1902 America Regime

- Gen. Superintendent of Education Mr. Fred Atkinson found a census

of deaf and blind school-aged children in Manila and reported it to the
Secretary of Public Instructions.
1907 special education program formally started
-Mr. David Barrows, Director of Public Education, worked for the
establishment of Insular School for the Deaf and the Blind in Manila
-Miss Delight Rice, an American educator, was the first administrator
and teacher of the special school.
-The School for the Deaf at present is located at Harrison Street, Pasay
City
-The Philippine National School for the Blind is at Polo Road
1926 The Philippine Association for the Deaf (PAD) composed mostly of
hearing impaired members and special education was founded.
1927 The Welfare Ville Children’s Village in Mandaluyong, Rizal was
established by the government
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 Inauguration of the Quezon City Science High School for gifted
students
The Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled
(PFRD) was organized.
1950 Philippine Association for the Deaf opened a school for children with
hearing impairment
1953 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.
1955 the private sector supported the government’s program for disabled
Filipinos
-Elks Cerebral palsy Project Incorporated was organized by the
members of LodgeNo. 761 of the Benevolent and Protective Order.
At the School for the Deaf and Blind (SDB), the first parent teacher
Work Conference in Special Education was held.
1956 the First Summer Institute on teaching the Deaf was held at the School
for the Deafand 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
The components of the special education programs included
-Legislation
-Teacher training
-Census of exceptional children and youth in schools and community
 -The integration of children with disabilities in regular classes
-Rehabilitation or residential and special schools and materials
production
-Baguio Vacation Normal School ran courses on teaching children with
handicaps.
-Baguio City Special Education Center was organized
1958 —the American Foundation for Overseas Blind (AFOB) opened its
regional office in Manila
1960 some private colleges and universities started the offer special
education courses in their graduate school curriculum.
1962 the manila Youth and Rehabilitation Center (MYRC) was opened
-DEC issued Circular NO. 11 s. 1962 that specific the “Qualifications of
Special Education teachers.”
-PFRD sponsored the Second Pan Pacific Rehabilitation of
handicapped persons
-Experimental integration of blind children at the Jose Rizal Elementary
School in Pasay City
-The first National Seminar in Special Education was held at SBD in
Pasay City
-St. Joseph of Cupertino School for the Mentally Retarded, a private
school, was founded.
-In the areas of hearing impairment, mental retardation and mental
giftedness under RA 5250, the Training of DEC teacher scholars at the
University of the Philippines commenced
-The Philippine General Hospital opened classes for its school-age
chronically ill patients
1963 With the approval of R.A. No. 3562, the training of DEC teacher
scholars for blind children started at the Philippine Normal University
1964 —the Quezon City Schools Division followed suit with the
establishment of the Quezon City Science High School for the gifted
students.
1965 —marked the 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
-General Letter No. 213 regulating the size of special classes for
maximum effectiveness was issued
1968 —the teacher training program for teachers of exceptional children was
held at the Philippine Normal College for the next ten years
-The First Asian Conference on Work for the Blind was held in Manila
1969 —classes for socially maladjusted children were organized at the
Manila Youth Reception Center
1970 —the Training of teachers for children with behavior problems started
at the University of the Philippines
-The School for the Deaf and the Blind established in 1907 was
reorganized into two separate residential schools
1971 —DEC issued memorandum on Duties of the Special Education
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
1975 , when the DEC reorganized into the Ministry of Education Culture
(MEC)
-The Special Subjects and Services Division was abolished

1976 , Proclamation 1605 declared 1977 to 1987 as the Decade of the

Filipino Child
-The First Camp Pag-ibig, a day camp for handicapped children was
held on Valentine’s Day in Balara Quezon City

1977 , MEC issued Department Order N. 10 that designated regional and

division supervisors of special education programs
-The West Visayas Stae College of Iloilo City started its teacher
training program and offered scholarships to qualified teachers
-The Bacarra Special Education Center, Division of Ilocos Sur and the
Bacolod Special Education Center, Division of Bacolod City opened
1978 —marked the creation of the National Commission Concerned
Disabled Persons (NCCDP) later renamed National Council for the
Welfare of Disabled persons or NCWDP through Presidential Decree
1509
1979 —the Bureau of Elementary Education Special Education Unit
conducted a two-year nationwide survey of unidentified exceptional
children who were in school
1980 —the School for Crippled Children at Southern Island Hospital in Cebu
City was organized
-United nations Assembly proclaimed the observance of the
International Year of Disabled persons
1982 —three special schools were opened
-Cebu State College Special High School for the Deaf
-Siaton Special Education Center in the Division of Negros Oriental
-St. John Maria de Vianney Special Education learning center in
Quezon City
-1983, Batas Pambansa 344 enacted the Accessibility Law
-Batac Special education Center in the Division of Ilocos Norte was
organized
1984 —two special education programs were inaugurated: the Labangon
Special Education Center Division of Cebu City and the Northern
Luzon Association’s Heinz Wolke School for the Blind at Baguio City
1990 establishment of the Philippine Institute for the Deaf (PID) an oral
school for children with hearing impairment
1992 the Summer Training for teachers of the Visually Impaired started at
the Philippine Normal University
1993 DEC issued Order No. 14 that directed regional offices to organized the
Regional Special Education Council (RESC)
1995  Marked the start of training programs for school administrators on the
supervision of special classes held at UP.
1996 —the third week of January was declared as Autism Consciousness
Week
-The First national Congress on Visual Impairment was held in Quezon
City
1998 DEC Order No. 5 “Reclassification of Regular teacher and Principal
Items to Special Education teacher and Special Schools Principal Item”
was issued
1999 The following events took place:
-Philspada National Sports Competition for the Disabled in Cebu City
-Second national Congress on Special Needs Education in Baguio City
-Issuance of the following DECS Orders No. 104 “Exemption of the
Physically Handicapped from Taking the National Elementary
Achievement Tesyt (NEAT) and the National Secondary Aptitude test
(NSAT)
-No.108 “Strengthening of Special Education Programs for the Gifted in
the Public-school System
-No. 448 “Search for the 1999 Most Outstanding Special Education
teacher for the Gifted”
-Memorandum No.457 “National Photo Contest on Disability
2000 DECS Order No. 11, s. 2000 - Recognized Special Education (SPED)
Centers in the Philippines.
2002 An ongoing mobile teacher–training program by the Department of
Education and the University of the Philippines trains regular and
special education teachers on how to educate children with special
needs.
2007 Special Education Act of 2007 identifies ten groups of Children with
Special Needs
2009 DepEd under its wing had 217 SPED Centers that cater to the needs of
children with special abilities. The department issued Braille textbooks
to help especially visually impaired children.
2010 Special Education Act of 2010, An act establishing at least one Special
Education center for each school division and at least three Special
Education centers in big school divisions for children with special
needs, guidelines for government financial assistance and other
incentives and support.
2012 DepEd has increased the funding for its Special Education program
and is set to open new centers.
2013 DepEd organized a National Conference for SPED Teachers to
sharpen their skills.
 Timeline of Special Education in the Philippines

Source: https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/western-mindanao-state-university/foundations-
of-special-and-inclusive-education/timeline-history-of-special-education-in-the-philippines/
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