Disabled students continue to face barriers constructed and enforced by our schools. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization estimates that, globally, children with disabilities are twice as likely to be denied access to education.
Students and their support networks, families, advocates and experts can no longer accept school systems that uphold inequality for the disabled community. Ableist barriers continue to impede the human rights of disabled students in Canada.
The Manitoba Human Rights Commission released the first phase of its report exploring the right to access evidence-based reading interventions in Manitoba’s public education system on Oct. 30, 2025.
The inquiry was initiated in 2022 after the commission continued to hear that students with reading disabilities were experiencing barriers to accessing timely reading interventions in their local public schools.
Related to this, the Manitoba government has passed Bill 225 to require universal early reading screenings for all kindergarten to Grade 4 students.
Upholding student rights
In a landmark 2012 case, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that human rights laws in Canada protect every student’s right to an equal opportunity to learn to read.
The court’s Moore v. British Columbia (Education) decision affirmed that learning to read is not a privilege or luxury, but a basic and essential human right in Canada. The court said:
“Adequate special education … is not a dispensable luxury. For those with severe learning disabilities, it is the ramp that provides access to the statutory commitment to education made to all children.”
While this decision is celebrated as a significant step toward advancing the rights of students with disabilities, in the years since it was released, barriers continued to be reported. This led to the different respective special investigations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
Read more: Reading disabilities are a human rights issue — Saskatchewan joins calls to address barriers
Important step in Manitoba
The recommendations from the October 2025 Manitoba report Supporting The Right to Read in Manitoba: The ABCs of a Rights-Based Approach to Teaching Reading are a first step in addressing the discrimination against children with reading disabilities in Manitoba’s public education system.
The report details how education is essential for unlocking opportunities, personal growth and allowing students to access their other fundamental rights, as well as promoting equality and belonging.
Reading is the foundation of learning and a fundamental skill that shapes every aspect of life. Students who cannot read well are more likely to face challenges in school, work and everyday life.
When students cannot access reading instruction, it affects their confidence, mental health and long-term opportunities.
Learning disabilities are the most prevalent disability in the K-12 education system, and reading disabilities are by far the most prevalent type of learning disability. Importantly, many prefer the term dyslexia over reading disability.
‘Attitudinal barriers’
The Manitoba Human Rights Commission found that “attitudinal barriers and stigma impacting the uptake and efficacy of accommodations” continue to maintain inequalities for the dyslexic community.
These attitudinal barriers amount to systemic ableism, a topic I have previously explored. Ableism is enacted and upheld by a system that harbours negative attitudes, stereotyping and discrimination towards people with disabilities.
Importantly, like other systems of oppression like racism and sexism, ableism continues to exist because of the combination of prejudice and power, particularly in schools.
One of the consistent findings of the Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan Human Rights Commissions is the need to implement a universal early reading screening, as recently acknowledged by Manitoba legislation.
Such a tool allows educators to identify reading challenges as early as possible. This is a critical step in enabling earlier access to evidence-based interventions when they are most effective.
Reading and literacy approaches
Manitoba’s report also highlights issues around teacher education and practice, noting that:
“Some teachers do not understand accommodation principles, the role of clinicians in supporting accommodations, or have limited knowledge of reading disabilities, foundational reading skills or teaching reading through a direct, explicit and structured approach.”
Currently, some researchers or educators are concerned that a focus on phonics-based learning (an aspect of direct instruction in reading) and early screening could undermine children’s agency and critical thinking.
There are also concerns that an emphasis on direct instruction could risk ignoring important insights about children’s sociocultural contexts and situations.
Given the spectrum of abilities within Manitoba classrooms, multiple approaches to literacy should be implemented, providing inclusion and access.
Manitoba must provide access to reading interventions that provide structured literacy while honouring linguistic and cultural diversity, the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Calls to Action — and are grounded in the five tenets of inclusive education: togetherness, belonging, affirmation, opportunity and agency.
Nothing about us, without us: Community voice
Across Canada and globally, the dyslexia community has initiated a “Right to Read” movement to advance the rights of children, both with and without dyslexia, to gain access to reading instruction and, more broadly, education.
Challenging power in any system of oppression is often met with resistance and defensiveness. Redressing ableism is no different.
Encouragingly, one Yukon First Nations school board reports tremendous success with students’ reading when implementing both sounding out words (phonics) — part of direct reading instruction — and embedding cultural values in teaching.
Canadian education systems must confront ableist processes, attitudes and practices if all children, including those with dyslexia, are able to realize the right to read. Our children are capable; we just need to provide them the opportunities and approaches that fit their needs.
This story was co-authored by Natalie Riediger, who has two children with dyslexia and is an associate professor, Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, at the University of Manitoba.
Michael Baker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
