Campus Alberta: Inclusive/Special Education Initiative

Overview & Synopsis

Important directives for a provincial initiative in continuing professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators, in inclusive/special education, have recently taken place in Alberta. The four major Alberta Universities have been working together since October of 2000, to develop a model for professional development options in inclusive/ special education. Feedback from pertinent stakeholder groups indicated a need for educators to have increased access to undergraduate and graduate level special education courses and programs. Stakeholder feedback also suggested that the implementation of inclusive education to support growing student diversity in Alberta schools requires the participation and commitment of regular class educators and school administrators. Accordingly, this paper describes a flexible, cost-recovery model that meets the professional development needs of special and regular educators, as well as school administrators.