An expert panel is telling the Newfoundland and Labrador government to scrap its existing policy on classroom inclusion.
The four-member task force, which conducted a review of the province's K-12 education system, says the Department of Education should rescind the 1996 policy and develop a new approach toward dealing with students with special needs.
Among other things, their report calls for using something called "small group instruction," both in and out of the regular classroom.
As well, it says individual program plans should be used to ensure all children are in school for a full day, preventing kids with special needs from being sent home.
There are also calls for creating an early identification and intervention system for students with challenges, and providing professional learning on a new special education policy.
The report, which includes 82 recommendations, also calls for big changes in the way the department deals with student mental health, math assessments and language arts.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.