MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 1

A Position Paper on

Mainstreaming Children with Special Needs

Sherwin P. Alarcio

Education is a basic right of everyone, promoted and protected by our Constitution for it

is considered to be the best tool the government has to instill essential skills and teach children

about their rights. Every child is special, unique and precious, so, regardless of race, age, ability

or disability, he or she is entitled to access education opportunities for him or her be able to

maximize his or her potential that he or she may contribute to the community.

Children with special needs (CSN) also known as exceptional children and youth covers

those with intellectual disability, giftedness and talent, learning disabilities, emotional and

behavioral disorders, communication disorders, visual and hearing impairment, physical

disabilities, health impairment and severe disabilities (Inciong, 2007). These children are also

entitled to receive education to be competent in communication and self-realization to become an

independent and productive individual through programs that are developed based on their

specific needs (Dağli & Őznacar, 2015). Necessary steps have to be taken to help them access

their educational needs to develop their cognitive, social and behavioral, physical and emotional

areas. The most appropriate action to alleviate the barriers on educating CSN is to place them in

special education program. Special Education (SPED) is a teaching program designed for

children who need unusual help to use their full learning ability through a wide range of

educational services or programs that includes resource room, itinerant teaching, hospital-based

instructions and many others (Inciong, 2007). It is systematically planned and carefully

implemented and evaluated to address individual educational needs of the CSN. In the

Philippines, Special Education (SPED) programs has been institutionalized in all schools back in
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 2

1997 by the Department of Education that aims to provide equal education opportunities to all

CSN through the formal system and other alternative delivery services in education, in

accordance with the implementation of the Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons (DO 26, s.

1997). The aforesaid Magna Carta mandates the State to “ensure that the disabled persons are

provided with adequate access to quality education and ample opportunities to develop skills

and take into consideration the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation of

education policies and programs” (Congress, 1992). The institutionalization of SPED in our

country also gave birth to the adaptation of Salamanca Statement that highlights the promotion of

children’s right to access equal education regardless of disability, also known as inclusive

education (IE) (UNESCO, 1994). The Salamanca Statement was forged by representatives from

92 countries and 25 international organization during the 1994 World Conference on Special

Needs Education in Salamanca, Spain. They also asserted that the general education setting

should be regarded as a venue of human development open to all school children regardless of

their physical, emotional and mental states (Muega, 2016). The Philippines was among of the

signatories of the said statement.

One model of inclusive education in the Philippines is the mainstreaming program (also

known as inclusion) for children with special needs. Dr. Teresita Inciong, former Assistant

Secretary for Programs and Projects of the Department of Education and advocate of SPED in

the country, emphasized that mainstreaming is the ultimate goal of every SPED programs. In

mainstreaming or inclusion, it allows special needs students to be educated alongside with their

normally developing peers. There are two types of mainstreaming that has been adopted in the

Philippines, partial and total mainstreaming. In partial mainstreaming program, children with

moderate or severe type of disability are joined to a specific subject such as Physical Education,
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 3

Music and Arts, and Home Technology in the regular class. On the other hand, in total

mainstreaming, a child with disability is enrolled in regular classes and recite in all subjects. As

this program runs in the “school within the school” and “least restrictive environment” concepts,

children with special needs become part of the elementary and secondary school program,

serving as proof that our country is committed to deliver accessible quality education to CSN

(Ebol, 2000).

Since the advent of promoting the inclusive education in our country, its implementation

has been facing what is seemingly unsurmountable barriers, struggling to achieve the expected

positive outcome. So far, the practice of including CSN to regular classroom is largely

determined by Department of Education Order No. 72, series of 2009. The order released is now

outdated that it did not even specify a stable, clear and definite process of including CSN in the

general classroom setting. Teachers were clueless on details how it should be implemented, what

are the uniform standards to meet and the qualifies CSN for inclusion program. At present, a new

legislation, the Special Education Act, is still on the table for discussion. Senate Bill 3002, when

enacted into law shall determine and define criteria on the practice of inclusion of CSN in the

regular classroom. Given the delay of its passage into law and the vagueness of standards that

should be met in its implementation are issues that continue to defy definitive resolution (Muega,

2016). These are considered as the main factor why teachers from both SPED and regular classes

are doubtful of the implementation of the DepEd Order for it puts the purpose of inclusion and

quality education to a compromise because of lack of facilities, equipment and training.

Inclusion has been viewed by regular classroom teachers who receive CSN a burden.

Some say that they do not want students with special needs in their classrooms because it will

only disrupt the class, add up on their workload and some believes that handling special children
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 4

is the sole responsibility of the SPED teachers (Dağli & Őznacar, 2015). Teachers are expected

to accommodate an overwhelming heterogenous student population, yet they often feel ill-

prepared and apprehensive toward receiving CSN in regular classroom (Cate, 2018). They are

not against inclusion-- its ideals and concepts, but their issue is that they should be given much

time to prepare, given much more defined information and training on how it should be

implemented to meet the standards.

The success of the application of mainstreaming depends on the extent to which children

with special needs receive adequate and satisfactory levels of special education as well as regular

educational services (Kırcaali & Batu, 2007 as cited by Dağli & Őznacar, 2015). There should be

a balance on instruction services to be able to sustain the needs of the CSN and it also lies on

how the teachers embraces and willingness to the program. As teachers will have the main

responsibility for implementing this program, teachers’ characteristics are critical in ensuring the

success of the inclusive practice. The European Agency for Development in Special Needs

Education clearly mentioned that the teachers should have appropriate skills, knowledge and

understanding and also values and positive attitudes to work effectively and efficiently in

inclusive setting (D’Alessio et.al, 2011 as cited by Cate, 2018). Given the scenario inside a

classroom of a public school where there is an overwhelming population of students alongside

with their individual differences, this poses a substantial challenge to teachers where they may

feel generally insufficiently prepared and less willing to accommodate CSN to their classroom. It

is merely important to understand teacher’s ability and willingness to accommodate CSN to

facilitate an effective inclusive practice. Teachers’ competence as well as attitude have an impact

on inclusive teaching and it also affects student learning (Cate, 2018).

