FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL

AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

JAMAICA H. BALLERA

BEED3 1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page 1
Table of Content Tabke of Content 2
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION 3
Topic 1. What is an Inclusive Education? 3
Respond to this # 1 5
Hands-on Learning # 1 6
Topic 2. Benefits of Inclusive Education 7
Respond to this # 2 8
Hands-on Learning # 2 8
Topic 3. History of Inclusive Education 9
Respond to this # 3 14
Hands-on Learning # 3 16
UNIT 2: VISON, MISSION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICY 17
AND LEGAL BASES OF SPED IN THE COUNTRY
AND ABROAD.

Topic 1. Vision for Children with Special Needs 17

Topic 2. Policy, Goal and Objectives of Inclusive Education 18
Topic 3.The Legal Bases of Inclusive Education 19

Respond to this # 4 23
Hands-on Learning # 4 24
UNIT 3: SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND 27
SERVICES

Topic 1. Prevalence of Children and Youth with Special Needs 27

Respond to this # 5 29
Hands-on Learning # 5 31
Topic 2. Range of Special Education Programs and Services 32
Respond to this # 6 34
Hands-on Learning # 6 35
Topic 3. Inclusive Education for children with special needs 36
Respond to this # 7 38
Hands-on Learning # 7 41
Topic 4. Support Services for Children with Special Needs 41
Respond to this # 8 42
Hands-on Learning # 8 42

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UNIT 2:VISON, MISSION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICY AND LEGAL BASES OF
SPED IN THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

Objectives: At the end of the topic, you should be able to:

a. State the VMGO of the Inclusive Education/ SPEd

b. Identify issues related to the Policy of the Inclusive Education for All
c. Be acquainted with the existing Legal Bases of the SPEd in the country and
abroad.

Topic 1: Vision for Children with Special Needs

The Department of Education clearly states its vision for children with

special needs in consonance with the philosophy of inclusive education, thus:

“The State, community and family hold a common vision for the Filipino child with

special needs. By the 21stcentury, it is envisioned that he/she could be

adequately provided with basic education. This education should fully realize his/her

own potentials for development and productivity as well as being capable of self-

expression of his/her rights in society. More importantly, he/she is God-loving and proud

of being a Filipino.

It is also envisioned that the child with special needs will get full parental

and community support for his/her education w/o discrimination of any kind. This special

child should also be provided with a healthy environment along with leisure and

recreation and social security measures” (Department of Education

Handbook on Inclusive Education,2000)

Topic 2: Policy, Goal and Objectives of Inclusive Education

The policy on Inclusive Education for All is adopted in the Philippines to accelerate access to

education among children and youth with special needs. Inclusive education forms an integral

component of the overall educational system that is committed toan appropriate education for all

children and youth with special needs.

The goal of the special education programs of the Department of Education all over the

country is to provide children with special needs appropriate educational services within the

mainstream of basic education. The two-pronged goal includes the development of key

strategies on legislation, human resource development, family involvement and active

participation of government and non-government organizations. Likewise, there are major issues to

address on attitudinal barriers of the general public and effort towards the institutionalization and

sustainability of special education programs and services.

The aims of special education are the following:

a. Provide support services, vocational programs and work training, employment

opportunities for efficient community participation and independent living,

b. Provide a flexible and individualized support system for children and youth with

special needs in a regular class environment in schools nearest the students’ home.

c. Implement a life-long curriculum to include early intervention and parent education,

basic education and transition programs on vocational training or preparation for college, and
d. Make available an array educational programs and services: the Special

Education Center built on “a school within a school concept” as the resource center for

children and youth with special needs; inclusive education in regular schools, special and

residential schools, homebound instruction, hospital instruction and community-

based programs; alternative modes of service delivery to reach the advantaged children

in far- flung towns, depressed areas and underserved barangays.

Topic 3. The Legal Bases of Inclusive Education

Special Education in the Philippines is anchored on fundamental legal documents

that present a chronology of events in the growth and development of the program. The

first legal basis of the care and protection of children with disabilities was enacted in

1935. Articles 356 and 259 of Commonwealth Act No. 3203 asserted “the right of every

child to live in an atmosphere conducive to his physical, moral and intellectual

development “and the concomitant duty of the government duty of the government. “To

promote the full growth of the faculties of every child.”

