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Samantha Vescio

Access to Success: A Critical Look at Special Needs Support in Ontario’s Education System

Biography

My name is Samantha Vescio. I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at Toronto Metropolitan University, in the Professional Communication program. My research on special needs support in Ontario stems from personal experience with the system’s shortcomings. I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of twenty-one, remarkably late, and I often wonder how different my educational journey could have been if better intervention and assessment policies had been in place during my childhood.

Although I have always performed well academically, I recognized from an early age that learning was more challenging for me than for many of my peers. It was alarming to discover that, despite updates and improvements to special education policies over the past decade, their implementation remains ineffective. This realization was particularly frustrating, knowing that many children facing far greater challenges than mine continue to go without the necessary resources to succeed.

Through my research, I have explored various factors influencing the adequacy of support for special needs students. What I found is that significant changes are not only necessary but entirely possible. The issue is not a lack of solutions but rather the need for stronger advocacy and accountability to ensure that all students receive the support they deserve.

Details of Project

This study examines the adequacy of special education support in Ontario’s public schools and analyzes factors that influence the implementation of effective inclusive education policies. While measures such as Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and intervention programs exist, gaps in funding, resource allocation, staffing, and policy implementation remain primary barriers. The research evaluates the effectiveness of current support systems and explores systemic challenges that impact equal access to education for all students with special needs.

A qualitative research approach was used to gather insights from various sources. My primary research consists of responses from personal discussions and an open-ended survey, where educators shared their experiences, perceptions, and challenges related to special education support. The secondary research involved analyzing existing studies, policy documents, and academic literature to provide context and support for the findings. A thematic analysis was used to identify common patterns, with the key findings being accessibility of resources, funding challenges, staffing shortages, and policy effectiveness.

The research revealed that the availability of special education resources varies widely across schools, largely due to funding disparities and staffing shortages, resulting in inconsistent support for students. Although policies are in place to support special needs students, their implementation is often weak due to a lack of trained personnel as well as insufficient human and material resources. Additionally, major barriers to adequate support include underfunding (unproductive allocation of funding and resources), long wait times for services, and inadequate professional development for educators. Socioeconomic factors further influence the adequacy of support, as schools in lower-income areas face greater challenges in providing necessary resources, leading to disparities in service accessibility.

Lightning talk

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