MODULES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

AVERIL JANE AGUILANA- MONTERO, MAED

Faculty, College of Education/UEPLES

Module 1
(Educ 5)

BASIC CONCEPTS ON SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Based on the Department of Education Order (DO) no. 21, series of 2019 and in
teacher quality through the National adoption and implementation of the Philippine
Professional Standards for Teachers (PPTS) or DO 42, ss.2017, teachers are now
expected to act as major implementers of inclusive education.
As future teachers, you will find children with special needs in regular school. A
special education teacher assists the regular teacher in planning class activities that
would enable both regular and special children to learn together in the regular school.
Welcome to the World of Special Education!

Learning Task 1: What is Inclusive Education?

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION- is putting the right to education into action by

including all learners, respecting their diverse needs, abilities and characteristics and
eliminating all forms of discrimination in the learning environment (UNESCO, 2009).
SPECIAL EDUCATION- is defined as classes or instructional designed for
students with disabilities, giftedness, and talent.
MAINSTREAMING- is the practice of educating students with learning challenges
in regular classes, in the least restrictive environment, based on their skills.
INTEGRATION- according to Franklin (1996) it refers to the creation of spaces
such as regular classrooms, special education classrooms or pull- out services for
diverse learners.
INCLUSION- is the process of addressing and responding to the diversity of
needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, culture, and
communities, and reducing exclusion within and from education.

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Table 1.1 Conceptualization of Inclusion, Mainstreaming, and Integration

INCLUSION MAINSTREAMING INTEGRATION

Placement of learners in
the regular class is based
on age, regardless of
their abilities or
disabilities
There are no pull outs
and no shadow teaching
Individualization within
the class without pullout
Placement in the
regular class is based
on the admission
requirement
Provisions of
interactions with
regular children, with
regular class as the
child’s station.
May include shadow
teaching
Placement in the
regular class in one
or more subjects or
activities
Provisions of
interaction with
regular children,
with the SPED
class as the child’s
station.
May include tutorial
and other learning
assistance
programs.

Table 1.2 Inclusive Education and Special Education

Inclusive Education Special Education

All learners, regardless of the
condition participate in a
mainstream classroom alongside
their age peers.
The learners adhere to a prescribed
curriculum and methodology with
some accommodations/ adaptations
and modifications to meet the
needs of learners with disabilities,
giftedness, and talents.
All students simply require good
instruction, but different teaching
strategies
The learners with disabilities,
giftedness, and talents are
accommodated in a special class
along with other learners of the
same condition.
A special curriculum is structured
on the learner’s condition (eq.
intellectual disability, visual
impairments) but is based on the
regular curriculum.
The learners with disabilities,
giftedness and talents are given
specialized and intensive instruction
anchored on their curriculum.

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ACCOMODATIONS- Change how the learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents
learn the same material and meet the same expectations as their age peers (eq. person
with visual impairments using audio books, highlighted texts or large print materials.)

MODIFICATION- changes what a student is taught or expected to learn (eq. a person

with intellectual disability use less complicated text materials of different content topic,
than their age peers.)

DISABILITY- refers to the difficulties encountered in three connected areas-

impairments, activity limitations, and participation restriction (eq. PWD cannot climb up
the stairs simply because he is in a wheelchair)

IMPAIRMENTS- are problems in body function or alterations in body structure (eq.

deafness, paraplegia or strabismus.)

Learning Assessment 2: Make an info graphics that presents and summarizes your
understanding of the term INCLUSION.

Learning Assessment 3: As used in Special Education, differentiate ABILITY to

DISABILITY. In what ways are the two terms similar or different from each other.

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SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

OVERVIEW

Based on the latest Department of Education 2000 report, out of 80 million

Filipinos, 50% are children and youth (0-24 yrs.) The SPED Division of the Department
of Education estimates that there are 12% have special needs. And 97.4% or 5,059,854
of them do not receive appropriate educational services. The last fifty years were
marked by bold developments in legislation, teacher training, organization of special
education classes and support services in all the regions of the country. As future
teachers, you will find children with special needs in regular school. A special education
teacher assists the regular teacher in planning class activities that would enable both
regular and special children to learn together in the regular school. Welcome to the
World of Special Education!

In this module you will learn the salient features of special education in the
Philippines together with the milestones in its history in the last one hundred years and
the law that provide the legal bases for special education in the country. You will also
learn some inspiring stories about children and youth who have disabilities but who are
able to overcome their difficulties in school through special education.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module you should be able to:

1. Explain the vision for children with special needs

2. Enumerate the goal and objectives of special education
3. Cite important events relevant to the implementation of special education in the
Philippines
4. Discuss the policy of Inclusive Education for All
5. Discuss the legal bases of special education in the country
6. Appreciate and gain inspiration from the lives of successful persons with
disabilities

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Learning Task 1 Brainstorm the rights of children

What is the most important reason why children with special

needs go to school?

Why do children with disabilities don’t go to school?