Republic Act No. 3562. “An Act to promote the Education of the Blind in

the Philippines” on June 21, 1963 provided for the formal training of special

education teachers of blind children at the Philippine Normal College, the

rehabilitation of the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) and the

establishment of the Philippine Printing House of the Blind.

Republic Act No. 5250, “An Act of establishing a Ten-Year Teacher

Training Program for the Teachers of Special and Exceptional Children” was sign into

law in 1968. The law provided for the formal training of teachers for deaf, hard of

hearing, speech
handicapped, socially and emotionally disturbed, mentally retarded and mentally gifted

children and youth at the Philippine Normal College and the University of the Philippines.

The 1973 Constitution of the Philippines, the fundamental law of the land,

explicitly stated Section 8, Article XV the provision of “a complete, adequate and

integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development.” The

constitutional provision for the universality of educational opportunities and the

education of every citizen as a primary concern of the government clearly implies the

inclusion of exceptional children and youth.

In 1975, Presidential Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the Child and Youth

Welfare Code was enacted. Article 3 on the Rights of the Child provides among others

that “the emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted child shall be treated with

sympathy and understanding and shall be given the education and care required by his

particular condition.” Equally important is Article 74 which provides for the creation of

special classes. Thus, “where needs warrant, there for the physically handicapped, the

mentally retarded, the emotionally disturbed and the mentally gifted. The private sector

shall be given all the necessary inducement and encouragement.”

The 1978 presidential Decree No. 1509 created the National Commission

Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP). It was renamed as National Council for

the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP).

The Education Act of 1982 or Batas Pambansa Bilang 232 states that “the state

shall promote the right of every individual to relevant quality education regardless of sex,

age, breed socioeconomic status , physical and mental condition, social and ethnic origi
political and other affiliations. The State shall therefore promote and maintain equality

of access to education as well as enjoyment of the benefits of education by all its

citizens.”

Section 24 “Special Education Service” of the same law affirms that “the State

further recognizes its responsibility to provide, within the context of the formal education

system services to meet special needs of certain clientele. These specific types shall be

guided by the basic policies of state embodied on general Provisions of this Act which

include: (2) “special education, the education of persons who are physically, mentally,

emotionally, socially, culturally, different from the so-called ‘normal’ individuals that they

require modification of school practices/services to develop to their maximum capacity.”

In 1983, Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 was enacted. The Accessibility Law, “An

Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons” requires cars, buildings,

institutions, establishments and public utilities to install facilities and other devices for

the persons with disabilities.

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines cites the rights of exceptional children to

education in Article XIV. Section 1 declares the State shall protect and promote the right

of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make

such education accessible to all. Section 2 emphasizes that “the State shall provide

adult citizens, the disabled and out of school youth with training in civics, vocational

efficiency and other skills.”

In 1989, R.A. No. 7610 was enacted. The law declared August 1 of each year as

a “White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines.” Blind persons use the cane in travelling.
 In 1992, R.A. No. 7610 was enacted. The law is “An Act Providing for

Strong Deterrence and Special Protection against Child Abuse, Exploitation and

Discrimination, Providing Penalties for its Violation and Other Purposes.”

In the year 2000, Presidential Proclamation No 361 set new dates for the National

Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week Celebration on the third week of July

every year which shall culminate on the birth date of the Sublime Paralytic Apolinario

Mabini.

The year 2004 ushered in a landmark legislation spearheaded by the Department

of Health. Republic Act No. 9288 otherwise known as “the New-born Screening Act

2004” is based on premise that a retarded child could have been normal. A drop of

blood can save the baby from mental retardation and death. Newborn Screening is a

very simple test that should be given to the baby twenty-four hours after birth. If the test

given too late, the baby can either die or eventually be severely retarded.

