The Wisp team was developed for students with varying disabilities who had been integrated into the mainstream school system.
It was designed to improve thier abilities, such as manual, communitive and etiquette skills along with their self esteem. The emphasis was to help them achieve life skill outcomes across a variety of areas. At risk students are also included in this program.
The program began in an informal manner with tasks being found throughout the school that the students could perform. Some of the original tasks were assissting in the school canteen, carrying out a variety of tasks in the administrative area, and garden maintenance.
The students participate in a WISP placement each day. They are accompanied by a Teacher Aide (no more than two special needs students to each Teacher Aide). After its initial success the program developed further with an official format and it began to grow. This program which was originally designed to help the students also became a project that helped the school and as their value to school community grew so did their self esteem. Their attendance improved and they began establishing relationships within the team an important issue for special needs students.
