Breaking Barriers Through Inclusive Education

Many of the things we need can wait

The child cannot
Right now is the time
His blood is being made
And his senses are being developed
To him, we cannot answer
‘Tomorrow’
His name is ‘Today’
Gabriela Mistral
Nobel Prize Laureate, Chile
Important facts in nations of Asia and the Pacific

o 150 million children under 15 years of age are disabled

o 93 million (62%) of them are in Asia Pacific region
o Less than 5% of them receive any education or training
o The number of children with disability is increasing daily by the hundreds
Philippine Situation

o 80 million population
o Gifted – 2% (800,000)
o CWDs – 10% (4 million)
o Adults – 50% (40 million)
o Children and Youth – 50% (40 million)
Synthesis: What makes Special Needs Education special?

o Special groups of children

o Specially trained professional educators
o Special curricular content
o Special methodology
o Special instructional materials
Special Education Programs

o Integration/Mainstreaming
o Resource Room Plan
o Itinerant Teacher Plan
o Cooperative Class Plan
o Special Education Center
 o Special Day School
o Residential School
The reality is…

Special schools alone can NEVER achieve the goal of the World Declaration on
Education for ALL
The answer is…
Schools for All which meet the individual needs for All pupils or INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS
FEATURES OF SPED AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
How will we do these?

1. Inclusion means implementing and maintaining warm and accepting

classroom communities that embrace diversity and honor differences.
2. Inclusion means implementing a multi-level, multi-modality curriculum.
3. Inclusion means preparing and supporting teachers to teach interactively.

4. Inclusion means providing ongoing support for teachers in the

classroom and breaking down barriers of professional isolations.

5. Inclusion means involving parents in the planning process in meaningful

ways.
6. Models of Inclusion
INCLUSION VS. MAINSTREAMING

o CWDs go to a regular school

o Zero reject policy
o Age appropriate grade placement
o “home base” is the regular class
o Child should begin in a regular setting and moved only when the needed
services cannot be provided there
o CWDs spend majority of their time in self-contained special classes
o CWDs attend non-academic subjects in regular class setting
o “home base” is SPED class
o Child must earn an opportunity to be placed in reg’l, class
BENEFITS OF INCLUSION

o Reduced fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and

awareness
o Growth in social cognition
o Improvement of self-concept
o Development of personal principles
o Warm and caring relationships
o Over-all, children’s social skills, values and attitudes are developed in an
inclusive setting
LEGAL BASES OF SPED AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Constitution of the Philippines: states that there should be “a complete, adequate

and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development.”
This applies to all and not just CWDs

Presidential Decree No. 603, the Child and Youth Welfare Code: states that “the
emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted child shall be treated with sympathy
and understanding, and shall be entitled to treatment and competent care: and the
physically or mentally handicapped child shall be given the education and care
required by his particular condition.” (Art.3)

PD No. 63 also states that “where needs warrant, there shall be at least special classes
in every province, and if possible, special schools for the physically handicapped, the
mentally retarded, the emotionally disturbed and the specially gifted. The private
sector shall be given all the necessary inducement and encouragement.” (Art.74)
World Declaration on Education for All (EFA)

o Held in Jomtien, Thailand in March 1990

o To provide basic education to all chidlren youth and adults
The World Conference on Special Needs Education
o Held in Salamanca, Spain in 1994
 o Recognized the urgency of “providing education for children, youth and
adults with special education needs within the regular educational system.
Principles in the Special Needs Education Conference

o Every child has a fundamental right to education and must be given the
opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning
o Every child has unique characteristics, interests , abilities and learning needs
o Educational system should be designed and educational programs
implemented are to take into account the wide diversity of their characteristics
and needs
The Agenda for Action of Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002)

o All children and young people have the right to education, equality of
opportunities and participation in society
The Philippine Action Plan (1990-200) in Support of EFA

o Policies and strategies were focused on specific groups of people including

persons with disabilities

RA 7277 (Magna Carta for Disabled Persons) approved in 1995 and Amendment - RA
9442 approved in April 30, 2007

o That PWDs should be given equal opportunities to develop and must have
access to basic services which includes education
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

o Adopted by UN General Assembly on December 13, 2006.

o The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure full and equal
enjoyment all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with
disabilities.
o Article 24, states the right of PWDs w/out discrimination on the basis of equal
opportunity and to ensure an inclusive education system.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The Philippine Action Plan (1990-2000) in Support to EFA

o Focuses its policies & strategies to specific groups of people which included
the rural poor, those in the urban slums, cultural communities, the disabled, the
educationally disadvantaged as well as the gifted.
Mainstreaming

o Students with special needs are given opportunity to be placed in a regular

class based on the students ability to keep up with the assigned work with some
modifications
 o Partial : Selected academic subject/s, Non-academic subjects, Extra-
curricular activities
o Full Mainstreaming: all subjects, extra-curricular activities

INTEGRATION

o Students with disabilities are enrolled in a special class, in a regular school,

where a student could participate in some activities with non-disabled peers
INCLUSION

o Students with disabilities are kept in a regular class that he or she would attend
NEAREST HIS ABILITY LEVEL
LEVELS OF INCLUSION

ACRONYM FOR INCLUSION

I - integration
N - networking
C - collaboration
L - living, learning, loving
U - utilizing all available resources
S - support and social services
I - implementation of support programs
O - organization of appropriate services
N - non-stop services to all children with special needs
INCLUSION OF CSNs

Functions of SPED Center as the Resource Center for Inclusion

o Conduct continuous assessment of children with special needs
o Provide in-service training to school personnel on the “why” and “how” of
creating inclusive school as well as other educational trends
o Produce appropriate teaching materials
o Support children with special needs in the regular classrooms
Service Delivery Options

o Cooperative of Team Teaching Program

o Consulting Teacher Program
Provision of Support Services

o Professionals and Specialists

o Parents/ Volunteers as Instructional Assistants
o Peer or Buddy Teaching
Curriculum Modifications

o Curriculum Adaptation – strategies, equipment, materials

o Curriculum Augmentation - inclusion of special learning areas
o Curriculum Alteration – functional curriculum or life skills
Multi-level Instruction

o The teacher chooses several ideas or concepts to be covered in the lesson or

unit.
o The teacher develops a variety of ways to present the concept.
o The teacher provides the student with an opportunity to reflect on or to
practice the new information or skills they have learned.
 o The teacher determines by what method the learning will be assessed and how
the progress will be recorded in the student’s file
TOOLS FOR INCLUSION

o multi-age classrooms
o curriculum mapping
o portfolio assessment
o team teaching
o peer education
o multi-level instruction
SALAMANCE STATEMENT

o “the fundamental principle of inclusive school is that all children should learn
together, wherever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences they
may have.”

In the Transition Program

We find children with innocence in their faces;
But through the hands-on activities
There is sweetness in their smiles
For they find enjoyment,
Success and fulfillment,
NOW, we hear them say
“I CAN DO IT”