The Program Planning Team, informed by comprehensive assessment, determines appropriate programming and records it on an Individual Education Plan. Programming options include:

Accommodations - Accommodations are required alterations in the way learning tasks are presented and accomplished to allow students to access learning.Students requiring academic, accessibility, adaptive, or social-emotional/behavioural skill development programming may avail of accommodations.

Alternate Course - An alternate course completely replaces the prescribed curriculum in a subject/course. It may be one of two types:

• Alternate Curricular Course - An academic course representing curriculum significantly different from the student's grade level. It may occur in any subject area. Students requiring adaptive skill development programming may avail of an alternate curricular course with decreased challenge. Students requiring enrichment programming may avail of an alternate curricular course with increased challenge.
• Alternate Non-Curricular (Life Skills) Course - A course that supports life skills development. It completely replaces a subject/course. Students requiring adaptive skill development programming who do not meet the criteria for an alternate curriculum may avail of an alternate non-curricular course.

Alternate Curriculum - An alternate curriculum is a completely individualized curriculum that replaces all prescribed curriculum. It consists of programming in career development, personal development, independent living, and functional academics. Students requiring moderate to substantial adaptive skill development programming may avail of an alternate curriculum.

Intensive Intervention determined by the Program Planning Team (RTL K-6) or Alternate Program (SDM 7-12)- These programming options extend (in time and intensity) the teaching and learning of foundational skills beyond those outlined in the prescribed curriculum's program of studies. They develop basic skills which support students in accessing prescribed and modified prescribed courses. They may be one of two types:

Students requiring academic or adaptive skill development programming may avail of the academic programming options [foundational literacy and/or numeracy intensive intervention (K-6) or pre-requisite program (7-12)]. Students requiring social-emotional/behavioural or adaptive skill development programming may avail of the non-academic programming options [social-emotional learning intensive intervention (K-6) or a non-curricular program (7-12)].

Modified Prescribed Course - A modified prescribed course is a prescribed curriculum course that has outcomes/indicators altered. Such a course will result in either increasing or decreasing challenge. Students requiring enrichment programming may avail of a modified prescribed course with increased challenge. Students requiring academic or adaptive skill development programming may avail of a modified prescribed course with decreased challenge. 

With respect to academic skill development programming, most students requiring modified prescribed courses have significant needs in language or numeracy.  Only a comprehensive assessment led by an Educational Psychologist or Guidance Counsellor can be used to determine whether a student would benefit from a modified prescribed course. A decision to offer modified prescribed programming is not based on the results of language assessments in isolation.

For more information on Special Education Programs, see the Responsive Teaching and Learning Policy OR the Service Delivery Model on the Department of Education Website.