Alberta parents fight for funding and support for students who are visually impaired

A petition calling for equitable education for all Alberta students is gaining momentum.

Calgary mom Chris Abdalla started the petition on behalf of her 13-year-old son Zachary, who is visually impaired, as well as all Alberta students with vision loss.

“All we’re asking is for them to have the same educational outcomes as their sighted peers,” Abdalla added.

The petition points out the announcement of a new funding model earlier this year, and the disbanding of the Regional Collaborative Service Delivery (RCSD) and the limitation of Services for Students with Visual Impairements (SSVI), have left the educational supports for Alberta’s students with vision loss vulnerable.

Abdalla said educational resources for these kids were already limited before the changes.

“They do not have the best equipment to fit their needs,” she said. “There’s a lot of make-do’s”

Zack Abdalla agreed and is worried it’s only going to get worse.

“A lot of the technology stuff, like the more high-tech things, I feel like I won’t be able to get that,” he said

Gabriel Pigeon said he was already feeling like he wasn’t getting the support he needs.

“It makes me feel different and mad,” the 13-year-old said.

Abdalla said with just weeks to go until schools reopen, the government hasn’t done anything to address their concerns.

“We’re hearing nothing about how the government is going to take responsibility and accountability to ensure that these kids get the same access as the other students.”

Alberta government response

Global News asked the the province to respond to those concerns and the petition.

In a statement, a representative for the education minister said, in part: “The decision to redirect Regional Collaborative Service Delivery (RCSD) funding to individual school authorities was made after extensive consultation with school authorities, and all of the funding that used to flow to RCSD remains in the education system.”

Acting press secretary for education Kassandra Kitz also added: “Budget 2020 includes $556 million for the Specialized Learning Supports Grant. Every single school authority will be seeing an increase in their operational funding and they will receive the funding they need to support all of their students.”