Consultant to Produce Learning Disabilities Strategy

The Department of Education will develop a new strategy to provide enriched programming to students with learning disabilities.

The department will hire a learning disabilities consultant, who will review the latest research and best practices from around the world related to learning disabilities, and work closely with specialists inside and outside the department.

The initiatives were recommended by the Minister's Review of Services for Students with Special Needs. Education Minister Karen Casey released her response to the report today, Dec. 21.

"We are committed to providing appropriate programming designed to meet the needs of all students," Ms. Casey said.

"These initiatives are about understanding the needs of students with learning disabilities and developing strategies that respond to these needs."

Students with learning disabilities make up the largest group of pupils receiving student support services from school boards.

Some students with learning disabilities also receive help under the Tuition Support Program, which helps pay tuition at designated special education private schools.

The program will continue until the minister is assured an equivalent or better program is available through the public system. Meanwhile, the Tuition Support Program will undergo a thorough review as outlined in the minister's response.

The minister has also ordered the program's designated schools to:

• join the province's learning assessment program if they grant high school diplomas
• use the provincial Individual Program Plan report card.

This will help ensure students with learning disabilities in the private and public systems are being evaluated using the same criteria. It will also allow parents to monitor their child's progress and provide accountability in issuing high school diplomas.

The Individual Program Plan report card will be implemented by all of the province's public schools beginning this fall.

The Minister's Review of Services for Students with Special Needs began its consultations last April.

The committee, chaired by retired school administrator Walter Farmer and including former educator Miles MacDonald and Acadia University education professor Lynn Aylward, held public meetings and received more than 1,000 written responses.

The report made 27 recommendations on a wide range of issues affecting students with special needs, including professional development and training of teachers, programs and services, and resources.

The complete response to the review can be found at ministersreview.ednet.ns.ca .