ED 104: Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education

Module 1: Vision, Policy, Goal and Objectives of Special Education

This module is derived from Inciong (2016) which starts with the discussion of vision for
children with special needs followed by the policy, goal, and objectives of special education. An
account of the history of special education in the Philippines is also discussed in detail. Further,
laws and legislation affecting the development of SpEd are examined in this chapter.

At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. explain the vision for children with special needs;

2. discuss the policy of Inclusive Education;
3. enumerate the goal and objectives of special education;
4. cite important events relevant to the implementation of special education in the
western countries and in the Philippines; and
5. discuss the legal bases affecting the development of special education in western
countries and in Philippines.

Children and youth with special needs have always been recognized as legitimate
beneficiaries of the Philippine government’s reforms in basic education. For almost a century
now, the Department of Education through its Special Education Division has been providing
the broad framework and standards in establishing and maintaining special education programs
in both public and private schools all over the country. The past decades witnessed the
continuous development or programs for a wide range of exceptional children and youth
together. Likewise, the professionalization of special education continues to be pursued
through teacher and administrator training programs. Bold moves are undertaken to: (1)
promote access, equity and participation of children with special needs education in the
mainstream of basic education; (2) improve the quality, relevance and efficiency of special
education in schools and communities and; (3) sustain special education programs and services
in the country.

Topic 1: Vision, policy, goal and objectives of Special Education.

a. 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 21st century, 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 without discrimination of any kind. The
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).

b. Policy, Goal and Objectives of Special 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 to an 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.

Special education aims to:

1. 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.
2. Provide support services, vocational programs and work training,
employment opportunities for efficient community participation and
independent living.
 3. Implement a life-long curriculum to include early intervention and parent
education, basic education and transition programs on vocational traning or
preparation for college, and
4. Make available an array of 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 disadvantaged children in far-flung towns,
depressed areas and underserved barangays.

The past decades saw the continuous development of special education

programs for a wide range of exceptional children and youth. The then Philippine
Normal College and the University of the Philippines both state tertiary institutions,
continue to work hand in hand with the Department of Education to enhance the
professionalization of special education through teacher training programs.

Topic 2: Historical Perspectives

Table 1. Timeline of History of Special Education in the Philippines

1902 The General Superintendent of Education, Mr. Fred Atkinson, reported

to the Secretary of Public Instruction that deaf and blind children were
found in a census of school-aged children in Manila and nearby
provinces.
1907 Special education program formally started in the country.
The Director of Public Education, Mr. David Barrows, worked for the
establishment of the Insular School for the Deaf and the Blind in Manila.
Miss Delia Rice, an American educator, was the first administrator and
teacher of the special school.
1926 The Philippine Association for the Deaf (PAD) composed mostly of
hearing impaired members and special educatipadon specialists
1927 The government established the Welfareville Children’s Village in
Mandaluyong, Rizal.
1936 Mrs. Maria Villa Francisco was appointed as the first Filipino principal of
the School for the Deaf and the Blind (SDB).
1945 The National Orthopedic Hospital opened its School for Crippled
Children (NOHSCC) for young patients who had to be hospitalized for
long periods of time.
1949 The Quezon City Science High School for gifted students was
 inaugurated.
1949 The Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRD)
was organized.
1950 PAD opened a school for children with hearing impairment.
1953 The Elsie Gaches Village (EGV) was established in Alabang, Muntinlupa,
Rizal to take care of abandoned and orphaned children and youth with
physical and mental handicaps
1954 The first week of August was declared as Sight Saving Week
1956 The First Summer Institute on Teaching the Deaf was held at the School
for the Deaf and the Blind in Pasay City.
1957 The Bureau of Public Schools (BPS) of the Department of Education and
Culture (DEC) created the Special Education Section of the Special
Subjects and Services Division
1958 The American Foundation for Overseas Blind (AFOB) opened its regional
office in Manila.
1960 Some private colleges and universities started to offer special education
courses in their graduate school curriculum.
1962 The Manila Youth and Rehabilitation Center (MYRC) was opened.
Experimental integration of blind children at the Jose Rizal Elementary
School in Pasay City
The First National Seminar in Special Education was held at SDB in Pasay
City.
St. Joseph of Cupertino School for the Mentally Retarded, a private day
school, was founded.
The training of DEC teacher scholars at the University of the Philippines
commenced in the areas of hearing impairment, mental retardation,
and mental giftedness under R.A. 5250
Philippine General Hospital opened classes for its school-aged
chronically ill patients.
1963 The training of DEC teacher scholars for blind children started at the
Philippine Normal College.
The Manila Science High School for gifted students was established.
1964 Establishment of the Quezon City Science High School for gifted
students.
1965 Start of the training program for school administrators on the
organization, administration and supervision of special education
classes.
1967 BPS, organized the National Committee on Special Education.
1968 The teacher training program for teachers of exceptional children was
held at the Philippine Normal College for the next ten years.
1969 Classes for socially maladjusted children were organized at the Manila
Youth Reception Center.
1970 The training for children with behavior problems started the University
 of the Philippines
The School for the Deaf and the Blind established in 1907 was
reorganized into two separate residential schools: the school for the
Deaf (PSD) stayed in the original building and the Philippine National
School for the Blind (PNSB) was built next to PSD.
1973 The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Manila established the
Tahanan Special School for socially maladjusted children and youth.
1974 The First National Conference on the Rehabilitation of the Disabled was
held at the Social Security Building in Quezon City.
1976 Proclamation 1605 declared 1977 to 1987 as the Decade of the Filipino
Child.
1978 Creation of the National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons
(NCCDP), later renamed National Council for the Welfare of Disabled
Persons or NCWDP.
1980 The School for Crippled Children at the Southern Island Hospital in Cebu
City was organized.
1990 The Philippine Institute for the Deaf (PID) an oral school for children
with hearing impairment was established.
1992 The Summer Training for Teachers of the Visually Impaired started at
the Philippine Normal University.
1996 The third week of January was declared as Autism Consciousness Week
2007 100th year of Special Education in the Philippines.

