Looking back on my observation week, I realize how normal it felt to see students with special needs integrated into the classroom. They had Educator Assistants (EAs), noise-cancelling headphones, iPads and modified worksheets. It wasn't always like this; the law changed.
A big shift since the 1970s
Since the 1970s, political and social attitudes have steadily shifted toward including people with disabilities in everyday activities (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). They describe three major American laws. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 required that programs receiving federal funding accommodate people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 extended that protection to employment and public spaces. First passed in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) focused on education and fair evaluation. It guarantees students a free, appropriate education in the least restrictive environment and an individualized educational program (Seifert & Sutton, 2017).
The authors also note that these laws both caused and reflected a change in attitudes (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Disability went from something people were excluded for to something schools are legally expected to support. Seifert & Sutton (2017) add that if you teach long enough, you will very likely have a student with a disability in your class. That was true for me in just one week of practicum. My class had four students with special needs, including one student with ADHD and a learning disability and three students who are non-verbal and have Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What the law looks like in Ontario
In Ontario, the Education Act requires school boards to provide special education programs and services for students formally identified as "exceptional," and Regulation 181/98 sets out how those students are identified and placed (Ontario Ministry of Education). Before placing a student in a special education class, the committee must first consider whether a regular class with the right supports would meet their needs (Ontario Ministry of Education). This closely aligns with the "least restrictive environment" idea in the chapter (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Ontario's special education program also includes an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with objectives and an outline of the services the student will receive (Ontario Ministry of Education).
Additionally, a second layer of protection, the Ontario Human Rights Code, guarantees equal treatment in education without discrimination based on disability and education providers must accommodate students with disabilities up to the point of undue hardship (Ontario Human Rights Commission).
Personal Experience
I see this shift of inclusion in my job too. I work as a live transcriber where I take lecture notes for deaf and hard of hearing college students so they can follow lectures as they happen. Colleges and universities fall under the Human Rights Code's duty to accommodate (Ontario Human Rights Commission), so this service is a legal right, not a favour or an advantage. Seifert and Sutton (2017) explain that evaluations should not assume abilities, like hearing questions, that a person with a disability cannot be expected to have. They also suggest giving students with hearing loss visual support for what is said aloud (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Live transcription does just that and I am happy to be a part of it.
Inclusion is being debated right now
In October 2026, Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra signaled that the province is re-evaluating whether the current inclusion model is effectively working for students with special needs and whether funding adjustments are required (Yazdani, 2026). This connects to rights and plans like IEPs only working when there are enough people and resources to carry them out. Seifert and Sutton (2017) describe the IEP as a team effort needing staff, time and funding.
The law has made inclusion the standard, but a law alone is not enough. As my TA said to me, "Inclusion without support is abandonment."
References
Ontario Human Rights Commission. Accommodating students with disabilities: Roles and repsonstitilies (fact sheet). https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/accommodating-students-disabilities-roles-and-responsibilities-fact-sheet
Ontario Human Rights Commission. Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/book/export/html/2976
Ontario Ministry of Education. Identifying student's special education needs. https://www.ontario.ca/page/identifying-students-special-education-needs
Seifert, K., & Sutton, R. (2017). Educational psychology (Chapter 5: Students with special educational needs). Global Text. CC BY.
Yazdani, T. (2026). Education minister signals potential changes to Ontario's special education model. The Trilium. https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/education-and-training/education-minister-signals-potential-changes-to-ontarios-special-education-model-12846203
MakaylaS@OTU
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