Media Advisory – Many Ontario schools failing students who have an intellectual disability
May 1, 2018
Media Advisory – Many Ontario schools failing students who have an intellectual disability
Toronto, ON – Many students who have an intellectual disability continue to face academic and social barriers in Ontario’s public school system, as well as instances of exclusion, conflicts with other students, staff and boards, poor planning and communication, and a lack of leadership at every level of the system. These are the findings of in-depth surveys and interviews with students’ parents as part of a research project titled, If Inclusion Means Everyone, Why Not Me?
What: Details of the research will be released by the authors of the report, a joint partnership between Community Living Ontario, Western University, Brock University, ARCH Disability Law Centre, Brockville and District Association for Community Involvement, and Inclusive Education Canada. A panel discussion between the report’s authors and students from Ryerson University’s Disability Studies program will follow.
Who: Comments on the report’s findings will be made by Dr. Sheila Bennett, Professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, Dr. Jacqueline Specht, Director of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education at Western University, and Luke Reid, Staff Lawyer with ARCH Disability Law Centre.
When: Friday, May 4, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. EST.
Where: Room SHE 560, Community Health Building, Ryerson University (99 Gerrard St., Toronto).
Media opportunities: The authors of If Inclusion Means Everyone, Why Not Me? will take questions from members of the media and will be available for one-on-one interviews following the release of the report. The media is welcome to stay for the panel discussion.
About ARCH Disability Law Centre: ARCH Disability Law Centre is a specialty community legal aid clinic dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights of people with disabilities in Ontario. ARCH provides legal services to help Ontarians with disabilities live with dignity and participate fully in our communities. We work with Ontarians with disabilities and the disability community on law reform, policy initiatives and community development, and provide legal advice and referrals, public legal education and litigation services.
For additional information, please contact: Ron Laroche, Director of Communications, Marketing and Fund Development for Community Living Ontario, T: 416-447-4348, ext. 223, M: 416-707-4907, rlaroche@communitylivingontario.ca.
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