Topic 3: The Legal Bases of Special Education

Special education in the Philippines is anchored on fundamental legal documents that

present a chronology of events on the growth the development of the program. The first legal
basic 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 “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 for the Blind.
 Republic Act No. 5250, “An Act Establishing a Ten-year Teacher Training Program for
Teachers of Special and Exceptional Children” was signed into law in 1968. The law
provided for the formal training of teachers for deaf, hard-of-hearing, with speech
impairment, socially and emotionally disturbed, intellectually disabled and mentally
gifted children and youth at the Philippine Normal College and the University of the
Philippines.

 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
origin, 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 to 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 persons
with disabilities.

 The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines cites the rights of exceptional children to
education in Article XIV. Section 1 declares that 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. 6759 was enacted. The law declared August 1 of each year as
“White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines.” Blind persons use the cane in traveling.
 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.”

 Magna Carta for Disabled Person

In 1992, RA 7277 was enacted. The law is “An Act Providing for the
Rehabilitation, Self-development, Self-reliance of Disabled Person and their
Integration into the Mainstream of Society and for Other Purposes” otherwise
known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Person.

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

Health, Republic Act No. 9288 otherwise known as “The Newborn Screening Act of
2004” is based on the premise that a child with Intellectual Disability could have
been normal. A drop of blood can save the baby from Intellectual Disability and
death. Newborn screening is a very simple test that should be given to the baby
twenty-four hours after birth. If the test is given too late, the baby can either die or
eventually be severely intellectually disabled. 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,
phenylketonuria and G6PD deficiency. If gone undetected, these disorders severe
intellectual disability, cataracts, severe anemia or even death for the child. However,
if these disorders are diagnosed early enough, the child can grow up as a normal,
healthy human being.

 Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of the United States

In 1975, Public law 94 -142, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
was enacted in the United States. It is a powerful law that has changed the American
system of education. The IDEA is a wide-ranged legislation ensuring the services
including the education of children with disabilities throughout the nation. The law
clearly exhibits the concern of the society and the country for people with disabilities
to be granted with equal rights and privileges like all other citizens.

IDEA governs how the states provide the PWD’s who are between the ages of 3
to 21, early intervention, special education and related services. The major provision
 of this legislation states that all children with disabilities shall be located and
identified. These children, without considering the type of severity of their disabilities,
shall receive a free and appropriate public education.

