Module 1 | SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES 1

PROGRAM OUTCOMES:

In pursuance of the above-stated mission, the objectives of the Bachelor of Secondary Education are as
follows:
1. acquire higher level literacy, communication, numeracy, critical thinking, learning and ICT skills
needed for lifelong learning;
2. demonstrate deep and principled understanding of how educational processes relate to larger historical,
social, cultural, and political processes;
3. manifest a meaningful and comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter they will teach;
4. apply a wide range of teaching processes skills including curriculum development, lesson planning,
materials development, educational assessment, and teaching approaches;
5. cultivate direct experience in the field/classroom (e.g. classroom observations, teaching assistance,
practice teaching);
6. demonstrate and practice the professional and ethical requirements of the teaching profession;
7. reflect on the relationship among the teaching process skills, the learning processing in the student, the
nature of the content/subject matter, and the broader social forces encumbering the school and
educational processes in order to constantly improve their teaching knowledge, skills, and processes;
and
8. possess willingness and capability to continue learning in order to better fulfill their missions as
teachers.

In pursuance of the above-stated mission, the objectives of the Bachelor of Elementary Education are as
follows:
1. acquire basic level literacy, communication, numeracy, critical thinking, learning and ICT skills
needed for lifelong learning;
2. demonstrate deep and principled understanding of the learning processes and the role of the teacher in
facilitating these processes in their students;
3. manifest
Module a meaningful
1 | SPECIAL and comprehensive
EDUCATION knowledge of the subject matter they will teach;
IN THE PHILIPPINES 2
4. cultivate direct experience in the field/classroom (e.g . classroom observations, teaching assistance,
practice teaching);
5. demonstrate and practice the professional and ethical requirements of the teaching profession;
6. facilitate learning of diverse types of learners, in diverse types of environment, using a wide range of
teaching knowledge and skills; and
7. show creativity and innovative thinking of alternative teaching approaches and evaluate the
effectiveness of such approaches in improving student learning.

COURSE TITLE: FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course deals with philosophies, theories, and legal bases of special needs and inclusive education,
typical and atypical development of children, learning characteristics of students with special educational
needs (gifted and talented, learners with difficulty seeing, learners with difficulty hearing, learners with
difficulty communicating, learners with difficulty walking/moving, learners with difficulty remembering and
focusing, learners with difficulty with self-care) and strategies in teaching and managing these learners in the
regular class.

COURSE OUTCOMES:
In this course, you should be able to:
1. explain the importance of special education in elementary education;
2. construct and give unbiased and highly effective assessments;
3. interact effectively with the parents and children with developmental delays and with their
serve ice providers; and
4. design appropriate intervention plans, behaviour management techniques, and effective
transition plans and methods of children with developmental delays.
 Module 1 – SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
Introduction:
This module will consider concepts and perspectives underpinning special and inclusive education.
The first lesson will cover the historical, philosophical, and legal foundations of special education. The second
will tackle the vision, mission, goals, and objectives of special education. Lastly, the third module will discuss
some of the special education programs and services in the Philippines.

Module Learning Outcomes:

In this module, you should be able to:
1. explain how government promotes the education of children with special needs;
2. explain the vision, of government for children with special needs;
3. cite the policy of special education its goals and objectives;
4. enumerate the milestone in the history and development of special education from 1907 to the
present time;
5. cite the legislations that give legal bases to special education; and
6. appreciate and gain inspiration from the lives of successful persons with disabilities.

Lesson 1
HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICO-LEGAL BASES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
I. Learning Outcomes:
In this lesson, you should be able to:
1. analyze the historical development of special education in the Philippines;
2. appreciate the role played by special education in the development of children
with special needs; and
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3. reflect on legislations that give legal bases to special education.

II. Pre – Assessment:

A. Instruction: Without browsing the internet, answer the following questions briefly and
concisely.
1. What do you know about the history of special education?

2. What do you think will happen to the children who have special needs if special education
is not professionalized and institutionalized?

