Add to favoritesWritten by Martin Smit, Educational Consultant, LDAO
Equality vs Equity in Education
The difference between Equity and Equality in schools has been a topic of much discussion. Although a common definition is not readily agreed upon, in general terms, equality can be defined as giving everyone access the same resources, while equity means giving individual students access to the specific resources they need to learn and thrive. Recent reports in Ontario have brought to light several important issues related to educational equity. The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), Canadian Census Data, and Lifting the Curtain on EQAO Scores, a report from the International Dyslexia Association - Ontario (IDA Ontario), have shown how vulnerable students with disabilities are and the barriers to learning they face. Issues of equity include many different and important components including culture, gender identification and socioeconomics, to name a few. The importance and interconnectedness of all barriers are acknowledged, but this article examines the issues related to the use of assistive technology (AT) for students with learning disabilities (LDs).
What the Data Reveals
In 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released a policy document entitled Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities. This report calls attention to the reality that “students with disabilities continue to face obstacles in their attempts to access educational services in Ontario” (OHRC, 2018, pg. 4)
These barriers can include:
- ineffective communication with parents and students about their right to accommodation;
- insufficient resources and supports in the classroom;
- long waiting lists for assessments;
- negative attitudes;
- and stereotypes.
The 2017 Canadian Census data reports similar barriers for people with disabilities aged 15 and over. Key points include that 22% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over, (about 6.2 million individuals) had one or more disabilities, and 77% of youths with disabilities also had a mental health-related disability and/or a learning disability (LDAC, 2019).
It is also well known that people with disabilities are often more likely to have lower levels of education, decreased likelihood of employment, higher rates of poverty, and poorer health (Statistics Canada, 2018). These statistics place a strong moral obligation on educators to ensure that barriers are removed or mitigated and that students with disabilities are accessing an equitable educational experience.
In 2012, The Moore Family launched a human rights complaint against a British Columbia school board. They claimed their son was not given the accommodations he required in order to learn and had been discriminated against based on his learning disability. The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the legal right to a meaningful education for students with learning disabilities (Moore v. British Columbia (Education), 2012 SCC 61). The ruling found that meaningful access to education occurs when student needs are considered on an individual basis. This ruling set the stage for the Right to Read Report released by the OHRC in Feb 2022.
Click here for more information on Moore vs BC case.
Lifting the Curtain on EQAO Scores, a report released by the Ontario Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA Ontario), analyzed EQAO scores over the past 15 years and identified concerns with meaningful access to education. Three key findings in this report include the following: a significant increase (from 3% to 18%) in the use of assistive technology (AT); a continuous decline in the number of students completing and passing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT); and little to no improvement in the unassisted pass rate for students with IEPs (IDA Ontario, 2021).
The IDA Ontario findings, along with the Moore vs British Columbia case, indicate a serious flaw in the current educational system’s use of assistive technology. Both reports helped to support the findings of the OHRC’s 2022 Right to Read report. This report addresses 157 recommendations to the Ministry of Education, school boards and faculties of education on how to address systemic issues that affect the right to learn to read. Among these recommendations, the report clearly recognizes that “within the current system, accommodations such as assistive technology are often being used in place of making sure all students learn to read using a science-based core curriculum and instruction and early, tiered evidence-based interventions” (OHRC, 2022, pg. 48).
Current trend in Ontario
The educational model in Ontario schools continues to move closer to one of equity. Students can access various individualized supports for their learning that may include accommodations or modifications to programs and curriculum. These supports can include preferential seating, extra time, or the use of specialized tools such as assistive technology. For students with a learning disability, accommodations that address barriers to learning do not always achieve their desired goal. Accommodations for students with LDs are sometimes provided without sufficient attention to the specific barriers that need to be addressed for the individual student.
The Right to Read report found that students using digital assistive technology (AT) often had insufficient training or preparation, which can cause them to become reluctant users or keep them from making full use of the support. It has become more common for all students to have equal access to some AT resources. However, for those who face specific barriers, the use of AT needs to be thoughtful and precise. This approach will enable students to complete work, reduce stressful tasks like reading, or demonstrate understanding. When individual students have specific barriers addressed, they will have meaningful access to their education.
Click here to read the section of the Right to Read Inquiry Report pertaining to accommodations.
