INDIAN CONTROL AND THE DELIVERY OF SPECIAL-EDUCATION SERVICES TO STUDENTS IN BAND-OPERATED SCHOOLS IN MANITOBA

The article addresses the need for special education programs for Indi an students in Manitoba and relates this to a review of special educat ion program delivery and supports in band-operated schools in the prov ince. Although indicators of need suggest that Indian students may hav e greater and more complex special education needs than the general pr ovincial population, until recently few Indian students living on rese rves in Manitoba have been identified as having special needs. The low identification rate may be related to both lack of resources and mist rust within Indian schools and communities of special education assess ment methods and programs. A review of special education programs in f ive band-operated schools shows that there are problems in the develop ment, monitoring, and operation of special education programs in these schools. Although in theory the financial resources available for Ind ian special education programs compare favorably with those available in provincial schools, in practice Indian schools are functioning in i solation without the benefit of a regional or provincial system of spe cialist, planning, and monitoring supports. Five interrelated steps ar e proposed that could improve special education services in Manitoba's Indian schools.