3. What do you know about Republic Act No. 7277?

 III. Lesson Map:

Historical
This map shows special
SPECIAL EDUCATION education as viewed from
historical, philosophical, and
Philosophical Legal legal lenses.

IV. Core Content:

ENGAGE: ORIENTING ONESELF TO THE PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Activity 1: Picture Analysis
Instruction: Study the pictures presented below.

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Guide Question:
1. What can you see in the pictures presented above? Which type of learners, teachers, and
education are shown in these situations? Why did you say so?

EXPLORE: BUILDING MY FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Activity 2: Content Exploration
Instruction: Read the inspiring story of a visually
impaired person who ended up graduating as summa cum
laude. After which, you are to explore the historical,
philosophical, and legal foundations of special education.
 TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY, MARCH 24, 2001, ROSELLE AMBUBUYOG BECAME THE FIRST
VISUALLY-IMPAIRED FILIPINA WHO EMERGED SUMMA CUM LAUDE

On March 24, 2001, Roselle Ambubuyog became the first visually-impaired Filipina to emerge as summa
cum laude gradue of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU).

Born on January 12,1980, Ambubuyog, totally blind since age six, finished her bachelor of science degree,
major in mathematics with flying colors. She was also chosen as class valedictorian chosen among all summa
cum laude graduates.

She earlier graduated valedictorian from her elementary school and, four years later, was again valedictorian
of her high school batch.

As a scholar of ADMU, the school bough/t Ambubuyog a Braille Translation Software that converts encoded
or scanned text to computer as well as a Braille printer that produces hard copy Braille to make the exam
questionnaires, lecture notes, and other classroom materials.

Also bought for her was the talking calculator so she can hear the numbers while she computes.

Ambubuyog also won all the other awards possible for a graduating Ateneo student: the president's award for
service and excellence as most outstanding individual; the St. Ignatius Award for Outstanding Scholar, and
Module 1 | SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES 5
the departmental award for mathematics.

What have you learned from Ambubuyog’s story? What role did special education play to her success?
In the succeeding sections, you will learn the historical, philosophical, and legal bases of special education.

Special Education provides is an individually planned, systematically implemented and carefully evaluated
instruction to help exceptional children achieve the greatest possible personal self-insufficiency and success
in present and future environment. The triumph of Roselle Ambubuyog over her disability is a story of
success of special education.

I. History of Special Education

Historically, the interest to educate the Filipino children with disabilities was expressed
more than a century ago in 1902 during the American regime. 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.
He proposed that these children be enrolled in school like the other children. However, it was
not until 1907 when the special education program formally started in the country.

The history of Special Education in the Philippines is subdivided into:

