Vision, Policy, Goal and Objectives of Special Education in the Philippines services.
ervices. Provide support services, vocational programs and work training,
VISION
The Department of Education clearly states its vision for children with special
needs in consonance with the philosophy of inclusive education: “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
potential 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 w/o
discrimination of any kind. This 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).
POLICY
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.
GOALS
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
employment opportunities for efficient community participation and
independent living, 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.Implement a life-long curriculum to include early
intervention and parent education, basic education and transition programs on
vocational training or preparation for college, and Make available an array
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
advantaged children in far-flung towns, depressed areas and underserved
barangays.
Historical Milestones of Special Education in the Philippines
1902- The interest to educate Filipino children with disabilities was expressed
through Mr. Fred Atkinson, the General Superintendent of Education.
1907- Special Education was formally started in the country by establishing the
Insular School for the Deaf and Blind in Manila.
1927- The government established the Welfareville Children’s Village, a school
for people with mental retardation in Mandaluyong.
1945- The National Orthopedic Hospital School for the Crippled Children and
Youth is established.
1949- Quezon City Science High School was inaugurated for gifted students.
1950- PAD opened a school for the children with hearing impairment
1953- The Elsie Gaches Village was established in Alabang to take care of the
abandoned and orphaned children and youth with physical and mental
handicaps.

1956- Special classes for the deaf in regular class were implemented.
1957- The Bureau of Public Schools of the Department of Education and Culture
created the Special Education Section of the Special Subjects and Service
Education.
1960- Some private college and universities started to offer special education
courses on graduate school curriculum
1963- With the approval of R.A. No. 3562, the training of DEC teacher scholars
for blind children started at the Philippine Normal University.
1965- Marked the start of training programs for school administrators on the
supervision of special classes held at UP
1969- Classes for socially maladjusted children were organized
at the manila Youth Reception Center
1970- Training of teacher for Children with behavior problems
started at the University of the Philippines
1973- The juvenile and domestic Relations Court of Manila established the
Tahanan Special School for the socially maladjusted children and youth.
1975- The Division of Manila City Schools implemented the Silahis Concept of
Special Education in public elementary schools.
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 the Crippled Children at the Southern Island Hospital in
Cebu City was organized.
1990- The Philippine institute for the Deaf, an oral school for children with
hearing impairment was established.
1992- The summer training for teacher of the visually impaired started at the
Philippine Normal University
1993- DECS issued Order No. 14 that directed regional officers to organize the
Regional Special Education Council (RESC)
1995- The summer training for teachers of the hearing impaired was held at
Philippine Normal University
1998- DECS order No. 5 “Reclassification of Regular teacher and principal items
to SPED teacher and special schools principal item"
1999- DECS order no. 33 “Implementation of administrative order no. 101
directing the Department of Public Works and highways, the DECS and the
CHED to provide architectural facilities or structural feature for disabled
persons in all state college, universities and other buildings
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.
Special Education is ...
• an individualized education for children with special needs.
• a specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a child with
disability, including instruction in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals, and
institutions and in other settings
• an education of persons who have physical, mental, social, or sensory
impairment, cultural differences
• requires modifications of the special curricula, program and special services
and physical disabilities – to develop them to their maximum capacity.
•These persons may be gifted, talented, fast learners, or those with mental
retardation, visual impairment, hearing impairment; with behavioral problems;
with orthopedic handicaps, with special health problems, learning disabilities,
speech impairment or with multiple handicaps.
Language of Special Education
• Adapted Physical Education - Physical education program which has been
adapted or modified, designed to fit the learners who require developmental or
corrective instruction in PE
• Accommodations – Changes that allow a person with a disability to
participate fully in indoor and outdoor activity
• Acquisition Deficit – It refers to the absence of knowledge for executing a
particular skill that has never been mastered.
• Adaptive Behavior – The ability of an individual to demonstrate appropriate
personal independence, social responsibility, and environmental awareness for
his chronological age and cultural group
Language of Special Education
• Adaptations – Changes in educational environments that allow learners with
disabilities to participate in inclusive environments by compensating for
learners’ weaknesses.
• Alternative Assessment – Designed for learners with disabilities who cannot
participate in the standardized testing and reporting system
• Applied Behavioral Analysis– Application of learning principles derived from
operant conditioning- use of rewards or reinforcement; used to increase or
decrease specific behavior; considerable research on its use with individuals
with autism
• Assessment– Process of gathering information and identifying a learner’s
strengths and needs; data used in making decisions regarding a learner’s
eligibility for special education and IEP needs
Language of Special Education
• Assessment Plan – a written description of the assessments that will be
used to evaluate a learner’s strengths, weaknesses, and progress and to
determine his or her eligibility for special education services and the types of
services that would help that learner succeed.
• Assistive Technology – any equipment, or product system, that is used to
increase, maintain, or improve the capabilities, or enhance the learning of
learners with disabilities
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) – an out-of-date term that was previously
used to describe children who have difficulty paying attention, but are not
significantly impulsive or hyperactive.
•Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – a developmental disorder, characterized
by abnormal or impaired development in social-communication skills, and
restricted and/or repetitive patterns of behavior
Language of Special Education
 • Cognitive Skills – the act or process of knowing; analytical or logical thinking
•Confidentiality – assurance that NO information contained in school records
be released without parental permission, except as provided by law (exception-
to prevent more harm = self-harm or suicidal intention)
• Disability – inability or incapacity to perform a task or activity in a normative
manner
• Hearing Impairment – impairment in hearing, whether permanent or
fluctuating, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance
• Inclusion – a mindset that encourages providing all children, including those
with disabilities, with equal opportunity, to learn alongside their regular, non-
disabled peers, in the general education classroom, to the maximum extent
possible, with the necessary supports and services students need to make the
most of their education
• Individualized Educational Program (IEP) – a written detailed plan developed
by a collaborative team for each student, ages 3-21, who receives special
education services (SPED teacher, parents, medical practitioners- doctor,
psychiatrist, occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), etc.
Language of Special Education
• Informal Assessment – gathering pieces of evidence about student
performance through classroom observations, interviewing, or teacher-made
tests, that have not been utilized with large groups of people and which do not
have a standard set of instructions for their use and interpretations
• Soliciting Informed consent – a process of getting permission before
conducting a healthcare intervention on a person, or for disclosing personal
information
• Intellectual Disability (ID) – replaces the term ‘mental retardation’; means
significantly below average intellectual functioning (IQ of 70 or lower), existing
concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the
developmental period that negatively impacts a child’s educational
performance
• Interventions– different methods, techniques, and procedures used by
teachers and experts to help learners who are struggling with a skill or lesson
succeed in the classroom
Language of Special Education
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – the setting where the students with
disabilities are provided special education and related services, which promote
interaction with the general school population and regular classmates- whi are
typically/normally developing, to a degree appropriate to the needs of both
• Mainstreaming – refers to the selective placement of students with
disabilities in one or more general education classes and/or other activities
• Mediation – a conflict resolution process that can be used to resolve special
education issues
• Modifications – changes in the curriculum and assessment that significantly
alter the expectations for the students
•Multi-disciplinary – group of professionals from different disciplines who
function as a team but perform their roles independently of one another
Language of Special Education
• Occupational Therapist – A professional trained in helping students address
daily living skills, fine motor skills, and sensory issues in 1-on-1 or small group
settings
•Fine motor skills - refer to the coordination between the child's small
muscles, like those in their hands, wrists, and fingers in coordination with their
eyes. Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the body that enable such
functions as writing, grasping small objects or toys, or fastening clothing
Examples of Fine Motor Skills: dialing the phone; turning door knobs, keys, and
locks; putting a plug into a socket, Buttoning and unbuttoning clothes, Opening
and closing zippers, fastening snaps and buckles, tying shoelaces, brushing
teeth and flossing.
Language of Special Education
 • Physical Therapist – a professional trained in helping students develop their
gross (big) motor skills.
• Gross motor skills are foundational skills that involve bigger movements
using large muscle groups – arms, legs, feet, and trunks – to move the body;
with practice, children learn to develop and use gross motor skills, so they can
move with balance, coordination, ease, and confidence
• Reading comprehension – the ability to read and understand what one is
reading
•Receptive Language – receiving and understanding spoken or written
communication; receptive language skills include listening and reading
•Referral – the process of requesting an evaluation for a student who is
suspected of having a disability to determine the eligibility for special and/or
related services
Language of Special Education
• Reinforcement – The learning principle that states that when behaviors are
immediately followed by a reward in the form of a preferred item (chocolate,
star, activity, or condition) then, that behavior will more likely occur in the
future
• Response to Intervention (RTI) – a tiered model for intervention in which
students who are at risk for special education referrals, are exposed to
gradually increasing levels of support, instead of placement changes
• Self-help Skills– refers to feeding, dressing, and other activities necessary
for independent functioning in a family, in school, and in the community
• Service Provider– refers to a person or agency providing some type of
service to children with disability and/or their families.
• Social Skills Training – is using direct instruction to teach students
appropriate social behaviors that increase an individual’s social competency,
acceptance,
and adaptation
Language of Special Education
•Speech – Language Impairment (SLI)– a communication disorder, such as
stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice
impairment, that negatively impacts a student’s educational performance
• Task Analysis (TA) – Instructional strategy in which complex, multi-step
tasks are analyzed and broken down into sequential component parts, with
each part taught separately and then as a whole
• Transition services– a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed
within an outcome-oriented process, which promote movement from school to
post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training,
integrated employment (ex. Supported employment), continuing education,
adult services, independent living, or community participation
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – an acquired injury to the brain caused by an
external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability, psycho-
social impairment, or both, that negatively impacts on the student’s
educational performance
Nine (9) Elements of Successful Special Education Programs & Practices
1. Philosophy of inclusion – includes shared values, universal design for
learning, accessible communication and collaboration -to be educated in
content-rich, general education setting
2. Individualization of programs – Children with special needs must enjoy
adaptable programs and individualized supports
3. Supportive school community – There is a need for a positive- learning
environment for children at all times
4. Multi-tiered support systems – team-based and data-driven processes to
support framework for academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional needs for all
types of students
5. Family and community partnerships – Family- School – Community
partnerships are very important to build a strong learning environment and to
develop support networks around the students
6. Cutting-edge technologies and practices – Each school must use
innovative approaches and assistive technologies in the delivery of school
curriculum
7. Flexibility and autonomy – The needs of the learners are the top-most
priority of the school
8. Staff development – The staff or personnel regularly undergo rigorous
professional development and training to ensure that the general and special
education teachers and other personnel are ready to meet the needs of all
students
9. Constant refinement and improvement of programs – The school sets
goals toward the on-going improvement of sustainable special education
programs
Learners with exceptionalities
• We often experience that our students in the classroom are different from
one another, diverse and unique.