While AT can help students access curriculum, many students with LDs continue to face inappropriate classroom placement or streaming options which can severely limit their post-secondary opportunities. These placements may also lead to poor self-esteem and increased chances of not completing their educational or life outcome potential. AT is a common accommodation in Ontario schools, but it is not typically considered an early intervention. AT typically does not close gaps in learning, and on its own can be discriminatory and a barrier to learning (OHRC, 2022, pg. 43). This barrier has not been easily detected in Ontario because the province’s EQAO assessments do not measure all students’ true ability to read and write. Students who use speech-to-text or text-to-speech accommodations may have their comprehension and other skills measured, but underperformance in their ability to read or write is not measured. This lack of measurement can provide a false sense of progress or ability, which may be difficult when these skills are required in postsecondary or workplace settings (IDA Ontario, 2021). Simply put, AT is not an evidence-based intervention and does not help students learn to read. Therefore, the use of AT can easily become a goal that is not specific enough; and this may lead to an increased sense of isolation for students with LDs as they watch their classmates improve in reading skills, while their own skills remain stagnant or fall behind.
Another equity concern with the use of AT is it may keep students from receiving more appropriate Tier 2 and 3 supports. An educator might assume that tools like speech-to-text or text-to-speech are meeting the student’s needs, and therefore no further intervention is required. However, in order to remove barriers, these students require a multipronged approach that allows them to meet the classroom curricular expectations, while also closing the gaps in basic skills such as decoding and word recognition. Identification of a student's individual needs requires the use of screeners and targeted testing. Once an academic profile for a student is developed, educators can develop a focused plan to improve these specific skills, and students will be able to access supports and progress monitoring in the appropriate tier with the appropriate frequency and intensity. This ensures a clear distinction between the purpose of AT and the development of specific skills.
Ensuring Equity with Assistive Technology
Equitable use of assistive technology begins with a detailed discussion about the unique strengths and needs of the student. Assessment data such as psychological testing, academic testing, and personal information is readily available for students with an identified learning disability. For students who are not formally identified, school-level testing, personal information and observational data will be necessary. Using a tool such as AT Select is a good starting point. This web resource helps educators determine which AT is best to support a student and what specific outcomes can be expected. But this is only part of the journey toward ensuring equity in education.
There are many resources such as the Reading Pyramid, The Reading Rope, and the Road to Reading that can help educators gain a thorough understanding of the complexity of teaching a student to read. Understanding and using these tools helps identify specific skills that need to be taught and practiced. They will also help determine how technology can support the instruction of specific skills, shifting the use of AT from assistive technology to instructional technology. Instructional AT can monitor progress and adjust pacing based on the individual needs of the students. With a clearly defined education plan, teachers can differentiate between accommodations that help a student access the curriculum and those that are building skills in decoding and word recognition.
Assistive technology is an indispensable tool for removing barriers to education for students with learning disabilities. There is clear evidence that we need to be cautious and thoughtful in how we use AT to support students in order to ensure that they have meaningful access to education. With the new focus on evidenced-based literacy instruction in Ontario, educators will need to take care to ensure that students with a learning disability continue to improve specific reading skills along with all other students. The use of AT must serve a dual role as intervention support, as well as a tool to help access grade-level curriculum and demonstrate learning. A balanced and well-monitored approach to the use of assistive technology is the most equitable solution for supporting students with learning disabilities.
References:
IDA Ontario (2021). Lifting the Curtain on EQAO Scores. International Dyslexia Association Ontario. Retrieved August 30, 2022, from https://www.idaontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LiftingTheCurtainOnEQAO69747.pdf.
LDAC (2019). Canadian survey on disability - reports a demographic, employment and Income Profile of Canadians with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 2017. The Learning Disability Association of Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2022, from https://www.ldac-acta.ca/canadian-survey-on-disability-reports-a-demographic-employment-and-income-profile-of-canadians-with-disabilities-aged-15-years-and-over-2017/#:~:text=HIGHLIGHTS,aged%2075%20years%20and%20over.
Statistics Canada (2018). Canadian Survey on Disability Reports: A demographic, employment and income profile of Canadians with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2022, from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016015/98-200-x2016015-eng.cfm