 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 5

In order to boost competence, the need to be educated and be trained about a certain

system is vital. Teachers from both classrooms as well as those who are involved in inclusion

must be educated about inclusive education. Lack of teacher training in IE is one of the major

problems that hinders the success of inclusion. Such training should begin at the pre-service level

of teacher training and education. This is ideal, but high-quality training may only be realized if

teacher education institutions (TEIs) has the necessary resources to fully equip inclusive

schoolteachers (Muega, 2016).

Collaboration and communication are keys for a sound inclusive education. Teachers

from both settings must work together to come up with an alternative learning activities or

services that can be added up for better accumulation of skills. Moreover, they must also work

together in modifying their subject’s curriculum or planning, innovate teaching strategies and

make appropriate teaching materials to accommodate the children with special needs. SPED

teachers are tasked to monitor the development of the child and to give focus on what skill he has

missed. SPED teachers must become more adept in content knowledge and curriculum

development, and general educators must understand their role in implementing IEP goals and

objectives—that is, how to accommodate students with disabilities within the general education

classroom (Hawes, 2003). This endeavor gives importance on mutual understanding and

collaboration in order to provide appropriate educational service to CSN.

In this time of COVID-19 pandemic that has led to the closure of all institutions,

including schools, put our education systems around the world to a challenge. Many schools in

the country has moved into different platforms to bridge learning to their students despite the

absence of physical classrooms. Inclusion of children with special needs also faces challenges as

they move to what we call “new normal” in regards to learning. The significance of
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 6

communication and collaboration between regular and SPED teachers, and also with the parents

must be realized especially during this time of crisis. Modalities and approaches must be planned

collaboratively in order to sustain inclusion and for children with special needs will not be left

out. Teachers can make use of low-tech or high-tech modalities to reach his or her student to

bring learning. Low-tech includes modules and other written instructions while high-tech

modality refers to use of virtual reality and digital applications like Zoom, Facebook, Messenger

and other social media platforms.

Children from the regular classroom, parents of CWSN, school staff and teachers from

SPED and regular class must be prepared and work collaboratively in order to become this

educational placement successful for the benefit of the child with special needs (Kargin, 2006 as

cited by Dağli & Őznacar, 2015). Support systems for parents and for the normally developing

students must be in place in order to sustain the needs and to lessen the barriers in mainstreaming

children with special needs. According to the study of Dağli & Őznacar, mainstreaming CSN

generally has great positive impact not only to the children with special needs but also to their

parents and their normally developing peers. Mainstreaming has promoted patience, acceptance

and warmth towards CSN in the regular classroom. It also served as a support system as well for

both children (CSN and normal peers) to develop social collaboration and understanding.

Inclusive education is not the simple physical accommodation of a learner with special

educational needs in a regular classroom alone (Paliokosta, 2010). Appropriate adjustments must

be made so that the CSN can genuinely participate in the learning activities that happen in school

(MacBeath et.al, 2006 as cited by Muega, 2016). Therefore, adequate training, right education

about IE, plus positive attitude towards inclusion can make this special education program for

children with special needs achievable. Teacher education institutions (TEIs) can also take this
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 7

opportunity to offer or develop curriculum on inclusive education to train teachers on dealing

diverse needs of the children, especially the children with special needs. On the other hand, our

government and non-government organizations should invest on training and information

dissemination and provide support groups in order to hurdle the barriers that hinders inclusion.

Then-Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said that, “the education of special children requires

greater commitment because of the existence of distinctive circumstances. It requires the

expertise and dedication of a trained staff and sincere participation of the supporting

characters” (Santiago, 2008). Proper organization, collaboration and positive attitude of teachers

play a dynamic role in the development of inclusive education in schools.

References

Cate, I. M.-t. (2018). Promoting Inclusive Education: The Role of Teacher's Competence and Attitudes.
50.

Congress, P. (1992). Magna Carta for Disabled Persons’. Retrieved from National Council on Disability
Affairs: https://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/republic-acts/republic-act-7277/

Dağli, G., & Őznacar, B. (2015). An Evaluation on Mainstreaming Practices of Primary Schools According
to the Views of School Administrators, Teachers and Parents. Educational Sciences: Theory &
Practice.

Ebol, S. T. (2000). Report on Special Education in the Philippines.

Education, D. o. (1997, March). Institutionalization of SPED Programs in All Schools. Manila, Philippines:
Department of Education.

Hawes, M. N. (2003). Collaboration Between General and Special Education: Making it Work. Retrieved
from National Center on Secondary Education and Transition:
http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1097

Inciong, T. Q. (2007). Introduction to Special Education. Manila: Rex Book Store.

Muega, M. A. (2016). Inclusive Education in the Philippines: Through the Eyes of Teachers,
Administrators and Parents of Children with Special Needs. Social Science Diliman.
 MAINSTREAMING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 8

Paliokosta, P. &. (2010). Inclusion in school: a policy, ideology or lived experience? Similar findings in
diverse school cultures. . Retrieved from The University of Warwick: http://
dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9604.2010.01464.x

Santiago, M. D. (2008). Explanatory Note of “Special Education Act of 2008". Manila, Metro Manila,
Philippines: Senate of the Philippines.