Developmental disability schools

Private schools for children with developmental disabilities

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Many private schools in Canada support children with developmental disabilities. Which disabilities they support, and in what ways, varies between schools.

What is a developmental disability?

Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavioural areas. According to Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), a developmental disability

• is present at birth or develops before 18 years of age, affects a person’s ability to learn,
• is permanent,

                  and,

• can be mild or severe.

Someone with a developmental disability often requires extra help to learn, understand, and use information. A developmental disability can also affect one’s language and social skills, and it may overlap with other special needs. And it may mean one needs help with daily life, and requires assistance to be as independent and successful as others.

What developmental disabilities do private schools in Canada support?

Private schools in Canada support a wide range of developmental disabilities and disorders. Some of the main ones are listed below.

• Autism: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder. Kids with ASD can have trouble communicating, reading body language, making friends, making eye contact, and mastering academic skills.
• Asperger’s syndrome: This is a neurobiological disorder on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. Kids with Asperger's syndrome have trouble with social and communication skills, as well as some of the same problems as kids with autism. Their IQs, though, are normally in the average to above-average range.
• Down syndrome: This is a chromosomal abnormality that impedes development. It often leads to mild to severe intellectual delays, as well as delays in speech and language.
• Intellectual disability: This is a condition characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (e.g., reasoning, learning, and problem solving). It normally emerges before the age of 18 and can affect a range of social and practical skills.
• Williams syndrome: This is a rare genetic disorder present at birth. Kids with Williams syndrome tend to have developmental delays, learning disabilities, and attention deficits. Many are also excessively social.
• Expressive language disorder: Kids with this disorder have problems expressing themselves through speech. They may also have a limited vocabulary and difficulty recalling words and producing complex or long sentences.

Some also consider ADHD a developmental disability, though others disagree. Other developmental disorders include Angelman syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, IsoDicentric 15, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, Neural tube defects, Phenylketonuria, Prader-Willi syndrome, Seizure disorders, Tourette syndrome, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

How do private schools support these developmental disabilities?

Private schools in Canada support children with developmental disabilities in many different ways. First, they offer different kinds of environments to promote learning and growth.

Full-time support can be supplied through dedicated schools or dedicated classes. Part-time support can be supplied through integrated classes, withdrawal classes, regular classes with resource support, or regular classes with indirect support.

Second, schools offer different kinds of support for children with developmental disabilities. The three main kinds of support are accommodations, modifications, and remediations.

Accommodations

Accommodations removes obstacles to learning. They involve making changes to how kids learn, by making specific adaptations.

• Environmental: These allow children to overcome physical barriers and access all parts of the learning environment. Examples include ramps, elevators, and wheelchairs.
• Learning: These allow children to overcome learning challenges (that may be caused by developmental disabilities), and access grade-level expectations. Examples include resource rooms, audio books, and extra time for tests or assignments.
• Psychological: These allow children to cope with the emotional challenges that may stem from their disabilities. Examples include psychotherapy, academic counselling, and support groups.

Modifications

Modifications change what’s taught. They can also involve lowering grade-level expectations.

• Assignments: Complete fewer or different homework problems, write shorter papers, answer fewer or different test questions
• Curriculum: Learn different material, simplify material, get graded or assessed using a different standard, get excused from a class assignment or project

Remediations

Remediations eliminate, reduce, or ameliorate challenges kids with developmental disabilities have. These are often research-based therapeutic measures which involve intensive and individualized interventions and treatments.
 

Below, we list schools offering support for one or more developmental disability. Click on a school to learn more about it, including its special needs programming. Find a school for developmental disabilities near you.