CHAPTER 1:

VISION, POLICY, GOAL AND OBJECTIVES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

VISION- “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 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 Filipino.

POLICY ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION is adopted in the Philippines to accelerate

access to education among 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.

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.

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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 training or
preparation for college and
4. Make, available an array of educational program and services

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

 In 1902 the interest to educate Filipino children was expressed through

General Superintendent Mr. Fred Atkinson. He proposed that children
with special needs be enrolled in school like other children. However, it
was not until 1907 when special education program formally started in the
country.

 1926 – Philippine Association for the Deaf was founded.

 1927- The government established the Welfare Ville Children’s Village in
Mandaluyong.

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 1945- the National Orthopedic Hospital opened its School for Crippled
Children for young patients who had to be hospitalized for long periods of
 t
i
m
e
.

 1949- the Quezon City Science High School for gifted students was
inaugurated. In the same year, 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.

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1956- The first Summer Institute for Teaching the Deaf.

1957- The Department of Education created the Special Education Section of
the Special Subjects and Services Division.
1958- The American Foundation for overseas blind opens its regional office in
Manila.
1960- Some private Colleges and Universities started to open special
education courses in their graduate school.
1962- Training of teachers at University of the Philippines.
1. Hearing Impairment
2. Mental Retardation
3. Mental Giftedness

Learning Task 2: List the significant events

that have shaped the history of special
education in the last century:

a. In the early 1900’s until 1949

b. The third quarter of the century
c. The last thirty years

Important Laws in Special Education

 Republic Act No. 5250- an act establishing a ten year teaching
training programs for teachers of special and exceptional
children.
 Presidential Decree No. 603- Child and Youth Welfare Code
was enacted

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 Presidential Decree No. 1509- In 1978 the National Commission

Concerning Disable Persons as National Council for the welfare
of Disable Person was created.
 Batas Pambansa Bilang 232- Also known as Educational Act of
1982. The State shall promote the right of every individual to
relevant quality education, regardless of sex, age, breed, socio
economics status, physical and mental condition, social and
ethnic origin, political and other affiliations.
 Batas Pambansa Bilang 344- In 1983, the accessibility Law was
created. An act to enhance the mobility of disabled persons.
 Republic Act No. 6759- In 1989, the Law declared August 1 of
each year as “ White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines”
 Republic Act No. 7610- In 1992, the Law is an act providing for
strong deterrence and Protection against Child abuse,
Exploitation and discrimination.
 Presidential Proclamation No. 361- In 2000, set new dates for
the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation.
 Republic Act No. 9288- In 2004, known as the Newborn
Screening Act of 2004
 Newborn Screening is a very simple test that should be given to
a baby twenty four hours after birth. A blood sample is taken
from the heel of the child.
 Magna Carta for Disabled Persons- Republic Act No. 7277

Learning Task 3:

Enumerate the laws pertain to:

a. The inclusion of children with special needs in all programs and concerns of the
government.
b. The education of children with special needs
c. The participation of the home, parents and the community in special education
activities
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d. Commemoration of significant events
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VIGNITTES ABOUT SUCCESSFUL YOUNG PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

 Roselle Ambubuyog triumphs over her disability- a little
girl confidently making it to the top of her class despite
her being blind.

 Genalin “ Gen” D. Marco first a deaf accounting scholar at the Miriam College.
 Genevieve Yang Chung incoming senior at the Hong kong
International School, having down syndrome held an exhibit of her
Chinese watercolor paintings on August 2, 2004 at the Discovery
Suites to promote Down syndrome awareness in
the Philippines.
 Ludwig Van Beethoven- musician, deaf

 Tom Cruise- actor, producer, learning disability

 Thomas Edison- Inventor, Learning Disability

 Franklin Roosevelt- President in the United

States, Physical Disability

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 Stevie Wonder- prodigy at piano and born completely blind

 Helen Adams Keller- author, political activists, and lecturer,

deaf and blind

Learning Task 4:

Reflection: Clip stories and articles from newspapers and magazines about people
with disabilities who became successful by going to school.

Feedback:
Have you learned from this module? Do you have questions? Which Learning Task did
you find easy? How about the difficult one? How important is knowing the Vision, Policy
and Objectives of Special Education? How about the historical and legal bases of
Special Education in the Philippines? All of these are essential in learning the basic
concepts in Special Education in the Philippines.

Summary:
Here are some highlights of this module:
 The Vision, Goal and Policy in Inclusive Education
 The history of Special Education starting 1907
 The Laws that has been legislated to give Special Education its legal bases

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 Inspiring stories about Children and youth who become successful despite their
disabilities

References:
Austincc.educ.com
Inciong, Teresita G. et. Al Introduction to Special Education 2007
Ijci.wcci-international.org
Department of Education, Culture & Sports, Bureau of Elementary Education, Special
Education Division.2003. SPED Statistical Info. Pasig City, Philippines: Department of
Education, Culture & Sports

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