing deficit.
I have met with the school and they will be providing the FM speaker equipment next term (grade 2) as she
is now a CAP student. However I would like to know if I can apply for extra assistance for her in school next
term? To date she is still struggling with her school work and cannot read or complete her school work
without a teacher assisting her.
Answer:
Thanks for your question. Since your daughter has an informal IEP, I assume that she is not formally
"Identified" by an IPRC. This means that the school is not legally obligated to provide special education
programs and services. You can write a letter to your school principal to request an IPRC meeting to
formally identify your daughter as an exceptional student - Communication - LD.
It is good that they have agreed to provide an FM system. What about other technology software to assist
with reading and writing. Are these provided with appropriate training?
In general, unless your daughter demonstrates behaviours that lead to safety concerns it would be highly
unlikely that you would be successful in advocating for one-on-one assistance. However, try to articulate in
writing, (Needs Statement) her specific need for accommodations to ensure comprehension of verbal
instructions, assistance with reading and writing, etc., and try to have these accommodations written in the
IEP.
This is going to sound strange....but don't ask for an EA (Educational Assistant). It is the parents job to
communicate the needs of the child. It is the school's job to figure out how they are going to meet those
needs.
The next step is on-going communication with the teacher to ensure that he/she follows the IEP.
Question:
Hi! I was thrilled to see this online questions answered service, as I always have lots of questions and NO
TIME! I am an autism consultant and therapist. I am currently consulting for a family who have an eight
year boy with ASD. He is in the public school system and last September he was placed in a "high
functioning autism class". Current stats on the class are 6 kids 1 special education teacher plus 1.5 EA
staff. This child has experienced repetitive aggression from another child in the class, and today was
injured, the extend of the injuries are not known to me at this time, but he was certainly traumatized.
If you can, please advise me of her son's rights, as well as the best course of action to take for pro-active,
non-confrontational RESULTS if possible.
Answer:
Thanks for your question. I cannot provide legal advice and unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this
one. You can bet that the parent of the aggressive child is having to deal with some tough school issues. I
am usually helping the parent of the aggressive child...so I know. It is natural to want to have the
aggressive child removed from the school if it is your child that has been hurt, but as you know, children with
autism have behaviours that are beyond their control. It is inappropriate for the school to punish them
because of behaviours due to their disability. Following a functional behavioural analysis, the school staff
should be doing everything possible to accommodate the child to avoid melt-downs that lead to aggressive
behaviours, and if the child is known to have aggressive behaviours, he should be under constant
supervision for his safety and the safety of others. SIPs (Special Incidence Portion) funding is provided by
the ministry for extra support staff in these cases. In the event that the student has a melt-down that cannot
be avoided, the school staff should have a plan in place to get the other students to a safe area as soon as
they see that there might be a situation where their safety is at risk. Ask the school to provide a copy of
such a plan.
program / Life Skills program. The school has sent me a list of community outings and programs, such as
cooking and is asking for payment to cover costs....as much as $25 per month. Why are they doing this? I
thought that my son was entitled to free public education.
Answer:
Since your son is in a "Life Skills" program, I will assume that these programs, where the school is asking
you to pay costs, meet the needs as stated on the IEP either directly or indirectly. Needs such as social
skills, life skills, motor skills, appropriate behaviour in the community, etc. As such they are "appropriate"
special education programs for your child and you should not be asked to pay for the cost, whether it is for
transportation, entrance fees, or cooking supplies.
Subsection 8(3) of the Act requires the Minister of Education to ensure that appropriate special education
programs and special education services are provided in accordance with the Act and regulations.
It states that: "The Minister shall ensure that all exceptional children in Ontario have available to them, in
accordance with this Act and the regulations, appropriate special education programs and special
education services without payment of fees by parents or guardians resident in Ontario..."
Question:
I have been requesting a daily communication sheet to be filled out by my son’s EA because he has weak
functional communication skills. He can say a few words when prompted, but is unable to come home from
school and tell me what he did at school, if any incidence happened, if he has homework, etc. The principal
has said that I am being unreasonable in requesting her staff to do so because they don’t have the time. My
question is, am I being unreasonable in requesting a daily communication sheet from the school?
Answer:
No. You are not being unreasonable. In fact the Ministry Publication “Effective Educational Practices for
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders” outlines the importance of this practice. It states: “While it
will take a few extra minutes each week to manage the home/school communication process, the responsive
and responsible reporting of the events of a student’s days at school makes a positive contribution to both
the home and the school experience. Parents feel informed, supported, and more able to support the
learning needs of their child.”
