Dr. T. Managhan

The parents of an 11-year-old autistic child appealed the school board's placement decision, seeking a fully integrated regular classroom placement with a dedicated Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) program using the Lovaas method.

The school board proposed a life skills program in a segregated setting with integration as appropriate, arguing that a fully integrated setting was inappropriate due to the child's behavioural issues and that pure ABA was a therapeutic, not educational, program.

The Special Education Tribunal held that its jurisdiction was limited to placement, not program.

The Tribunal recommended placement in a life skills program with appropriate integration, daily language instruction, and that the board utilize the parents' expert's services for staff training.