Newborn screening is a blood test wherein a blood sample will be taken from the

heel of the child. The sample, which is dropped in a special paper, is then sent by the

hospital to a centralized testing center which is run by the National Institute of Health at

its head office at the University of the Philippines in Manila. The test primarily checks for

five metabolic disorders that could affect the health of the child within the first few weeks

of life. These are congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia,

galactosemia, and phenylketonuria and G6PD deficiency. If gone undetected,

these disorders may cause severe mental retardation, cataracts, severe anemia or even

death for the child. However, if these are diagnosed early enough, the child can grow up

as a normal, healthy human being. The test and the 24-hour window can literally be
the difference between life and death. If a baby is shown to be positive for any

of the disorders, the parents will be immediately informed and more test will be done to

the child to confirm the test. Once properly diagnosed, proper treatment and care can be

given to the baby to correct the disorder. The baby can then go on to live a happy and

normal life.

Respond to this # 4

1. Cite and discuss the Vision, Policy and Goals of Special Education in
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Philippines.

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2. In what way that these statements shaped the Special Education programs in

the Philippines?

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3. Enumerate the aims of Special Education in the country.

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4. As a future teacher, how do you look at yourself in the field handling children

with special needs?

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5. How do you see yourself 4-5 years from now? Write your own vision for children

with special needs. Explain your answer in not less than 200 words.

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Hands on Learning # 4

Interview a teacher who have experience to handl special children in his/her

class. With the challenges they have experienced, ask about his/her vision for SPEd 10

years from now. Are the challenges they have encountered and their vision have in

common? How?
UNIT 3: SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Objectives: At the end of the topic, you should be able to:

a. Explain the prevalence of Children and Youth with Special Needs

b. Explain the 1997 UNICEF report on the Situation Analysis of Children
and
Women in the Philippines.
c. Enumerate the Special Education Programs and Services
d. Discuss the inclusive Education for children with special needs
e. Elaborate support Services for Children with Special Needs

Topic 1: Prevalence of Children and Youth with Special Needs

Prevalence refers to the total number of cases of a particular condition, in

this chapter, those with exceptionality (giftedness and talent) and developmental

disabilities and impairments. Prevalence is viewed in two ways ( Grossman, 1983 cited

in Beirne- smith, 2002). Identifiable prevalence refers to the cases that have come in

contact with some systems. The number of children and youth with special needs is

derived from census data. On the other hand, true prevalence assumes that there are a

larger number of children and youth with special needs who are in school or in the

community who have not been identified as such and are not in the special

education programs of the Department of Education. Meanwhile, the word

incidence which is considerably synonymous in some contexts with the term

prevalence, refers to the number of new cases identified within a population over a

specific period of time.

The 1997 UNICEFF report on the Situation Analysis of Children and Women in the
Philippines indicates that the mean percentage of persons with some types of disabilities
is 13.4 per one thousand population. This means that 134 out of 1,000 persons have

certain disabilities. For every million of the population, 10,720 have certain disabilities. In

the projected population of eighty (80) million, more than eight and a half million have

disabilities. The distribution of the different categories of exceptionalities and disabilities

among children in as follows:

1. 43.3% have speech defects

2. 40.0% are mute

3. 33.3% have mental retardation

4. 25.9% are those without one or both arms or hands

5. 16.4% are those without one or both legs or feet

6. 16.3% have mental illnesses

7. 11.5% are totally deaf

8. 11.4% are totally blind

The universal estimate of the prevalence of children with special needs stands at

10% with disabilities ( World Health Organization) and 2% with giftedness and talent.

Half of the total population of 80 million belongs to the category of children and

youth whose chronological ages range from zero to twenty-four. Based on

these statistics and using the universal estimate of 12%, it may be assumed that at

least 4.8 million Filipino children and youth need special education services.

The true prevalence of those with disabilities is estimated to be four (4) million.

Those who are gifted and talented are estimated to number 800,000.
 Of the estimated number of exceptional children and youth how many are

enrolled in special education classes? At present, only a small number of these

children are in special education classes. Many of them remain unidentified in

regular classes and in the communities. Current figures show that there are seven

hundred ninety-four (794) special education programs in all the regions, six hundred

sixteen (616) of which are in public schools. One hundred forty-four (144)

programs utilize the Special Education Center delivery mode for the full or partial

mainstreaming of children with special and residential schools.

Respond to this # 5

1. Discuss the salient feature of the Prevalence of Children and Youth with

Special needs.

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Women in the Philippines.

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3. Define prevalence and its importance to SPEd.

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Hands on Learning # 5

Make a bucket list of information of 5 well-known Filipinos with disabilities that

amidst of their situations they became popular in their career. Paste their pictures below

and write short information about them.

