The Special Education Consultant’s role involves the function of advising, leading, providing information, professional development, support and feedback to the teaching staff and administration, within the schools, with respect to students with special needs and their families. The Special Education Consultant will work as a liaison with the health sector professionals in order to facilitate the integration of the students with special needs in the school. The consultant is responsible for teaching services in connection with pedagogy, and particularly programs of study, learning and teaching strategies, nature and methods of evaluation, as well as research and innovation.
The ASD consultant provides assistance and guidance to the school team, to students with ASD and to their families. They assess and respond to the needs of the students by supporting the educational personnel in developing their capacity to meet a wide range of needs in the classroom. They facilitate and support the specialized self-contained classes as well as the integration of students with ASD in the regular classroom. They do so through direct intervention, coaching, professional development, and the sharing of resource materials
The speech-language pathologist’s primary role is to consult and collaborate with the school team in support of a student’s communication needs. The SLP focuses on the area of language, literacy, social communication, stuttering, and speech. Service delivery is primarily consultative in nature and encompasses prevention, assessment, and short-term focused intervention (for training purposes). After determining the student’s communication needs, the SLP develops programs, materials and strategies to promote optimal functioning in the relevant areas. This is to ensure that all concerned are meeting the student’s communication needs in a coordinated manner.
Itinerant Teacher (Montreal Oral School for the Deaf)
Itinerant teachers associated with the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf provide audiological evaluation and follow-up; consultation services for teachers regarding curriculum adaptation; IEP planning and exam modifications; management of hearing aids and other amplification systems; provision of in-service for in-school personnel; academic support to students.
The occupational therapist (OT) provides a school-based consultative service to students who are displaying difficulties at school due to fine motor, gross motor, perceptual, and/ or sensory processing challenges. OTs use in-class observations, screenings and/or evaluations to identify personal and environmental factors that may interfere with a student’s functioning and learning. In collaboration with teachers, parents, other professionals, and special needs education support staff, OTs make recommendations for school-based intervention plans as well as recommend adaptive aids to help improve a student’s occupational performance.
Transition from School to Active Life (TSAL)
The Transition from School to Active Life (TEVA – Transition Ecole Vie Active) process supports students as they move from school into adulthood. It is a coordinated, concerted plan of activities, and a collaborative approach involving the student, their family, school staff, and community partnerships. Together, with the continuum of services, we plan and carry out activities that promote each young person’s well-being, independence, and successful participation in society.
Through TEVA, each student develops a personalized life plan that connects to their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This plan considers all aspects of the student’s life — such as education, employment, housing, transportation, social networks, leisure, and community involvement. The team identifies the student’s needs, sets priorities, and defines clear goals to guide the transition process. As the student grows and progresses, interventions are adjusted to ensure continued support and a smooth transition into adult life.
