Students with ADHD and/or other neurological disorders in Ontario should now have greater accessibility to equitable education opportunities
TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2012 – Ontario children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should now have easier access to special education services following a memorandum recently sent to school boards by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Many families in the province have struggled for decades to access these services that their children with ADHD need in order to succeed in school.
A new Ministry memorandum to school boards states that students with ADHD who have learning-based needs should be identified as exceptional students, and can be recognized under a variety of categories including behavior, communication, intellectual, physical and multiple. When a child is identified in this way, an individual education plan (IEP) must be developed and implemented by the school.
CADDAC calls on all provincial governments to ensure that ADHD is recognized by their education systems as a legitimate learning disorder and that all students with ADHD who have special learning needs receive appropriate supports to overcome their challenges in becoming academically successful.
