(Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education)
PROF. ED. 123 (Foundation of Special and Inclusive
Education)
This course shall deal with philosophies, theories and legal bases of
special needs and inclusive education, typical and atypical
development of children, learning characteristics of students with
special needs and strategies in teaching and managing these learners
in the regular classroom setting.
TERMINOLOGY
Inclusion - a dynamic approach of responding positively
to pupil diversity and of seeing individual differences
not as problems but as opportunities for enriching
learning. It incorporates disabled students who have
special education needs into the regular education
environment (UNESCO, 2005).
Inclusive Education - is the pedagogical practice
founded on the philosophical belief that all students,
irrespective of abilities and disabilities have the right to
obtain education together, according to age that
everyone will profit from regular school setting (Gary
Bunch).
- the practice of including another group of students in
regular classroom, students with physical,
developmental or socio-emotional disabilities and those
with health problems (Cushner et. al.).
- different and diverse students learning side by side in
the same classroom.
- all children no matter who they are can learn
together in the same school.
Special Education - a practice of educating students in school day. The remainder of the day is in a special
a way that addresses their individual differences and education classroom.
special needs. Ideally, this process involves the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) - notion that
individual planned and systematically monitored children with disabilities should be educated with
arrangement of teaching procedures adapted equipment children who have no disabilities.
and materials and accessible settings. Full Inclusion - mainstreaming/inclusion of all children
- an instruction designed to meet the unique needs of with disabilities into natural environments (e.g.
students with disabilities. These students can range from playgrounds).
partially to severely disabled. Exceptionalities – in K-12 refers to both disabilities and
Children with disabilities - children who need special giftedness.
education and related services (replaces former terms IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) –
such as handicapped). act 2004 – a national law that guarantee an appropriate
Disability - a physical or mental impairment that education to students with disabilities, recognize 14
substantially limits one or more major life activities. disability categories.
Accommodations - changes that allow a person with a
disability to participate fully in an activity (e.g. extended
time, different test format, and alterations to a
classroom).
Assessment or Evaluation - describe the testing and
diagnostic processes leading up to the development of
an appropriate IEP for a student with special education
needs.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - outlined by
IDEA to define the written document/plan that states the
disabled child's goals, objectives and services for
students receiving special education.
Early Intervention - programs for developmentally
delayed infants and toddlers through 35 months of age;
designed to help prevent problems as the child matures.
Mainstreaming - the integration of children with
special needs into regular classrooms for part of the
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(Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education)
IDEA’s (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
13 DISABILITY CATEGORIES:
1. Specific learning disability (SLD) - covers a specific
group of learning challenges. These conditions affect a
child’s ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do
math (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia).
2. Other health impairment - covers conditions that
limit a child’s strength, energy, or alertness (e.g.
ADHD).
3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - is a
developmental disability. It involves a wide range of
symptoms, but it mainly affects a child’s social and
communication skills. It can also impact behavior.
4. Emotional disturbance - They may include anxiety
disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-
compulsive disorder, and depression.
5. Speech or language impairment - covers difficulties
with speech or language (e.g. stuttering, trouble
pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice). It
also covers language problems that make it hard for kids
to understand words or express themselves.
6. Visual impairment, including blindness - A child
who has eyesight problems is considered to have a
visual impairment. This category includes both partial
sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision
problem, then it doesn’t qualify.
7. Deafness - these are kids who can’t hear most or all
sounds, even with a hearing aid.
8. Hearing impairment - refers to a hearing loss not
covered by the definition of deafness. This type of loss
can change over time. Being hard of hearing is not the
same thing as having trouble with auditory or language
processing.
9. Deaf-blindness - have both severe hearing and vision
loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique
that programs for just the deaf or blind can’t meet them.
10. Orthopedic impairment - is the lack function or
ability in the body (e.g. cerebral palsy).
11. Intellectual disability - Kids with this type of
disability have below-average intellectual ability. They
may also have poor communication, self-care, and social
skills (e.g. down syndrome).
