Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Personally, I don't like the use of the word "mainstreaming" because I think it gives the connotation that somehow we want everyone to be equal and be the same. The circumstances don't always allow us to do that. We are not trying to create a policy that is inflexible. The fact is we are trying to include those who have special circumstances to be part of our general school system. There is a real need for us to develop specific strategies. Specific strategies doesn't mean that we have to be hard line one way or the other in terms of the delivery of programs to the students who need our support.

One problem for me that raises a very significant concern at times is the unwillingness of some of the educational leaders to appreciate the importance of trying to develop the appropriate strategy to deal with special needs children in their educational area.

The other thing is there is a kind of view held by some of the leaders that somehow these special needs students are so different and unmanageable that they should not have any responsibility for providing them with educational programs and services. That position is the opposite to what many parents and educational leaders have and that is there is an opportunity to do both. There is an opportunity to bring students with special needs into the general school population, while, at the same time, offering to those who need the additional support, specific and specialized educational programs to deal with their problems. I do agree in some ways that we shouldn't be so inflexible as a department. But the fact is if one reads the policies in place, there is flexibility allowed. What is very difficult for me is to get to a point where I can convince some of the educational leaders to be more open and innovative about the educational programming in order for us to meet the special needs of students.

The other element that has to be considered is when you do have schools specific, it is an additional cost. We cannot ignore the fact that there are additional costs to that. At the same time, I can appreciate the concern the honourable Member has raised. The one option that is always considered is schools within schools. In other words, identifying specific classrooms in existing educational facilities and delivering programs to those students in that environment, so they are not considered to be so different from other children that they feel unwanted and in a situation where they totally isolate themselves because they are seen as being different. In that context, we don't differ very significantly in how we try to address the issue. It is just that from experience in the system, I have seen how some of our leaders are dealing with this issue and it is not very proactive, as suggested by yourself earlier. We should become proactive and try to be innovative about the solutions we have.

I have spoken to Mr. Ballantyne, Mr. Chairman, on a number of occasions and he has given me some positive ideas as to how we might address this. It just seems sometimes we are banging our heads against the wall to try to bring others along with a view to address positively the needs of these children. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.