LEARNING MANUAL

Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education

Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
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Module 9
TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Image source: www.unicef.org

Pre-test. These items aimed at exercising your initial understanding about Inclusive
Education. Please highlight your chosen answer.

1. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) includes:

a. Written Evaluation
b. Assessment Tests
c. Interviews
d. All of the above

2. Evaluation strategies for special needs students include:

a. Test special needs students no differently from the general population.
b. Easier tests
c. Schedule breaks
d. All of the above

3. A teacher who understands that children respond in different ways because of their
varying cultures and backgrounds is utilizing the ____________ method.
a. Culturally accommodating
b. Culturally responsive
c. Educational sensitivity
d. Response to intervention

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
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4. All children in school should ______________.
a. Receive special education services
b. Receive tertiary prevention services
c. Go through Response to Intervention (RTI) screening
d. Have an IEP

5. An IEP team is determining an appropriate special education placement for a student

with an emotional disturbance. If placement in general education classrooms with a
consultant special education teacher and a 1:1 aide would not provide sufficient
support, the next level of support for the team to consider would be ____________.
a. Itinerant
b. Supplemental
c. Full time
d. Instruction in the home

Coverage
a. Effective Strategies for Inclusive Education
b. Classroom Observation
c. Designing Programs/Interventions for Learners with Special Needs
1. Gifted and Talented
2. Mentally Challenged
3. Behavioral Problems
4. Hearing and Visual Impairments
5. Physically Handicapped

Objectives

At the end of the module, the student must have:

a. Argued whether or not the country’s present educational system is responding
towards inclusive education through argumentative essay;
b. Designed their own intervention plan in dealing with students with special needs;
c. Written a concept paper on studying a case of a student with special needs.

Content

Republic Act No. 11650, this Act shall be known as the “Instituting Policy of Inclusion
and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act.”

It is the policy of the State to 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. It shall recognize, protect, and promote the rights of all learners with disabilities, including
those belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin, to
education based on equal opportunity, make such education compulsory and accessible to
them by ensuring that no learner with disability is deprived of the right of access to an inclusive,
equitable, and quality education, and promote lifelong learning opportunities for them.

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
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• Effective Strategies for Inclusive Education

Building a classroom community where all students feel a sense of belonging is an

area most teachers spend weeks of school, especially the first few weeks of school, focused
on. We know that creating a safe space for different learning styles, genders, racial, religious
and ethnic backgrounds go well beyond the first month back in our classrooms. How can we
ensure inclusivity is at the forefront of our daily instruction? Use these inclusive classroom
strategies to help get you started with building a positive classroom culture:

1. Get to know your students and let them get to know you. Establishing a bond with
your students takes time. Creating opportunities for students to share their interests,
struggles, and aspirations with you and sharing yours with them builds a connection
that can continue to grow. Some teachers like to use surveys or journals to find out
more about their students.

2. Create a safe space for students to share. Students also need explicit time to
establish connections with their peers. Regularly split students into new small groups
and use the “I see, I think, I wonder” strategy to digest something they have learned
about or a current event that may be on their minds. By modeling how this should work
and creating group norms, students can have fruitful conversations that build empathy
and share different opinions in a respectful way. Reinforcing social-emotional skills like
empathy and compassion in your classroom fosters positive interactions between your
students.

3. Deliver instruction in a variety of ways. There is increasing evidence that shows

that gamified lessons positively influence student engagement. To appeal to different
learning styles, reimagine existing lessons, especially those that feel lecture heavy,
with fresh videos, books, and gamified digital activities. There was a study
conducted comparing student engagement with gamified lessons vs. alternative
traditional lessons. It was found out that students showed higher class average scores
for both focus and attentiveness during digital game-based learning six out of eight
times. Varied learning content that appeals to different student interests is just as
essential as the instruction style.

4. Choose relevant literature. Part of culturally responsive teaching includes providing

students with literary works that highlight the human experience. Include indigenous,
diversity of culture, as well as stories that include characters with a physical or learning
disability.

