Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our survey certainly indicated that the numbers that were identified are far below what may be out there, but we had to live with the statistics and the process that was in place to record those who were clinically diagnosed. So the Member is correct. We feel there is a requirement out there for an ability to assess students and I feel that with the many discussions that are taking place in this whole area, it is an area that some attention needs to be paid to. We are discussing this with Health and Social Services through our social envelope process, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am of the belief that I do not think anyone could take effective action unless we know what the problems are. If we do not have enough manpower or womanpower to diagnose the problem, I do not know how any words being spoken here have any meaning. Mr. Speaker, may I ask the Minister whether or not he has any plans to get the necessary resources to make sure that all those in need are diagnosed and assessed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Premier stated, we are working on a social action plan and there needs to be broad collaboration in the approach to that whole area. The Minister of Health and Social Services is the lead in that area. In the interim, Mr. Speaker, and certainly I can speak on the education matters, our approach is that all students are in the system that may require assistance no matter what ailments or what diagnosis they are under. Where we work from is trying to provide them with as much resource help as possible and to provide as much training and education in various fields including a concentration on FAS/FAE. Hopefully, much more so in the future, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's expression of intention to look at the special needs situation of students, but could the Minister advise as to whether or not there is anything in place right now that trains people specifically for special needs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand with regard to Aurora College, there was a program referenced earlier for northern intervention workers and our teachers do partake in workshops and our department resources material as much as possible because this is coming to the fore. I must state, however, it is becoming a much more prominent issue that will require more and more attention as we speak and in the future, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for Minister Ootes, the Minister responsible for Education. The recent student support needs assessment indicates that 73 percent of the student population requires support. The support being an additional services above and beyond those provided to all students as part of the regular school program, Mr. Speaker. Support most often provided is program modification to accommodate difficulty in learning.

I note that in the Department of Education's telephone listings, there are 12 coordinator positions in the area of early childhood and school services. Given that 73 percent of the students in our schools require support above what is supplied in the regular classroom, are any of these coordinators specialists in special needs assessment and development of programs for students with special needs?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know what the specific qualifications of these particular positions and the individuals that fill them, Mr. Speaker. Certainly a good question and an interesting one, and I can certainly provide the Member with further data on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would appreciate further data on that. I am also wondering if the boards and DECs have trained professionals who supply special needs assessment and decide which classrooms in fact need support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The DECs, the DEAs do, in some cases, contract services for special help in the case of specific needs. They do that in some cases through their own employees, but in other cases through contracted situations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement, there are consultants in British Columbia producing FAS training modules which may be transferable to other jurisdictions. I am wondering if the department has investigated these modules as a possible resource to assist teachers in the classroom.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a sharing of information between the various jurisdictions on a very cooperative basis, the western provinces and the northern territories. We participate in that, Mr. Speaker. It has been a valuable resource for us to obtain information. The reference to the Member to that particular program is one that I am not sure they have, but if it was developed by the education system in British Columbia, there is no doubt in my mind that we would have had knowledge of it and, in all likelihood, have made use of it or parts of it. Thank you.

Merci, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am hoping the Minister will confirm that. I am also hoping that here today, he would commit to either developing our own or acquiring FAS programs that teachers in the Northwest Territories can use to assist our children in the classrooms. Thank you.