Inclusive education is grounded in the belief that all students belong and are valued members of their neighbourhood school (Porter & Towell, 2017). In Canada, education is not overseen by a federal authority; instead, each province is responsible for its own system. For this reason, the present paper focuses on Ontario, the province with roughly 40% of the national population. Ontario’s education system includes a continuum of classroom settings. While many students with disabilities are educated in their local schools, experiences vary widely—from inclusive classrooms with supports for teachers and students to separate, specialized classrooms. Both schools and families have increasingly reported challenges in meeting the needs of students with disabilities (Mann et al., 2024; Reid et al., 2018). The current study examines parental satisfaction with schooling for students with disabilities, with particular attention to families who have considered or pursued a school change due to dissatisfaction. In this study, parents indicated that half of the children had Autism as their primary diagnosis, and the other half had an intellectual disability. All began their education in mainstream settings. Over time, 60% transitioned to segregated environments—40% during elementary school and 20% during secondary school. The remaining 40% moved to other mainstream schools, private schools, or homeschooling arrangements. Analysis of parent interviews revealed several consistent themes. The most significant factor influencing school changes was dissatisfaction with the existing system. Parents frequently felt their children were not receiving an adequate education, even when social experiences were positive. When parents described positive school experiences, they often attributed them to strong relationships with school staff. Educational assistants were frequently highlighted as especially important because they spent the most time with the child. Teachers were valued when they demonstrated strong instructional skills and maintained open, effective communication with families. Principals who showed leadership and a commitment to inclusion were also highly regarded. When asked about the ideal educational setting, all but one parent envisioned all students learning together in mainstream classrooms. However, most felt that the current system did not support this vision. Many expressed that the system focused too heavily on “fixing” their child rather than accepting them and providing meaningful choices and expectations. Parents emphasized the need for a more flexible curriculum that would allow diverse learners to participate together. To achieve this, they stressed the importance of increased teacher support, including additional training, teaching partners, and smaller class sizes.

Mann, G., Fleming, K., Specht, J., & Bobongie-Haris, F. (2024). Parents and teachers working together (pp.331-346). In L.J. Graham (Ed.), Inclusive education for the 21st century: Theory, policy, and practice. Routledge. Porter, G. L., & Towell, D. (2017). Advancing inclusive education: Keys to transformational change in public education systems. Https://inclusiveeducation.ca/2017/04/21/advancing-inclusive-education. Reid, L., Bennett, S., Specht, J., White, R., Somma, M., Li, X., Lattanzio, R., Gavan, K., Kyle, G., Porter, G., & Patel, A. (2018). If inclusion means everyone, why not me? Retrieved from https://www.inclusiveeducationresearch.ca/docs/why-not-me.pdf