5. Invite guest speakers to share their stories. According to an article published, when
students can identify with a teacher or guest speaker’s racial or ethnic background
they are more likely to perform higher and be more engaged as they see a potential
role model or mentor in that person. By inviting a guest speaker, you are providing your
students access to an authentic learning experience they may never otherwise have.

• Classroom Observation

Decision-makers can control and analyze classroom practices through classroom

observation systems. Classroom observation systems are methods in which direct
observation transforms qualitative data – more specifically certain classroom behaviors – into
quantitative data. These observation systems are meant to generate robust, representative
data about classroom practices in the school and more generally in the entire education

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
system, but are not meant to analyze individual teacher practices (this must be specifically
explained to teachers to prevent the risk of rehearsed classes). Data produced by classroom
observation systems can be used to generate system-wide policy measures, which aim to
strengthen education systems and increase student learning outcomes. Institutionalize and
standardize annual observations in a representative sample of schools to track progress in
classroom practices.

When choosing or developing their own observation system, decision-makers should

keep in mind the purpose of the collection of data, in this case, the specific aspects of
classroom practice that will be analyzed (make sure that those aspects are perceived by
teachers as elements for improving students’ learning). Make sure to involve in the process
the actors who will use the observation system, define the frequency and time allocated for
observation, determine the skill level of the observers, and define how data will be managed
and analyzed.

• Designing Programs/Interventions for Learners with Special Needs

Teaching students with special needs comes with unique responsibilities and
enormous rewards. Modifications - both to your physical classroom and to your teaching style
are often necessary to accommodate them. Modifications mean change while making
accommodations means adapting to those things you can't change - existing circumstances.
Interventions involve skill-building strategies that are designed to move special students to
more advanced academic levels.

Here's a checklist of strategies to help you develop a classroom that should meet the
needs of all your students, especially students with special needs:

1. Special needs students should be within close proximity to the teacher or the teacher's
assistant.
2. Implement procedures that are well understood by all your students to keep noise
levels at an acceptable level.
3. Create a special carrel or private location for taking tests, and/or revise existing seating
to accommodate students who more acutely need to be free of distractions for ultimate
success.
4. Eliminate as much clutter as you can. This will also help keep distractions to a
minimum.
5. Try to avoid presenting instructions or directions only verbally. Use graphic organizers,
as well as written or graphical instructions.
6. Clarifications and reminders should be given as regularly as necessary.
7. Needy students should have agendas which you give them regularly and that you refer
to yourself.
8. Communication between home and school should be in place for all students, but
particularly for those students with special needs. Your relationship and interaction with
a child's parents or guardian can be an invaluable tool and ensure consistency
between the classroom and home.
9. Break down assignments and work into manageable chunks, particularly for students
with attention span deficits. Provide frequent breaks. Make learning fun, not a draining
challenge. A tired child is never at his most receptive to new information.
10. Your classroom expectations should be clearly outlined and understood, as well as
consequences for inappropriate behaviors. Your approach for conveying this
information will depend on the individual special needs of the children involved.

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Extra assistance should be available when needed, either from yourself or from a more
accomplished peer.
12. Praise students when you 'catch them doing things correctly, but don't overdo it. The
praise should be a real reward, not something that happens over every small
accomplishment but rather in response to a string of related accomplishments.
13. Use behavior contracts to target specific behaviors.
14. Make sure students are familiar with and understand your curing and prompting
system that helps them stay on task.
15. Never begin instructions or directions until you have the undivided attention of your
entire class.
16. Allow additional 'wait' time for your special needs students.
17. Provide special needs students with regular, ongoing feedback and always promote
their self-esteem.
18. Make sure all your learning experiences really do promote learning.
19. Provide activities that are multi-sensory and that take learning styles into
consideration.
20. Allow time to let your special needs students repeat instructions and directions.
21. Modify and/or shorten assignments to ensure success.
22. Have methods in place so students can have text written to them and so they can
dictate their answers.
23. Provide opportunities for cooperative learning. Working together in groups often helps
to clarify misconceptions for learning delayed students.