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Topic 2: Range of Special Education Programs and Services

An army of special education programs

and services are available in the country. These

are offered by public schools and private institutions.

1. The Special Education Center is a service

delivery system which operates on the “ school within a school” concept.

The SPEED center functions as the base for the special education

programs in a school. A SPED principal administers the Center following

the rules and regulations for a regular school. The special education teachers

manage special or self- contained classes, mains streaming, tutorial and

mentoring resource room services, assessment, parent education, guidance and

counseling and advocacy programs to promote the education of children with

special needs in regular schools. The SPED teacher functions both as a

teacher and tutor as well as a consulting teacher to the regular school in planning

and implementing appropriate strategies for the maximum participation of the

special children in the regular class.

2. The special class or self-contained class is the most popular type among

the special education programs. A special class is composed of pupils with the

same exceptionality or disability. The special education teacher handles the

special class in the special education center or resources room. Thus, in

public and private regular schools, there are special classes for children

with mental retardation, giftedness and talent, hearing impairment, visual

impairment, learning disabilities, or behavior problems.

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3. Integration and mainstreaming programs have allowed children and youth

with disabilities to study in regular classes and learn side by side with their peers

for the last forty years. Integration was the term used earlier. At present, when it

is no longer unusual to find blind, deaf and even mentally retarded student

participating in regular class activities at certain periods of the school day, the

preferred term is mainstreaming. There are two types of mainstreaming. In partial

mainstreaming, children who have moderate or severe forms of disabilities are

mainstreamed in regular classes in subjects like physical education, Home

technology, and music and arts. In full mainstreaming, children with

disabilities are enrolled in regular classes and recite in all subjects, a special

education teacher assists the regular teacher in teaching the children with special

needs. Likewise, the SPED teacher gives tutorial lessons at the sped center or

resource room. The best model of mainstream special education programs is

exemplified at the division of manila city schools. Built around the silahis concept

of special education or “rays of the sun” fifteen (15) elementary schools have

developed mainstream programs that are supplemented with resource room

activities.

In school divisions where one special education teacher serves two or

more programs in separate schools, the itinerant plan is used. The sped teacher

travels (thus the world “itinerant”) to the schools to assist the regular teachers

where the children are mainstreamed and to attend to other needs of the

program.
4. The special day school serves one or more types of disabilities. The

special education classes are taught by trained teachers. Aside from special

education, a comprehensive array of service is available or arranged, such as

medical, psychological and social services. Examples of special day schools are

southeast Asian institute for the deaf (SAID) and the St. John Maria Vianney special

school for the mentally retarded in Quezon City.

5. The residential school provides both special education and dormitory services for

its students. Complementing the curricular programs are houseparent services,

diagnostic services, guidance and counseling, recreation and social activities. The

school for the deaf and the Philippine national school for the blind in Pasay city and

the Elsie Gaches Village school for children with mental retardation in Alabang are

examples of residential school.

Respond to this # 6

1. Enumerate and discuss the Special Education Programs and Services.

2. What does itinerant plan mean? How does itinerant teacher do his/her teaching

task.

Hands on Learning

Interview a SPED teacher in DWCB-Elementary Dept. or the Banged West SPEd

CEnter the ask about the special education programs and services they are offering.

Write your insights about the responses given by the interviewee.

Topic 3: Inclusive Education for children with

special needs

The department of education strongly

advocates inclusive education as a basic needs

education held in Salamanca Spain, the

participants reaffirmed the right to education of

every individual to education as enshrined in the

1984 universal declaration of human rights. The

reaffirmation served as a renewal of the pledge made

by the world community

at the 1990 world conference on education for all. With these

declarations and the urgency of the need for early intervention, the

department of education adopted the policy of inclusive education in 1997. A

handbook on inclusive education was issued as the main reference and guide

to the practice of inclusive education. National, regional and division- wide

training on inclusive education were conducted to promote the concept of

inclusive education.

 What is inclusive education?

Inclusion describes the process by which a school accepts children with

special needs for enrollment in regular classes where they can learn side by

side with their peers. The school organizes its special education program

includes a special education teacher in its faculty. The school provides the

mainstream where regular teachers and special education teachers organize

and implement appropriate programs for both special an regular students.