Question:
I would like to go in to the school to observe my child in the classroom but the principal will not allow it,
saying that it will distract the other students. How can I change her mind?
Answer:
This is a common question. Ministry of Education publications encourage parent involvement in the
education of all students, but especially exceptional students. How can parents provide suggestions for
strategies to help with problem behaviours, and/or support their child’s learning at home, if they don’t have
first-hand knowledge of what their child is able to do at school?
Try this: Make the request to observe your child his/her classroom in writing to the principal. Explain why
you want to observe and how it will help to strengthen your collaborative working relationship with the
school. In your letter, promise to do 5 things: 1) You will report in at the office when you arrive. 2) You will
not interfere with the instructions of the teacher or the EA. 3) You will respect the confidentiality and privacy
of the other students. 4) You will leave the classroom if you become a distraction to any student, including
your own. 5) You will share your observation notes with the school.
Question:
My son who has autism recently received a service dog to assist him. What should I do to arrange for the
service dog to attend school with him?
Answer:
Many school boards don't have written policies regarding service dogs at school for children with
disabilities. However, under the Human Rights Code, service dogs must be permitted to assist students with
disabilities at school. This Upper Grand District School Board service dog protocol will help you and the
school to plan for having a service dog at school so that all staff and students feel comfortable and
knowledgeable about the new addition to the school.
Question:
My 8 year old son with autism attends grade 3 part-time. I withdraw him from school 5 half-days a week for
his home ABA/IBI program. I have been trying to get permission for his therapist to go into the classroom in
order to support him using ABA methods while he is in school. He is only doing some of the curriculum since
he attends part-time and all expectations are modified (lowered). He also has Communication, Behaviour,
and Social Skills on his IEP as alternative programs. I feel that he could be doing much better if a qualified
IBI Instructor Therapist could work with him at school and I feel that it is extremely important that there is
consistency between home and school programs...in terms of both expectations and teaching strategies. I
have been told that it is against school policy to allow "third party" service providers into the classroom.
What are my son's rights? Does the new PPM 140 change anything?
Answer:
One of the requirements of PPM 140 is the following:
School boards must offer students with ASD special education programs and services, including, where
appropriate, special education programs using ABA methods.
It seems that Ontario School Boards' interpretation of the above is that PPM 140 mandates schools to use
ABA methods, not IBI (Intensive Behaviour Intervention) which by the way, is an ABA method. And from what
I understand, so far the ABA training for staff has been focused on ABA methods for dealing with
behaviours, not for teaching new skills, in spite of the fact that PPM 140 explains that ABA can be used to
teach new skills.
So as parents and advocates we need to continue to advocate strongly for appropriate ABA methods,
including Intensive Behaviour Intervention, to meet the educational needs of our children - at school. They
should not have to be withdrawn from public school in order to access methods or interventions (ABA/IBI)
that they need in order to learn.
So what steps should you take to ensure that your son gets the support he needs at school now?
First, I would ask the principal to show you a copy of the "third party" policy....just to make sure that there is
such a policy.
Next, ask if you or someone else (the instructor therapist) can volunteer in the classroom to support your
son and the classroom teacher. There are some principals, who truly have the best interest of the child in
mind that have allowed this. Be very clear to the principal, and to the teacher, that the volunteer will not be
telling the teacher how to do her job...but rather will be offering suggestions and sharing information about
what strategies work best for your son. It is the principal's job to assign volunteers (or any staff) to
classrooms as he/she feels is appropriate to meet the needs of the students, so it is very important to
articulate the student's needs to the principal -- don't simply say he needs someone to provide ABA or IBI.
Also, PPM 140 places great emphasis on collaboration. It states: "This memorandum is intended to
strengthen collaborative working relationships between parents, schools, and the community. This
collaboration is essential for supporting positive learning for students with ASD. An example of such
collaboration is the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student."
Bring the above statement to the attention of the principal and really become involved in the development of
the IEP. Don't leave it all to the teacher, but again, do it without telling him/her how to do his/her job - a fine
line. Ask for several IEP meetings if necessary to ensure that the IEP contains measurable goals and
expectations that are in line with, or bridge the home ABA program. Also ensure that the teaching strategies
on the IEP include ABA methods. This will be a new concept for teachers, so they will need your help. And
since your son has a home ABA program, you can and should help to develop a good school IEP for your
son.