 1902 – Early initiatives on Special Education by the American Regime
 1907 – Institutionalization of Special Education Programs
 1926 – 1949
o The Philippine Association for the Deaf was established
o National Orthopedic Hospital - School for Crippled Children was
opened.
o Quezon City Science High School for the Gifted was inaugurated.
 o Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled was
organized.
 1950 – 1975
o Private sectors supported the government’s program for the disabled
Filipinos.
o Integration of deaf pupils in regular classes began.
o The Bureau of Public Schools of the Department of Education created
the Special Education Section of the Special Subjects and Services
Division.
o The American Foundation for Overseas Blind was opened.
o Some universities and colleges started offering special education
courses.
o The Manila Youth and Rehabilitation Center was opened.
o The First Institute on the Education and Training of the Mentally
Retarded was sponsored.
o Classes for the socially maladjusted were conducted.
o The Southeast Asian Institute for the Deaf
o The Silahis Concept of Special Education was implemented.
 1976 –2000
o The National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons, presently
known as the National Council for the Welfare of /the Disabled Persons
was institutionalized.
o Regional Special Education Councils were organized among the various
Module 1 | SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE
regions of thePHILIPPINES
country. 6
o Several Department Orders from the Department of Education was
issued.
o Sports events for the Disabled Persons were held.
o Architectural facilities and structural features for disabled persons in all
schools and public buildings were built.
 2000 – 2020
o Mainstreaming became so prevalent.
o Technical trainings were provided for the persons with special needs;
o People with special needs were empowered by the supportive facilities,
environment, curriculum, and the exemplar performance of some of the
members of the community.
II. Philosophical Dimensions of Special Education
In consonance with the philosophy of inclusive education, the Department of Education
envisions the provision of supportive environment and worthwhile experiences for the
children with special needs so as to make them realize that they are not different from the
normal children.
In other words, children with special needs will get full parental and community
support for his/her education without discrimination of any kind along with the provision of
healthy environment, leisure, recreation, and social security measures.
III. Legal Bases of Special Education
The following are the laws that strengthen the provision of special education in the
Philippines:
1. 1935 Constitution – “…the right of every child to live in an atmosphere conducive to
his physical, moral, and intellectual development.”
 2. Republic Act No. 3562 – An Act to Promote the Education of the Blind in the
Philippines.
3. Republic Act No. 5250 – An Act Establishing a Ten – Year Teacher Training Program
for Teachers of Special and Exceptional Children
4. Sec. 8, Art. XV, 1973 Constitution – “…a complete, adequate and integrated system
of education relevant to the goals of national development…”
5. Presidential Decree No. 603 – Child and Youth Welfare Code
6. Presidential Decree No. 1509 – created the National Commission Concerning
Disabled Persons, presently known as the National Council for the Welfare of the
Disabled Persons
7. Education Act of 1982 or Batas Pambansa Blg. 232. – “The State shall promote the
right of every individual to relevant quality education regardless of sex, age, breed,
socio-economic status, physical and mental conditions, social and ethnic origin,
political and other affiliations.
8. Batas Pambansa Blg. 344 – “An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons”.
9. 1987 Constitution – “the State shall provide adult citizens the disabled and out-of-
school youth with training in civics, vocational efficiency and other skills.”
10. Republic Act No. 6759 – “White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines”
11. Republic Act No. 7610 – “An Act Providing for Strong Deterrence and Special
Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Providing Penalties
for Its Violation and Other Purposes”
12. Republic Act No. 9288 – “The Newborn Screening Act of 2004”

EXPLAIN:
Module EXPOUNDING
1 | SPECIAL EDUCATION MY INCONCEPT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
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Activity No. 3: Reinforcement Activity
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly and concisely.

1. From your own point of view, how did Roselle uphold the culture of excellence amidst her physical
insufficiencies?

2. What do you think is the inspiration of Roselle in achieving all of those honors and awards?

3. Is it possible for other persons with special needs to achieve success like what Roselle Ambubuyog
achieved? Why did you say so?
 4. Based on the presentation above, how will you describe the history of Special Education in the
Philippines?

5. From your own point of view, which historical event played the most significant role in the
development of Special Education in the Philippines?

6. Based on the presentation above, how will you describe the philosophy of Special Education in the
Philippines?

7. Based
Module on the presentation
1 | SPECIAL EDUCATIONabove, IN
what can PHILIPPINES
THE you say about the legal provisions of Special Education in 8
the Philippines?

8. Of the laws stated above, which do you think brings the most significant impact to the current situation
of Special Education in the Philippines?

V. Topic Summary:
In this module, you have learned that:
 Special education can be best understood by studying its historical, philosophical, and legal
bases.
 Special education started in 1907 and developed significantly up to the 21st century.
 Special education is anchored on the premise that supportive environment and worthwhile
experiences should be provided to the children with special needs so as to make them realize
that they are not different from the normal children.
 Several laws and regulations are implemented to strengthen special education in the Philippines.
VI. References:
 Farrell, M. Foundations of Special Education: An Introduction. Wiley Blackwell Publication.
2009.
 Inciong, T. Introduction to Special Education. A Textbook for College Students – 1st edition.
Rex Bookstore. 2007.
 Stromstad, M. Developing Inclusive Teacher Education. RoutledgeFalmer-Taylor &Francis
Group. 2003.

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