Communication Classes & Other Specialized Classes in Ontario Schools…
Published June 24, 2026
Families hear a lot of different names — "communication class," "ASD class," "community class," "intensive support program," "learning hub." It's confusing, because they often describe the same kind of thing under different labels. This guide explains what a specialized class actually is, the category it falls under, and what each board across the Greater Toronto Area calls its version.
<h2>What a specialized class is</h2><p>A specialized class — formally called a <strong>special education class</strong>, and sometimes a <strong>self-contained class</strong> — is one where a student receives most or all of their program in a smaller setting with specialized teaching and support staff, rather than in the regular classroom.</p><p>Under Ontario's rules, placement isn't just "regular class or specialized class." There's a continuum, and a specialized class sits at the more intensive end:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Regular class with indirect support</strong> — the student is in the regular class; staff consult behind the scenes.</p></li><li><p><strong>Regular class with resource assistance</strong> — specialized instruction, individually or in a small group, <em>within</em> the regular class.</p></li><li><p><strong>Regular class with withdrawal assistance</strong> — the student leaves the regular class for specialized help less than half the day.</p></li><li><p><strong>Special education class with partial integration</strong> — the student is in a special education class for at least half the day and joins a regular class for part of it.</p></li><li><p><strong>Special education class full-time</strong> — the student receives their entire program in the special education setting.</p></li></ul><p>The last two are what people usually mean by a specialized class. Class sizes in these settings are capped by provincial regulation, which is why they're smaller than a regular class.</p><p>Both kinds of placement are valued, and the right one depends entirely on the individual student. As a procedural step, the IPRC first looks at whether a regular class with supports can meet the student's needs; where a smaller, more individualized setting would serve the student better, a specialized class is recommended. Many families actively seek out a specialized class for exactly that reason — the smaller size and more focused, individualized attention — while others prefer their child remain in a regular class with support. Neither is better in the abstract; it comes down to the right fit for the child.</p><h2>The umbrella: which category these classes fall under</h2><p>Every student who receives special education in Ontario is considered under one of <strong>five categories of exceptionality</strong> set out in the Education Act:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Behaviour</strong></p></li></ul>
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