My workshop covers how an IEP should be written that includes measurable goals and expectations and
teaching strategies that include ABA methods. See the workshop page of my website for details.
I hope that my comments are helpful. Thanks again for contacting me.
Question:
I attended one of your workshops about a year or more ago where Lindsay Moir spoke. He talked about
the process of requesting funding for needed equipment from the board, such as a laptop. I am currently
looking at getting an AlphaSmart for my son who has a learning disability and was wondering how to go
about doing so. Can you please provide me with some direction?
Answer:
The first step in accessing SEA (Special Equipment Amount) funding, is to get the appropriate professional
(psychologist, OT, SLP) to document your son's need for assistive technology. Ask that they (the
professional) be very specific about the technology or equipment needed, and ask that they
don't use words like "may benefit from" but use words like "is essential" "is required" "is necessary".
The first $800 is paid by the school board and the rest is funded by the Ministry of Education. The
paperwork should include expenses such as the cost of training staff, extended warranty, etc. The school
board should not wait for the funding before purchasing the equipment.
Equipment acquired for the student can be taken home by the student for the purpose of school work, but
not over the holidays. Your home insurance should cover the equipment in case of damage while it is in
your home...check with your home insurance provider.
Question:
I have a 7 year daughter with a Learning disability who is on an informal IEP at school. We recently had her
tested for central auditory processing because she had a speech delay and it confirmed she does in fact
have a hearing deficit.
I have met with the school and they will be providing the FM speaker equipment next term (grade 2) as she
is now a CAP student. However I would like to know if I can apply for extra assistance for her in school next
term? To date she is still struggling with her school work and cannot read or complete her school work
without a teacher assisting her.
Answer:
Thanks for your question. Since your daughter has an informal IEP, I assume that she is not formally
"Identified" by an IPRC. This means that the school is not legally obligated to provide special education
programs and services. You can write a letter to your school principal to request an IPRC meeting to
formally identify your daughter as an exceptional student - Communication - LD.
It is good that they have agreed to provide an FM system. What about other technology software to assist
with reading and writing. Are these provided with appropriate training?
In general, unless your daughter demonstrates behaviours that lead to safety concerns it would be highly
unlikely that you would be successful in advocating for one-on-one assistance. However, try to articulate in
writing, (Needs Statement) her specific need for accommodations to ensure comprehension of verbal
instructions, assistance with reading and writing, etc., and try to have these accommodations written in the
IEP.
This is going to sound strange....but don't ask for an EA (Educational Assistant). It is the parents job to
communicate the needs of the child. It is the school's job to figure out how they are going to meet those
needs.
The next step is on-going communication with the teacher to ensure that he/she follows the IEP.
Question:
Hi! I was thrilled to see this online questions answered service, as I always have lots of questions and NO
TIME! I am an autism consultant and therapist. I am currently consulting for a family who have an eight
year boy with ASD. He is in the public school system and last September he was placed in a "high
functioning autism class". Current stats on the class are 6 kids 1 special education teacher plus 1.5 EA
staff. This child has experienced repetitive aggression from another child in the class, and today was
injured, the extend of the injuries are not known to me at this time, but he was certainly traumatized.
If you can, please advise me of her son's rights, as well as the best course of action to take for pro-active,
non-confrontational RESULTS if possible.
Answer:
Thanks for your question. I cannot provide legal advice and unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this
one. You can bet that the parent of the aggressive child is having to deal with some tough school issues. I
am usually helping the parent of the aggressive child...so I know. It is natural to want to have the
aggressive child removed from the school if it is your child that has been hurt, but as you know, children with
autism have behaviours that are beyond their control. It is inappropriate for the school to punish them
because of behaviours due to their disability. Following a functional behavioural analysis, the school staff
should be doing everything possible to accommodate the child to avoid melt-downs that lead to aggressive
behaviours, and if the child is known to have aggressive behaviours, he should be under constant
supervision for his safety and the safety of others. SIPs (Special Incidence Portion) funding is provided by
the ministry for extra support staff in these cases. In the event that the student has a melt-down that cannot
be avoided, the school staff should have a plan in place to get the other students to a safe area as soon as
they see that there might be a situation where their safety is at risk. Ask the school to provide a copy of
such a plan.
| Our children deserve the chance to reach their full potential |
