 WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?

o IT REFERS TO THE SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT.
o A pupil is identified as having Special Educational Needs if they are finding it harder than
other pupils to make progress. This may be due to a specific learning difficulty, a
recognised disability such as a hearing impairment, emotional, mental health or social
difficulties, or speech and language difficulties.
o Special needs education or special education refers to separate schools, classes, or
instruction specifically designed for students categorized as having special educational
needs (SEN) (UNESCO, 2017). Special education is defined as an ‘education designed to
facilitate the learning of individuals who, for a wide variety of reasons, require additional
support and adaptive pedagogical methods in order to participate and meet learning
objectives in an educational programme’
o The reasons may include different physical, behavioural, intellectual, emotional, and
social capacities. ‘Educational programmes in special needs education may follow a
similar curriculum as that offered in the parallel regular education system, however they
take individuals’ particular needs into account by providing specific resources (e.g.
specially trained personnel, equipment, or space) and, if appropriate, modified
educational content or learning objectives.’
o Traditionally, the vision of ‘special education’ differs from an inclusive education system,
since it relies on segregation or integration, instead of inclusion. In inclusive education
systems, the physical infrastructure of schools, teaching and learning materials, teachers
themselves, among many more, are adapted to meet the needs of everyone.
o The key to inclusive special education programs is understanding and accepting students
for who they are. This means not just helping them overcome their weaknesses but
assisting them in finding and developing their talents too.
o The ultimate goal of special education shall be the integration or mainstreaming of
learners with special needs into the regular school system and eventually in the
community.
 Special Education Division Philippines Memorandum:
o * PHYSICAL
o * MENTAL
o * SOCIAL OR SENSORY IMPAIRMENT
o * CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Require modifications of the school curricula, programs and special services and physical
facilities to develop them to their maximum capacity These persons may be
gifted/talented, fast learner, mentally retarded, visually impaired, hearing impaired, with
behavior problems, orthopedically handicapped, with special health problems, learning
disabled, speech impaired or multiply handicapped.
must be treated as person of dignity
needs should be provided
must NOT be isolated nor be looked down

should have the rights as normal children do

 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

 BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

"Every child with special needs has a right to an educational program that is suitable to
his needs."
"Special education shares with regular education basic responsibilities of the
educational system to fulfill the right of the child to develop to his full potential."

OBJECTIVE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Play, Learn and To develop the maximum potential of the child with special needs to
enable him to Grow become self-reliant ... and shall be geared towards providing him
with the opportunities for full and happy life.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

The development and maximization of learning competencies, as well as the inculcation

of values to make the learners with special needs as useful and effective members of
society.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

1) Physical Disabilities

- Physical disabilities refer to conditions that affect a child's physical abilities, mobility, or
coordination.

Ex.
* Cerebral palsy

* Spina bifida

* muscular dystrophy

2) Cognitive Disabilities

- Cognitive disabilities involve limitations in intellectual functioning and cognitive

abilities.

Ex.
* Down syndrome

* Intellectual disability

* Traumatic brain injury

3) Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

- Emotional and behavioral disorders affect a child's emotional well-being, behavior, and
social interactions.

Ex.
* Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

* Conduct disorder

* Anxiety disorders
4) Social Communication Disorders

- Social communication disorders involve difficulties in understanding and using verbal

and nonverbal communication in social contexts.

Ex.
* Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

* Selective mutism

* Social pragmatic language disorder

5) Developmental Delays

- Developmental delays refer to slower progress in various areas of development

compared to typical milestones.

Ex.
* Global developmental delay (GDD)

* Specific developmental delay

* Intellectual developmental disorder

6) Mental Health Disorders

- Mental health disorders impact a child's emotional, psychological, and mental well-
being.

Ex.
* Depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

*Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

7) Sensory Processing Disorders
 - Sensory processing disorders affect a child's ability to process and respond to sensory
information from their environment.

Ex.
* Sensory processing disorder (SPD)

* Auditory processing disorder (APD)

* Tactile defensiveness
8) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

- Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that can affect social interaction,
communication, and behavior.

Ex.
* Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

* Asperger's syndrome

* Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

9) Learning Disabilities

- Learning disabilities involve difficulties in acquiring and using academic skills.

Ex.
* Dyslexia

* Dysgraphia

* Dyscalculia
10) Speech and Language Disorders

- Speech and language disorders involve difficulties in communication, speech

production, or language comprehension.

