Module 5: Roles and Responsibilities—Inclusion and the Educational Team

Meet the Itinerants and Specialists

The following interactive diagram provides a brief introduction to each of the itinerants and specialists who work with students with complex needs. Click on any of the individual roles and brief description. In addition to the brief description, there are stories from people who are in these roles telling us about their roles through an inclusive lens and there are testimonials about collaborative practice.

District Inclusion Support Teacher

The district inclusive education teacher is an extension of the school-based team. They provide curriculum resources, strategies, interventions, and training. By request, they may participate in IEP and school-based team meetings.

“Our district formed a partnership with Inclusion Outreach to create a Complex Needs Community of Learners. The goal was to facilitate collaboration and gain expertise in developing meaningful and functional programs focusing on the Quality of Life Indicators. The community of learners consisted of multi-disciplinary IEP teams who came together to collaborate around a complex student on their caseload. Teams included the classroom teacher, resource teacher (case manager), CEA, SLP, OT/PT, Indigenous advocate, teacher of the visually impaired, and teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing.

At the beginning of each session, team members from Inclusion Outreach offered professional learning to guide and shape our learning. Then, with the support of IO, teams were given time to meet and develop an action plan to implement with their student. At each subsequent session, student progress was discussed, and the plans for the future were developed.”

District consultant, SD23

“We rely heavily on the Provincial Inclusion Outreach Program to support students with complex needs in our district. This program consistently provides us with an assortment of expertise from a myriad of professionals, training, and in-service opportunities, materials, professional standards, and helpful support and direction. Students with increased complexities in rural districts often face additional challenges not experienced in bigger centres. Our involvement with this program has repeatedly proven beneficial to students, families, and staff.”

District partner, SD20

Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provide direct support to deaf and hard of hearing students and collaborate with the school team. They also offer training to school staff on hearing loss, its implications for the classroom, and strategies when working with students who have a hearing loss. When hearing aids or FM communication equipment is involved, they train school staff and the student to check if their equipment is working and positioned properly.

Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) provide direct support for students who are blind or have low vision.

“As a member of the Inclusion Outreach team, the teacher of students with visual impairments works in partnership with the student, family/caregivers, school team, and any additional members as they all find ways to engage in meaningful learning and inclusion. The TSVI is first and foremost a teacher, with additional training in visual impairments, who considers the unique needs of the learner holistically.”

IO TSVI

Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) work with students to develop their communication skills, assess the student, and implement strategies tailored to each student’s needs.

“My work with IO has also really shifted the way I see and support the low incidence students I work with in the school district as well. My overall lens has shifted quite a bit. With my low incidence students particularly, I make more attempts to think of the entirety of their programming and look at how to include them vs. sticking strictly to communication-based recommendations. For example, I’ve made attempts to get the team at one school to start using Pictello and Tar Heel so that a student can be part of class lessons, which I wouldn’t have thought to do.” 

IO SLP

“Working as an SLP with kids with complex learning needs, I feel that my primary job is to facilitate communication, comprehension, and expression which includes training of staff and to facilitate inclusion and quality of life. I look for what they can do.” 

IO SLP

“That is our skill set. There isn’t a recipe that we can apply to all kids. We need to understand how each kid relates to the world best and provide the right sort of scaffolding, and then the kids can show their stuff and learn with all the other kids in class.”

IO SLP

“I tell SLPs that I have the luxury of looking at students with an inclusion lens. My goal is inclusion, so I will suggest strategies for communication that support the student to use their communication and participate with peers. I am less concerned about the student selecting the “correct” picture symbol 4/5 times and more concerned about whether they able to use their AAC to take an active role in an activity with a peer and build their relationship, make a friend, and so add to their quality of life, gain respect through their competence. With students who are complex, it is more understood that they will work on communication in the classroom.”

IO SLP

Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapists (OTs) enable and support students to participate in the activities of school and everyday life.

“The Quality of Life Indicators are overtly discussed first, and then we focus on meaningful routines. It makes it OK to guide the staff on the student’s team toward this different lens and focus on tangible, basic, small changes that can make a HUGE difference to the child’s day.”

IO OT

“Modeling a student’s inclusion and participation in activities is the most powerful—jumping in to try different things. Asking what is the student’s active role in this activity makes people think more about what this student CAN do.”

IO OT

Physical Therapist – Physiotherapist

Physical Therapists (PTs) help ensure students with movement disabilities can safely and actively participate in school, at home, and in the community.

“In my IO work, I try to use my medical knowledge for background understanding, but really try to look through an education lens when it comes to how the student’s education is impacted at school. I then model and provide practical strategies for what they can do in the school context. I’ve had several EAs and teachers give me feedback that they had never had anyone explain to them before. Some people need the evidence base to reference, while others just need to see it in action.”

IO PT

Nurse

Nurses in the school setting provide care for students that require medical procedures while attending school.