Activity

I. Learning Task

With the previous grouping, accomplish the following learning tasks:

1. Make an Argumentative Essay with a minimum of 250 words highlighting whether or

not the Department of Education (DepEd) schools are responding towards inclusive
education. You may also cite sources of your claims.
2. Write a Concept Paper studying the case of a student with special needs.

II. Learning Tools

• Here are the parts of a Concept Paper:

1. Title
2. Introduction
3. Purpose of the Study
4. Preliminary Literature Review
5. Objectives of the Study
6. Research Questions and Hypotheses
7. Proposed Methodology
8. Proposed Research Timeline
9. References
• Do a plagiarism check of your class outputs at https://smallseotools.com/
• Have as attachments of your document the results and evidences of the
plagiarism check (originality index: at least 85%)

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rubric for Task 1

Above average
Category Excellent (50) Sufficient (30) Minimal (20) Poor (10)
(40)
Content Comprehensive Comprehensive Sufficient Certain Argumentative
presentation of the presentation of information is information essay needs
information the information presented presented are improvement
presented, presented insufficient
critically
elucidating
comparison and
contrasts

Rubric for Task 2

Above average
Category Excellent (50) Sufficient (30) Minimal (20) Poor (10)
(40)
Content Comprehensive Comprehensive Sufficient Minimal Paper needs
discussion of discussion of discussion of concepts and revision
concepts and related related related
related researches researches on researches on researches are
on the implications the implications the implications included in the
on the case of the on the case of on the case of paper
student with the student with the student with
special needs special needs, special needs
but important
concepts are not
sufficiently
elucidated

III. Learning Output

Have the leader of your group turn-in your output, and indicate at the comment box the
names of the members.

Post-test

1. What are some ways to run a successful inclusive classroom?

a. Create an inclusive environment.
b. Use a variety of teaching strategies.
c. Collaborate with other teachers and educate yourself.
d. All of the answers are correct

2. How should you present information to students in an inclusive classroom?

a. Through lecture
b. Through visual cues (videos)
c. By including pictures and music
d. All of the answers are correct

3. What is an inclusive classroom, then?

a. One in which every student participates.
b. One in which the student population is culturally diverse.
c. One in which students with and without disabilities work and learn together.
d. One with many teachers.

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LEARNING MANUAL
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
Authors: Aprell L. Abellana, PhD; Daryl Niko L. Cempron, MA; and Richie B. Loren, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Which law requires inclusion?
a. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
b. Republic Act No. 11650
c. Batas Pambansa Blg. 232
d. Education Act for Handicapped People Act

5. Mr. Davis, a regular fifth grade teacher, is nervous about teaching his science lesson
on the life cycle in his fifth grade classroom. His class includes the students with
learning disabilities who do not learn at the same pace and in the same way as his
other students. Which component of teaching in an inclusive classroom should Mr.
Davis include in his lesson?
a. Acceptance of people’s differences
b. Differentiated instruction
c. Parent participation
d. Free education for all

References

Nagda, B.A., Gurin, P., Sorensen, N., Zuniga, X. (2009). Evaluating intergroup
dialogue: Engaging diversity for personal and social responsibility. Diversity &
Democracy 12(1), 4-6.

Nash, R. J., Bradley, D.L., & Chickering, A.W. (2008). How to talk about hot topics
on campus: From polarization to moral conversation. San Francisco: Jossy
Bass Publishers.

Nolinske, T. (1999). Creating an inclusive learning environment. Essays on teaching

excellence. Toward the Best in the Academy 11, 3. Available online

Page, S. (2007). The difference: How the power of diversity creates better groups,
firms, schools, and societies. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Roska, J., Kilgo, C.A., Trolian, T.L., Pascarella, E.T., Blaich, C. & Wise, K.S. (2017).
Engaging with diversity: How positive and negative diversity interactions
influence students’ cognitive outcomes. The Journal of Higher Education 88
(3), 297-322.

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