Ex.
* Speech sound disorder

* Expressive language disorder

* Stuttering
 BASIC TERM IN SPED
IDEA : Indivuals with Disabilities Education Act
This is a law that ensures services to children who have disabilities, from birth through age 21.
“Part B” of the IDEA law applies to individuals ages 3-21,
2. Special Education
This is “individualized instruction designed to meet the unique needs of certain students” who
have been identified as having a disability .
3. Categories of Disability
There are over a dozen “categories of disability” within Special Education as outlined by
IDEA, and each one of them has their own definition. The key here is that, in order to
become eligible for Special Education, a child must meet the criteria for at least one
category of disability AND their disability must be adversely affecting their educational
performance.
4. IEP: Individualized Education Program
If it has been determined that a school-age child (age 3-21) meets eligibility criteria for
Special Education under one of the categories of disability, an IEP document is then
developed, reviewed, and revised at least once a year by the child’s educational team
(which includes the parents).
5. Related Services
These are services that will help a student with a disability benefit from their special
education program. School therapy services are considered “related services” under
IDEA.
6. Supplementary Aids and Services
These are aids, services, or other supports provided to the student or staff. Examples
could include collaboration/consultation with service providers (such as the school
Occupational Therapist), adapted equipment or materials (such as a special seat, cup,
pencil grip, writing paper, scissors), assistive technology, one-on-one aide,
accommodations, or modifications.
7. Accommodations
These are “adaptations to the curriculum that do not fundamentally alter or lower
standards” and may include being allowed to take a test in a quiet room (if a student
with a disability is easily distracted), being able to provide test answers orally (if a
student’s handwriting difficulties are a barrier to test-taking), etc.
8. Modifications
These are “changes to the curriculum that do alter the expectations and may include
changes to course content, timing, or test presentation.
9. LRE: Least Restrictive Environment
This means that, “to the maximum extent appropriate, a school district must educate
any student with a disability in the regular classroom with appropriate aids and
supports, referred to as supplementary aids and services, along with the student’s peers
without disabilities, in the school he or she would attend if the student did not have a
disability”
10. FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education
Public school districts are required to provide a “free appropriate public education” to
school-age students with disabilities who are in their jurisdiction (ages 3-21), regardless
of the nature or severity of the disability.
 Categories of Exceptionalities

The Education Act identifies five categories of exceptionalities for exceptional students:

communicational,intellectual,physical, andmultiple.Behavioural

These broad categories are designed to address the wide range of conditions that may
affect a student’s ability to learn, and are meant to be inclusive of all medical conditions,
whether diagnosed or not, that can lead to particular types of learning difficulties.

Categories and Definitions of Exceptionalities

BEHAVIOURAL

Behavioural Exceptionality: A learning disorder characterized by specific behaviour

problems over such a period of time, and to such a marked degree, and of such a nature,
as to adversely affect educational performance and that may be accompanied by one or
more of the following:

a. an inability to build or to maintain interpersonal relationships;

b. excessive fears or anxieties;

c. a tendency to compulsive reaction;

d. an inability to learn that cannot be traced to intellectual, sensory, or other health

factors, or any combination thereof.

COMMUNICATIONAL

Autism: A severe learning disorder that is characterized by: a. disturbances in: rate of
educational development; ability to relate to the environment; mobility; perception,
speech, and language;

b. lack of the representational symbolic behaviour that precedes language.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing: An impairment characterized by deficits in language and

speech development because of a diminished or non-existent auditory response to sound.

Language Impairment: A learning disorder characterized by an impairment in

comprehension and/or the use of verbal communication or the written or other symbol
system of communication, which may be associated with neurological, psychological,
physical, or sensory factors, and which may:

a. involve one or more of the form, content, and function of language in communication;
and
 b. include one or more of: language delay; dysfluency; voice and articulation
development, which may or may not be organically or functionally based.

Speech Impairment: A disorder in language formulation that may be associated with

neurological, psychological, physical, or sensory factors; that involves perceptual motor
aspects of transmitting oral messages; and that may be characterized by impairment in
articulation, rhythm, and stress.

Learning Disability: One of a number of neurodevelopmental disorders that persistently and

significantly has an impact on the ability to learn and use academic and other skills and that:

a. affects the ability to perceive or process verbal or non-verbal information in an effective

and accurate manner in students who have assessed intellectual abilities that are at least in
the average range;
b. b. results in (a) academic underachievement that is inconsistent with the intellectual
abilities of the student (which are at least in the average range), and/or (b) academic
achievement that can be maintained by the student only with extremely high levels of
effort and/or with additional support;
c. c. results in difficulties in the development and use of skills in one or more of the
following areas: reading, writing, mathematics, and work habits and learning skills;
d. may typically be associated with difficulties in one or more cognitive processes, such as
phonological processing; memory and attention; processing speed; perceptual motor processing;
visual-spatial processing; executive functions (e.g., self-regulation of behaviour and emotions,
planning, organizing of thoughts and activities, prioritizing, decision making);
e. may typically be associated with difficulties in one or more cognitive processes, such as
phonological processing; memory and attention; processing speed; perceptual motor processing;
visual-spatial processing; executive functions (e.g., self-regulation of behaviour and emotions,
planning, organizing of thoughts and activities, prioritizing, decision making)
INTELLECTUAL
Giftedness: An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires
differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally
provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential
indicated.
Mild Intellectual Disability: A learning disorder characterized by:

a. an ability to profit educationally within a regular class with the aid of considerable
curriculum modification and support services;
b. . an inability to profit educationally within a regular class because of slow intellectual
development;
c. a potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment, and economic self
support.

Developmental Disability: A severe learning disorder characterized by:

a. an inability to profit from a special education program for students with mild
intellectual disabilities because of slow intellectual development;

b. an ability to profit from a special education program that is designed to

accommodate slow intellectual development;

c. a limited potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment, and

economic self-support.

PHYSICAL • Physical Disability: A condition of such severe physical limitation or

deficiency as to require special assistance in learning situations to provide the opportunity
for educational achievement equivalent to that of students without exceptionalities who
are of the same age or development level.

Blind and Low Vision:

A condition of partial or total impairment of sight or vision that even with correction
affects educational performance adversely.

M U LT I P L E

Multiple Exceptionalities:

A combination of learning or other disorders, impairments, or physical disabilities that is

of such a nature as to require, for educational achievement, the services of one or more
teachers holding qualifications in special education and the provision of support services
appropriate for such disorders, impairments, or disabilities.