Top Schools for Disabled Students

The U.S. has the most educational opportunities for disabled students because of the American Disabilities Act. Canada, legislatively, supports educating students with disabilities in regular classrooms as a first option. Laws vary from province to province in Canada. The level of specialized services for students with disabilities in public schools is not standardized across the nation as it is in the United States.

According to the government’s website, Statistics Canada, Prince Edward Island has 73% of their disabled students in regular classrooms while Quebec has 48%, but the site also states that this is most likely a result of specific services not being available rather than intentional programming. There are a few other options to consider. There are schools that cater to specific disabilities and can be found by searching with canada 411. Below are some of the possibilities.

  • Deaf Education – Canada has deaf education schools K-12, mostly in the province of Ontario. The Clinical and Educational Centre for Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Children in British Columbia is a top program as well.
  • Schools for the Visually Impaired – Institut Nazareth is a music focused school for blind children in Montreal. The Alliance for Equity of Blind Canadians is working to increase the number of educational and work opportunities for all visually impaired Canadians. Programs are scattered and few.
  • Schools for Autism -There are few public school programs for this condition. There are many nonprofit organizations filling the gap. AutismOntario is a full service website that gathers information across Canada on research, treatments, education, and chapters that give parent support.
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Creating Accessible and Convenient Resources for the Disabled

For the disabled, having access to many resources that the non-disabled may take for granted can be a very gratifying experience. Accessibility is a very big part of social and economic inclusion for people who suffer with challenging disabilities. In order for a disabled person to participate in and be a functioning part of community life, they must first be given access to the resources and conveniences that will enable them to do so. For the disabled, having an environment free of encroachments is a key step towards fulfilling those rights that they so richly deserve.

Some key areas where the disabled community can and should participate in and be able to have the same determining choices that are available to those in the community who are non-disabled include:

- Transportation Access
This is an area that includes all forms of transportation including public transit systems like the bus or the train, and vehicle amendments that would make it conducive for a person who is physically challenged to get to the places they need to go.

- Political Access
Many communities have a system where they have special places and areas set up for those who are physically disabled. If the person has full rights as a citizen, they can and should be afforded the opportunity to exercise their voting rights and opinions without discrimination.

- Conveniences of Water and Sanitation Supplies
Many public facilities, churches, restaurants and schools provide resources and access for those with disabilities to be able to make full use of the facilities in the appropriate manner. To make it convenient for them may include things like lowered water fountains and handicap-accessible bathrooms.

- Technology Access
This would include resources that are for the visually and/or hearing impaired individuals with those disabilities. Libraries, churches and other public facilities have made these resources convenient for that segment of the population.

- Access to Communication and Media Sources
This would include access to the same source of information on a general scale, but tailored for the disabled group and can include Braille newspapers or telephones designed for those who are tone deaf or hearing impaired.

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