 What are the salient features of inclusive education?

Inclusion means implementing and mainstreaming warm and accepting

classroom communities that embrace and respect diversity and differences. Teachers

and student take active step to understand individual differences and create an

atmosphere of respect. Inclusion implements a multilevel, multimodality

curriculum. This means that special needs students follow an adapted

curriculum and use special devices and materials to learn a suitable pace.

Inclusion prepares regular teachers and special education teachers to

teach interactively. The classroom model where one teacher teaches an entire group

of children single-handedly is being replaced by structures where students work

together, teach one another and participate actively in class activities. Students tend

to learn with and from each other rather than compete with each other. Inclusion

provides continuous support for teacher to break down barriers professional

isolation. The hallmarks of inclusive education are co-teaching, team teaching

elaboration and consultation other waste and assessing skills and knowledge

learned by all students.and

Here are some collaborative activities that take place in the regular classroom.

 If the class is discussing activities on saving the environment, the deaf

student can work in collage of picture on the topic.

 Prompts or cues are added to learning task to assist children with

mental retardation in task performance, prompts can be verbal , visual or

physical. If student confuses addition and subtraction symbols, the teacher might

encircle the symbols, make them large and write them in red (visual); or remind

students to “to check each others work to see whether its addition or subtraction

problems” (verbal); or draw a check or wrong on the arm of the student to signal

whether his/her response is correct or wrong (physical). Inclusion involves

parents, families and significant others in planning meaningful ways of

students with special needs to learn in the regular class with their normal peers.
Respond to this # 7

1. What is inclusive education and its salient features? Discuss

2. Discuss some collaborative activities that take place in the regular

classroom.

Hands on Learning # 7

Search the internet for the best SPEd center in the Philippines. Enumerate their best

practices which can be benchmarked by SPEd centers in Abra. Write an open letter to

the Schools Division Superintendent about possible benchmarking with this Best

Implementing SPEd center in the country.

Topic 4: Support Services for Children with Special Needs

At least two types of support services are extended to children with special
needs:
 1. While the SPED program can implement

only the screening and informal assessment so

that the child can be enrolled in the program

as early as possible, referral services are

solicited from medical and clinical specialists

as soon as possible.

Some of the specialists are:

 Clinical Psychologist, School Psychologist, Psychometrician

for psychological testing

 Medical Doctor and Dentist for a general check-up of all children

 Ophthalmologist for all children especially those with blindness

and low vision

 Otologist or Otolaryngologist for all children especially those with

hearing loss, deafness, language and speech disorders

 Neurologist and Child Psychiatrist for children with mental

retardation, learning disabilities and emotional-behavioral disorders

 Speech Therapist for all children with language and speech problem

 Physical and Occupational Therapist for all children especially those

with physical disabilities

 Interpreter for the deaf who communicate verbal activities to deaf children

through special reading, sign language and gestures.

 Orientation and Mobility Instructor who teaches independent travel

techniques to blind children.

 2. Assistive Devices are specialized instructional and learning materials

and equipment that enable children with special needs to function efficiently.

Some of the assistive devices are:

 For blind students: braille writer, braille slate and stylus, braille books,

braille watch, braille ruler and tape measure, braille calculator,

arithmetic slate, computer with voice synthesizer, embossed

materials, manipulative materials, talking books, tape recorder, braille

paper;

 For low vision students: large print books, large print typewriter, magnifying

lenses, Grade I lined pad paper;

 For deaf students: individual hearing aid, sign language book, speech kit,

wall mirror, speech trainer, group hearing aid;

 For children with mental retardation: teacher-made materials specific to the

Individual Education Plan (IEP) on the functional curriculum and adaptive

behaviour skills; and

 For children with physical disabilities: mobility devices such as wheelchair,

braces and splints; adjustable desk, table and chair; communication aids for clear

speech, adapted computer system.

Respond to this # 8

1. Enumerate and discuss the difference between the two types of support

services extended to children with special needs.

Hands on Learning # 8

Make a checklist on the existing support services extended by the Abra

SPEd

Center and the DWCB SPEd Center to their

clientele. What common services that both

centers have?

Which of the support services that you have learned are not present in the two

centers?