IBI was therapy, not an educational placement the Tribunal could require.
Parents appealed special education placement decisions maintaining that the child with severe autism required a placement consisting of intensive behavioural intervention rather than the Board's ASD/PDD classroom.
The Tribunal held that it could hear the placement appeal, but drew a distinction between educational placement and therapeutic programming, concluding that IBI was therapy rather than education and could not be ordered in lieu of an educational program.
After reviewing expert and lay evidence, the Tribunal found the Board's placement developmentally appropriate, comprehensive, and supported by qualified staff and interdisciplinary resources.
The Tribunal further found that the parents had not proven regression or shown that the proposed IBI-based placement was superior.
The appeal was denied and the IPRC placement decisions were affirmed.
OSETOntario Special Education (English) TribunalMay 28, 2004
