The Fall 2024 semester registration is now open > Apply Now!
Beginning in Fall 2022, students in this program will be eligible to apply for the Québec Perspective Scholarship Program 
. This incentive scholarship will provide students in eligible programs with $1,500 for each full-time session successfully completed and up to $9,000 in total. More details will be available on the Quebec government website .
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The DEC in Special Care Counselling is a three-year pre-university or workforce preparation program. It allows the student to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary to exercise the profession of a Special Education Technician. Alternatively, the student also has the option of advancing to university studies in a related field.
Graduates of this program will be able to work with people who have different problems that cause maladjustment to social inclusion or people with physical or psychological disabilities, behavioral problems, or disorders linked to mental health. This program will teach students to create innovative interventions that may be adapted to all age groups, whether they target children, teenagers, adults, or seniors.
The DEC program also satisfies the same skills and competencies targeted by the two-year AEC program in Special Education. However, note that different admission requirements apply for AEC programs.
WHAT DO SPECIAL EDUCATION TECHNICIANS DO?
The role of a Special Education Technician, or a SET, is to analyze and evaluate the problem of the person involved in the family and his or her community, to develop a suitable intervention plan, and make individual or group interventions. These activities are based on the situations of everyday life to improve communication as well as every dimension of the life of the person in difficulty (emotional, social, cognitive, psychomotor, morale, etc.).
The SET will work closely with resource persons in the health and social services as well as education and community organizations. The personal development of the student, their understanding of human problems and of their social environment, their capacity to provide quality interaction, their knowledge of the approaches, and their adequate control of the intervention process are at the heart of the training offered and are part of the program goals.
WHAT WOULD MY UNIVERSITY OPTIONS BE?
Graduates of the Special Care Counselling DEC program have the option of advancing to university-level studies. The program fully prepares students to apply to higher education in:
- Kindergarten and Elementary Education
- Linguistics
- Educational Psychology
- Psychology
- Behavioural Science
- Child studies
- Human Environment
JOB WITH A PROMISING FUTURE
Qualified professionals and skilled technicians within the Education and Early Childhood Education sectors in the province of Quebec are currently in high demand leading to jobs with excellent compensation and benefits.
Evening Courses
TAV College offers evening courses in addition to daytime courses. For more information please contact the academic advisor for this program.
MORE INFO
PROGRAM TYPE
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION
APPLICATION DEADLINES
DURATION
PROGRAM CAPACITY
APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR
PROGRAM CODE
Comprehensive evaluation
ADMISSION PROCESSWHY STUDY THE SPECIAL CARE COUNSELLING DEC PROGRAM AT TAV COLLEGE?
Helped by dynamic teachers who are committed and active in the special education field, you will learn to share the experiences of people in difficulty and to intervene while developing caregiving skills for this customer base. You will have developed qualities and abilities that will make you a significant person for people who are themselves in difficulty in their personal and social environment. Throughout the program, you will be in contact with different working environments by visiting and meeting professionals in practical settings. All the teachers in this program are in the special education work field. TAV also offers an in-depth intervention approach with people with language difficulties.
One program, many opportunities!
Our Special Education programs allow students to do internships and apply practical skills in various locations, including the CIUSSS, the CSSDM, and more!
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this program is to train qualified individuals to serve as specialized educators. Special Education technicians work with people who have different issues: physical or psychological disabilities, conduct disorders, mental disorders, learning disabilities, or health problems, to support their adaptation, their rehabilitation, or their social integration.
GOALS OF THE GENERAL EDUCATION COMPONENT
The general education components are common to all pre-university programs and contribute to the development of twelve competencies that are associated with the three aims of college education:
- To educate students to live responsibly in society:
- Demonstrate independence and creativity in thought and action
- Demonstrate rational, critical, and ethical thinking
- Develop strategies that promote reflection on their knowledge and actions
- Pursue the development of a healthy and active lifestyle
- Assume their social responsibilities
- To help students integrate cultural knowledge into their studies:
- Recognize the influence of culture and lifestyle on the practice of physical activity and sports
- Recognize the influence of the media, sciences or technology on culture and lifestyle
- Analyse works in philosophy or the humanities emanating from different historical periods and movements
- Appreciate literary and non-literary works of other artistic expressions emanating from different historical periods and movements
- To help students integrate cultural knowledge into their studies:
- To help students master language as a tool for thought, communication and openness to the world:
- Improve communication in the second language
- Master the basic rules of discourse and argumentation
- Refine oral and written communication in the language of instruction
What will you learn?
Graduates from the Special Care Counselling DEC program will be well prepared to do the following :
- To examine the job functions of a special care counselor
- To become familiar with community resources and services
- To communicate with clients and members of a work team
- To examine biopsychosocial adjustment issues.
- To gather information about the client’s behavior
- To design development activities and clinical tools
- To evaluate the ability of the client’s living environment to provide appropriate support
- To assist a client in need of help
- To associate approaches, objectives, and techniques with specific adjustment problems
- To abide by the code of ethics of the profession
- To establish a caring and helpful relationship
- To carry out adaptive and rehabilitative activities for clients with an intellectual disability
- To carry out activities for young people with learning or language difficulties
- To carry out adaptive and rehabilitative activities for clients with a physical impairment or neurological disorder
- To act as a facilitator for groups of clients or work teams
- To carry out activities for older individuals who are no longer autonomous
- To carry out adaptive and rehabilitative activities for young people with adjustment difficulties
- To protect their personal well-being
- To analyze the relationship between social phenomena and adjustment problems
- To carry out rehabilitative activities for clients with mental-health and drug-addiction problems
- To carry out adaptive and rehabilitative activities for clients who are socially excluded or who are perpetrators or victims of violence
- To develop an intervention plan
- To interact with clients from cultural and ethnic communities different from their own
- To carry out adaptive and rehabilitative activities for clients who are reentering society or the workplace
- To intervene in a crisis
- To draw up and carry out an integrated intervention project
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DEC AND AEC PROGRAMS?
While both the DEC and AEC Special Education programs prepare students to immediately enter the workforce and begin their careers, there are a few noteworthy differences between the two:
The difference between an AEC and a DEC in Special Education
The main differences between obtaining an AEC and a DEC in Special Education in Quebec are the following:
AEC
- Takes 24 months to complete.
- Students are only required to complete program-specific courses.
- There is no Ministerial Exit Exam.
- Graduates do not obtain the credits needed to advance to university.
DEC
- Takes 36 months to complete.
- Students are required to complete a general education component of their studies in addition to program-specific courses.
- Students must pass the Ministerial Exit Exam in order to graduate.
- Graduates may advance to university.
Information for international students
PGWP
This program is eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
Intakes
Fall, Winter
For more information
Updated: January 18, 2023