The six major principles to be followed in organizing and implementing special

education programs (Heward, 2003):

1. Zero reject. Schools must enroll every child, regardless of the nature or severity
of his or her disabilities; no child with disabilities may be excluded from a public
education.
2. Nondiscriminatory testing. Schools must use non-biased, multi-factored
methods of evaluation to determine whether a child has a disability and, if so,
whether special education is needed. Testing and evaluation procedures must
not discriminate on the basis of race, culture or native language. All tests must
be administered in the child’s native language, and identification and placement
decisions must not be made on the basis of a single test score.
3. Appropriate education. Schools must develop and implement on individualized
education program (IEP) for each student with a disability. The IEP be individually
designed to meet the child’s unique needs.
4. Least Restrictive Environment. School must educate students with disabilities,
with children who do not have disabilities to the maximum extent possible.
5. Due process. Schools must provide safeguards to protect the right of children
with disabilities and their parents by ensuring due process, confidentiality of
records and parental involvement in educational planning and placement
decisions.
6. Parent participation. Schools must collaborate with the parents of students with
disabilities in the design and implementation of special education services.

 UNESCO Salamanca Statement

The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs

Education, the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality,
Salamanca, Spain, 7-10 June 1994
Main provisions relating to right to education:
 Reaffirming the right to education of every individual, as enshrined in the
1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and renewing the pledge made
by the world community at the 1990 World Conference on Education for All
to ensure that right for all regardless of individual differences,
  Recalling the several United Nations declarations culminating in the 1993
United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities, which urges States to ensure that the education of
persons with disabilities is an integral part of the education system
 Noting with satisfaction the increased involvement of governments,
advocacy groups, community and parent groups, and in particular
organizations of persons with disabilities, in seeking to improve access to
education for the majority of those with special needs still unreached; and
recognizing as evidence of this involvement the active participation of high
level representatives of numerous governments, specialized agencies and
intergovernmental organizations in this World Conference…

Module 1 Activity Sheets

Task: Read module #1 in order to get answers to the questions.

Topic 1: Vision, policy, goal and objectives of Special Education.

1. Fill in the blanks: 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 ________________________ for the Filipino
child with _____________________. By the 21st century, it is envisioned that he/she could be
adequately provided with ________________________. This education should fully realize
his/her own _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________. More importantly, he/she is ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.

It is also envisioned that the child with special needs will _________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________. This special child should also be provided with a __________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________” (Department of Education Handbook on Inclusive Education, 2000).

2. Define the following words:

a. Policy on Inclusive Education for All - _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
b. Goal of special education programs - _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Topic 2: Historical Perspectives

1. 1926 to 1949
a. What is PAD and when was it founded? ____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
b. Why did the National Orthopedic Hospital open the School for Crippled Children?
____________________________________________________________________.
2. 1950 to 1975
a. What facilities opened during these years:

1950 ___________________________________________________________________
1953 ___________________________________________________________________
1958 ___________________________________________________________________
1962 ___________________________________________________________________
 b. Upon reading this section, what do you think is the significant experience for
teachers that occurred during this era?
____________________________________________________________________

3. 1976 to 2000

a. In 1976, Proclamation 1605 declared 1977 to 1987 as ________________________

____________________________________________________________________
b. In 1996, the third week of January was declared as ___________________________
___________________________.

Topic 3: The Legal Bases of Special Education

1. Explain your understanding about IDEA’s Least Restrictive Environment.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2. What is Newborn Screening? What does it do?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Submit your work in the designated bin in the ED 104 Google Classroom. Last day of
submission of completed module is Friday. Answers will be assessed by the instructor.

References:
Abad, R. (2010) Individuals with disabilities education act. An unpublished work, College of
Education, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Inciong, T., Quijano, Y., Capulong, Y., Gregorio, J., & Gines, A. (2016). Introduction to special
education. Quezon City: Rex Printing Company, Inc.

National Council on Disability Affairs. (1992). RA 7277 – An act providing for the rehabilitation,
self-development and self-reliance of disabled person and their integration into the
mainstream of society and for other purposes. Retrieved from:
https://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/republic-acts/republic-act-7277/

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (1994). The salamanca
statement and framework for action on special needs education. Retrieved from:
https://www.right-to-education.org/sites/right-to-education.org/files/resource-
attachments/Salamanca_Statement_1994.pdf