Lesson 25: The Face of Special

Education in the Philippines

Presented by Erme D. Seballos
Objectives:
In this lesson, you will be able to:

discuss the current trends in special education in the Philippines;

identify issues and concerns; and

analyze how these trends and issues improve the education of

learners with sensory and physical disabilities.
 Introduction
The evolution of the Philippine basic education program demonstrates the
Department of Education's (DepEd) continuing effort in improving the quality
and relevance of basic education. Thus, the Philippine basic education system
has attempted to implement educational reforms, programs, and projects to
address the key issues of access and quality of basic education, as well as the
relevance and efficiency of the education system. The offering of various
curricular programs in the Philippine education system is one of the many
responses by the government to address specific needs of learners in the
country.

In this lesson, you will be able to have an overview of the current trends, issues,
and concerns of special education in the Philippine setting.
THINK: AN OVERVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
PROGRAM IN THE PHILIPPINES

Every child is unique and different. Each has abilities and capabilities,
learns in a variety of ways, and does so at different paces. Thus, to cater
to the needs of all learners regardless of their conditions and
capabilities, the concept of inclusion is adopted in education. The
adoption of inclusion in education, in effect, provided a synthesizing
force for past and current efforts as well as a common platform for new
initiatives directed at learners with special needs and those requiring
special education.
It is envisioned that all learners, including learners with special needs, are
adequately provided with basic education that enables them to realize
their potential for development and productivity in the society. Hence,
the aspiration of special educators is to see every child as a unique
composite of potentials, abilities, and learning needs for whom an
educational program must be designed to meet his/her particular needs.
The focus of special education programs is to facilitate access to an
appropriate education, regardless of the disability, to help the learners
achieve academic and life success. These are enshrined in several
legislations, namely: the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Republic Act (RA)
No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, and Republic Act
No. 9442 or An Act Amending Republic Act No. 7277 of 1992, otherwise
known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.
The Special Education Program has been in existence for over
a hundred years in the Philippines, improving the lives of
special needs learners through the development and
implementation of several programs designed to meet their
unique needs. It encompasses specially designed
instructional, educational, heir related services for learners
identified as having special needs. The successful
Implementation of the program depends on many factors,
which include the goal of SPED, teachers, administrators,
instructional materials, equipment, facilities, ancillary
personnel, and parents.
Challenges Faced in Implementing Programs for Special Education
Some of these issues and concerns and their ways forward are outlined
in the table below.

Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Address the policy gaps to reach a greater number of

Some policies on SPED need to be
learners with special educational needs that remain
reviewed and updated.
unreached by the government

Some provisions need to be clearer so

Consolidate and review the policies and studies on SPED.
that policies can be better implemented
Based on these, a framework and an omnibus policy will be
in the field.
developed.

Assessment of learners with disabilities Focus on assessment of learning needs and not on
relies so much on medical diagnostics. medical diagnostics.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Engage more partnerships with medical and allied medical

practitioners.
There is a lack of medical practitioners
in the country. Provide psychoeducational and medical support to
learners with disabilities who cannot be addressed in
schools.

Strengthen teacher training on differentiated instruction.

Intensify teacher training not only for SPED teachers, but for
There are a number of teachers who are
all teachers.
teaching SPED, but who do not have
background on the basics of SPED.
Continuously improve and strengthen the Learning Action
Cell model in support of the usual cascade training model of
the DepEd.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Continuously work and collaborate with the

Commission on Higher Education so that pre-
Pre-service training on SPED needs
service training for teachers may be further
to be reviewed and updated.
updated and improved to ensure alignment with
SPED teacher education needs and demands.

Review and revisit the promotion and career

There is a fast turnover of SPED development policies concerning SPED
teachers. teachers to ensure that their welfare will be
considered.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Some learning resources (i.e.,

Develop alternative materials as a part of the
books) in Braille and large print
variety of learning resources of diverse learners.
have been produced. But apart
from these, audio versions of
materials are needed. Explore and utilize ICT and adaptive technology.

Strengthen the support provided to SPED

There is a lack of medical and
or resource centers which play an
allied medical support for the
important role in catering to the specific
assessment of learners with
needs of severe to profound types of
special needs.
learners.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Further establish and strengthen partnerships with

nongovernment and private institutions to provide
medical, allied medical, and psychoeducational
support to learners.

Further establish and strengthen partnerships with

both local and foreign initiatives that provide
augmentative and assistive devices.

There is a need to strengthen the

child find system with the local
Work with different agencies to put in place
government units and other
government agencies (i.e., DOH, child find mechanisms.
DSWD).
 Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Initiate a dialogue with other offices to clarify

the roles of this inter-agency collaborative
work.

Disseminate information to communities once

the child find mechanisms and SPED programs
are in place. The information will contain
where schools/centers and programs are.

Training should not only be for teachers, Work with the parents in providing for the
but for the parents as well. learning needs of their children.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges Ways forward

Work with different agencies to put in place child

find mechanisms.

There is a need to strengthen the

Initiate a dialogue with other offices to clarify the
child find system with the local
roles of this inter-agency collaborative work.
government units and other
government agencies (i.e., DOH,
Disseminate information to communities once the
DSWD).
child find mechanisms and SPED programs are in
place. The information will contain where
schools/centers and programs are.

Training should not only be for Work with the parents in providing for the
teachers, but for the parents as well. learning needs of their children.
Issues, Concerns, and Challenges
There is no consistent data on
learners with disabilities.
Current capacity building activities
are not sufficient to meet the needs
of the implementers.
Ways forward
Continuously refine, update, and harmonize the
various databases concerning learners with
disabilities.
Revisit the forms to ensure that relevant data and
information concerning learners with disabilities are
included.
Orient and train supervisors and school heads on the various
programs they need to implement in schools to address
various needs of learners.
Train school administrators on how they must provide
support services to schools/centers.
Thank You So Much
Erme D. Seballlos | BSNED 1 - A