12. Traumatic brain injury - a brain injury caused by
an accident or some kind of physical force.
13. Multiple disabilities - A child with multiple
disabilities has more than one condition covered by
IDEA. Having multiple issues creates educational needs
that can’t be met in a program designed for any one
disability.
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TYPOLOGY OF LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS
A. Learners with intellectual disability or cognitive
disability – means significantly sub-average intellectual
functioning that exists concurrently with deficit in
adaptive behavior and chat adversity affects educational
performance.
 Intellectual disabilities are specific cognitive
difficulties that create a low intelligence quotient
(IQ) score and significant problems in the ways
learners adapt to new situations, such as their ability
to socialize or take a test (e.g. limited reasoning and
understanding).
 Cognitive disabilities are obstacles to learning. A
person with this type of problem experiences
difficulty in perceiving, recognizing, choosing,
understanding, etc (e.g. a child with an extremely
high IQ may have severe cognitive disabilities).
1. Mental retardation – a generalized disorders,
characterized by sub-average cognitive functioning and
deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors with onset
before the age of 18.
- is characterized by below-average intelligence or
mental ability and a lack of skills necessary for day-to-
day living.
- is now referred to as “Intellectual Disability”
(Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education)
- someone with intellectual disability has limitations in
two areas:
Intellectual functioning. Also known as IQ, this
refers to a person’s ability to learn, reason, make
decisions, and solve problems.
Adaptive behaviors. These are skills necessary
for day-to-day life, such as being able to communicate
effectively, interact with others, and take care of oneself.
- a person is considered intellectually disabled if they
have an IQ of less than 70 to 75 (average IQ is 100 and
most people score between 85-115).
2. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) -
a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type. It is
characterized by problems of paging attention,
excessive activity, or difficulty controlling behavior
which is not appropriate for a person’s ages.
- one of the most common mental disorders affecting
children. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not
being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess
movement that is not fitting to the setting) and
impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without
thought).
3. Cerebral Palsy - this is caused by damage to the
parts of the brain which control movement during the
early stages of development. Children with cerebral
palsy may have difficulties with: 1. posture 2.
movements of body parts or the whole body 3. muscle-
weakness or tightness 4. involuntary muscle movements
(spasm) 5. balance and coordination 6. talking and
eating.
- the most common motor disability in childhood.
Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means
weakness or problems with using the muscles. CP is
caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the
developing brain that affects a person's ability to control
his or her muscles.
B. Learning Disabilities
1. dyslexia – a language-based disability in which a
person has trouble understanding written words. It
may also be referred to as reading disability or reading
disorder.
2. dyscalculia – a mathematical disability in which a
person has a difficulty time solving mathematical
problems and grasping concepts.
3. dysgraphia – difficulty in writing
4. dyspraxia or apraxia –difficulty with motor
planning and impacts about a person’s ability to
coordinate body movements.
5. auditory and visual processing disorders – sensory
disabilities in which a person has difficulty
understanding language despite normal hearing and
vision
6. non-verbal learning disabilities – a neurological
disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the
brain, causing problems with visual-spatial, intuitive,
organizational evaluative and holistic processing
functions.
C. Emotional Disability
1. anxiety disorder – a feeling of unease, such as
worry or fear, that can be mild or severe.
2. bipolar disorder – also known as manic
depression that brings severe high and low moods
and changes in sleep, energy, thinking and behavior.
People who have bipolar disorder can have periods in
which they feel overly happy and energized and
other periods of feeling very sad, hopeless and sluggers.
3. conduct disorder – refers to a group of
repetitive and persistent behavioral and emotional
problems in youngsters.
4. eating disorder – related to persistent eating
behavior that negatively impact in your health, your
emotions and your ability to function in important areas
of life common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa,
bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
5. obsessive Compulsive disorder – a disorder in
which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts,
feelings, ideas and sensations and behaviors that drive
them to do something over and over.
6. psychotic disorder – severe mental disorder that
cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. A person
with disorder touch with reality symptoms, delusion
and hallucination.