• Some students are “different” in some way from the “normal” or “average” or
“regular” or “typical” students
• We refer to them as
“learners with exceptionalities”
• They are those with special needs related to cognitive abilities, behavior,
social functioning, physical and sensory impairments, emotional disturbances,
and giftedness.
• Most of these learners require a lot of understanding, caring and patience as
well as special education and related services if they are to reach the full
potential of development
Analysis
• From the movies watched, we saw the challenges that confront a person with
special needs. The person’s adjustment entails the support of the people
around him. As a future teacher, it is important to have the right information
and proper attitude in dealing with special learners. This will help us facilitate
learning
What is the difference between “disability” and “handicap”?
1. Disability – measurable impairment or limitation that interferes with a
person’s ability, for example, to walk, lift, hear, or learn
• It may refer to a physical, sensory, or mental condition
• Law that provides a comprehensive service and support in the USA is (IDEA)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• 1987 Phil. Constitution – Art XIV, Sec 2 uses the word “disabled” in paragraph 5:
“Provide adult citizens, the disabled, and out of school youth with training”
2. Handicap – a disadvantage that occurs as a result of a disability or
impairment
- The degree of the disadvantage (or extent of the handicap) is dependent on
the adjustment made by both the person and environment
-The extent to which a disability handicaps an individual can vary greatly
For example, two persons may have the same disability but not the same
degree of handicap: ex. Both have hearing impairment, one knows sign
language and can read lips while the other cannot; or two persons move around
in wheelchair, one studying in a school campus with wheelchair accessibility
while one in a school without wheelchair accessibility
Categories of Exceptionalities
A. Specific Cognitive or Academic Difficulties
1. Learning disabilities – involve challenges in specific cognitive processes like
perception, language, memory or meta-cognition which are not due to other
disabilities like mental retardation, emotional or behavioral disorders, or
sensory impairments
Example: Dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (number operations), dysgraphia E. Giftedness
(writing) - Significantly high level of cognitive development; high mental ability or
2. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) – shown in difficulty in aptitude in academic subjects, creativity, visual or performing arts or
focusing and maintain attention, restless – recurrent hyperactive and impulsive leadership - genius, gifted or talented
behavior (nutrition – too much sugar, chocolates- stimulant); what to do? Help
them have pets – dog, rabbit; or different toys People-First Language
3. Speech & Communication Disorders – difficulty in spoken language • Language trend that involves putting the person first, NOT the disability
including voice disorders, inability to produce the sounds correctly, stuttering, a. Avoid generic labels (X mentally retarded; / A child who is mentally
difficulty in spoken language comprehension which can hamper classroom challenged
performance b. Emphasize abilities, not limitations
4. Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - Condition shown in different • X confined to a wheel chair; / uses a wheel chair
levels of impaired social interaction & communication/ difficulty in eye c. Avoiding implying illness or suffering / had polio; X polio victim
contact, repetitive behavior, limited interests; have an intense need for routine
and predictable environment - (is it good for them to go to the mall?) • Using people-first language is a more respectful and accepting attitude
5. Mental retardation – sub-average intelligence and deficits in adaptive towards learners with exceptionalities.
behavior (IQ is 70 or less) There is difficulty in managing activities of daily living • The presence of impairments require them to exert more effort to do things
and conducting oneself appropriately in social situations (mild, moderate, than the regular learners
severe or profound) • They may turn to you for assistance
• Begin with the right attitude, be caring and loving; one with the heart and
B. Emotional/Conduct Disorders – presence of emotional states like hand to facilitate their learning and adjustment.
depression and aggression over a long time that they disturb learning and
performance in school ex. Mood swings
C. Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments – physical & medical
conditions- long term limited energy and strength, reduced mental alertness,
little muscle control
C. Severe & Multiple Disabilities – having 2 or more disabilities, at times on a
profound level. Combination of disabilities require more specific adaptations
and specialized programs
D. Sensory Impairments
1. Visual Impairments – malfunction of the eyes or optic nerves that prevent
normal vision even with corrective lenses
2. Hearing impairment – malfunction of ears or auditory nerves that hinder
perception of sounds within the frequency range of normal speech