Disability Information

Students with Specific Disabilities and Disorders

Children and adolescents experiencing specific disabilities and disorders present with a variety of symptoms, characteristics, and needs. The impact on learning, daily functioning, and implications for instruction vary from mild to severe and may change in relation to the student’s maturation and development.

The classroom teacher is in a unique position to observe, determine, and address student’s special needs. It is the classroom teacher who typically first raises concerns regarding a students learning, behaviour, or emotional well-being and initiates instructional and/or programming adjustments.

Teacher awareness of common characteristics and symptoms associated with students that may be experiencing specific disabilities and disorders is therefore essential to providing instructional and program adjustments and assisting in the diagnostic process.

Consultation/collaboration with relevant school team, division team, and community-based professionals should be standard practice in the process of identifying special needs.

Diagnosis of specific disabilities and disorders must be completed by qualified psychologists and/or medical practitioners and a copy should be provided to the Coordinator of Student Achievement & Supports if the student requires intensive supports.

In the Central Office Library we have resources for teaching students with:

Autism Spectrum Disorder
Down Syndrome
Spinabifida
Intellectual Disabilities
Specific Learning Disabilities/Reading Disorders/Dyslexia
Behavioural Disorders
Anxiety
Visual Impairments
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Sensory Integration Dysfunction
Language Processing Disorders