Inclusion Outreach assists school teams and families in developing meaningful and inclusive programs for K-12 students with multiple and complex disabilities within BC schools. The strategies, learning modules and other resources in this website are provided to maximize student learning.

The Inclusion Outreach team builds capacity in schools by providing direct training and ongoing distance mentoring support to district partners, teachers, therapists, itinerants and educational assistants.

The Inclusion Outreach Courses: Supporting the Inclusion of Students with Complex Needs are available at https://openschool.bc.ca/inclusionoutreach/

Philosophy

The philosophical foundation that guides our practice is based on the belief that educational programs for students with disabilities must enhance their current and future quality of life. Learning objectives must be functional, meaningful and address presence, choice, competence, respect, and inclusion as a framework for planning and accountability in a student’s school program.

Five Quality of Life Outcomes

These outcomes identified by John O’Brien have been used as a framework for planning and accountability in the student’s school program. These outcomes focus on relevant GOALS that reflect the student’s values and those of the family.

Presence is the sharing of the ordinary places that define community life.

Choice is the experience of autonomy both in small, everyday matters and in large, life-defining matters. Personal choice defines and expresses individual identity.

Competence is the opportunity to perform functional and meaningful activities with whatever level or type of assistance required.

Respect is having a valued place among a network of people and valued roles in community life.

Inclusion is the experience of being part of a growing network of personal relationships that includes close friends.