Introduction to Special and Inclusive Education modifications to meet the needs of learners with

disabilities,giftedness, and talents.

Basic Concepts in Special and Inclusive Education
 All students simply require good instruction,
Special Education (SpEd) is defined as classes or
but different teaching strategies may be
instruction designed for students with disabilities,
employed to those with low or very high
giftedness, and talents.
education needs.
It refers to programs that cater to the educational need  The general education teacher oversees the
of learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents, learning of students and in some cases, with
apart from their same-aged peers. SpEd involves the help of shadow teacher or a special
planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a education teacher.
specially designed and coordinated set of services  Ideal number of learners: 30-35
through the Individualized Education Plan/Program (IEP)
Special Education
tailored to identify and address the specific strengths
and limitations towards their educational, social,  The learners with disabilities, giftedness, and
behavioral, and physical development. talents are accommodated in a special class
along with other learners of the same condition.
Learners with special needs (LSEN) are also referred to
 A special curriculum is structured on the
as students with additional needs (SWAN), children with
learners’ condition(e.g. intellectual disability,
special needs (CSN), students with special education
visual impairments) but is based on the regular
needs (SEN), or children with special education needs
curriculum.
and disabilities (SEND), but it is preferable, according to
 The learners with disabilities, giftedness, and
Bustos (2018) to use the term learners with disabilities
talents are given specialized and intensive
(LWD), since the rights of person with disabilities
instruction a anchored on their curriculum.
(PWDs) are fundamental human rights and are NOT
 The special education teacher oversees the
special rights.
learning of learners with disabilities, giftedness
Inclusive Education-IE is about putting the right to and talents with the collaborative partnerships
education into action by including all learners, of other professionals listed in the IEP.
respecting their diverse needs, abilities and  For one-on-one: 1
characteristics and eliminating all forms of  For group: 3-4
discrimination in the learning environment (UNESCO,  For resource group: 5-10
2009).
Along SpEd and IE, other related concepts include
Inclusive Education is also highlighted in the DepEd mainstreaming and integration.
Order 21, series of 2019, also known as the Policy
Mainstreaming is the practice of educating students
guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program.
with learning challenges in regular classes, in the least
Inclusive education, according to the policy, is the key
restrictive environment, based on their skills.
standard and core principle of the K to 12 curriculum,
and as an inclusive curriculum, it is learner-centered, Integration according to Franklin (1996) refers to the
developmentally appropriate, culture-sensitive, creation of spaces such as regular classrooms, special
relevant, gender-responsive, and contextualized. education classrooms, or pull-out services for diverse
learners.
Inclusive Education
UNESCO states that inclusion is the process of
 All learners, regardless of the condition,
addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of
participate in a mainstream classroom alongside
all learners through increasing participation in learning,
their age peers.
cultures, and communities, and reducing exclusion
 The learners adhere to a prescribed curriculum
within and from education.
and methodology with some
accommodations/adaptations and
Conceptualization of Inclusion, Mainstreaming, and
Integration

Inclusion

 Placement of learners in the regular class is

based on age, regardless of their abilities or
disabilities.
 There are no pullouts and no shadow teacher.
 Individualization within the class without
pullout. The precondition to completely understand its definition
is by becoming acquainted with its two major disability
Mainstreaming
models, medical and social model.
 Placement in the regular class is based on the
The Medical Model: Disability as a disease
admission requirements.
 Provisions of interaction with regular children, Beginning the middle of 1800s. The medical/biomedical
with the regular class as the child’s station. model of disability began to replace the mora and/or
 May include shadow teaching in the regular religious model in favor of important advances in
class, provision for pullout and one-on-one. medical science.
Integration This model views disability as medical concern or
problem residing in an individual (Olkin, 1999).
 Placement in the regular class in one or more
subjects or activities. Disability according to those who believe in this model,
 Provisions of interaction with regular children, is a defect or failure of the body and, thus, is inherently
with the SpEd class as the child’s station. abnormal and pathological.
 May include tutorial and other learning-
assistance programs. Hence, intervention must be with the end goal of
finding a cure, upgrading the physical condition to the
Inclusive education equates to the idea of equity. farthest extent possible, and rehabilitation and adjust to
the current environment.
Equality is where is everyone given the same support
with the assumption that once all children are provided This model essentially defines disability in a negative
with the same opportunities, every one o them are way. It regards disability as objectively bad, as apitiable
catered properly. condition, "a personal tragedy for the individual and her
family, something to be prevented and, if possible,
Equity is about fairness in every situation.
cured" (Thomas & Woods, 2003, p. 15; Carlson, 2010, p.
Accommodations change “how” the learners with
The Social Model: Disability as a socially constructed
disabilities, giftedness, and talents learn the same
phenomenon
material and meet the same expectations as their age
peers. The social model of disability emerged as a response to
the limitations of the medical model of disability (D'
Modification changes “what” a student is taught or
Alessio, 2011).
expected to learn.
Regarded sometimes as the minority model, it views the
The term disability is often confused with impairment.
society as one "which disables people with
impairments, and therefore any meaningful solution
must be directed at societal change rather than
individual adjustment and rehabilitation" (Barnes,
Mercer, & Shakespeare, 2010, p.163).
One of the most vital documents that contributed to the  Thus, it was not surprising that there were calls
development of this model was the Union of the for infanticide or that a father had the right to
Physically Impaired Against Segregations (UPIAS) terminate their child’s life if he or she happened
manifesto document, Fundamental principles of to be born with a disability.
Disability (1976).Central to the social model of disability
Era of Ridicule
is the concept that disability is eventually a socially
constructed phenomenon.  During the Middle Ages, people lived in rigid
caste systems that discrimination of individuals
As pre-service teachers, it is important to avoid
who were different from the majority in society
discriminatory behavior and language towards learners
became apparent.
with disabilities, to be sensitive enough not to make
 Persons with disability were treated with
them feel different from other students in the school,
ridicule in which they were used as servants or
and also avoid name-calling. Another way to model non-
fools “they were used as clowns” they were
discriminatory behavior is by being sensitive to the
mocked for their deformities and behavior; or
words used to address people with disabilities.
may even be ordered to be put to death.
Language use is not difficult, so if you are referring to
PWDs in sentence construction use People First Policy, Era of Asylum
where the word people or person is used followed by
their condition or impairment.  During the Renaissance Period, the Catholic
Church began accepting persons with disabilities
as wards of state. This was the start of the
humane treatment given to them. They were
taken cared of, albeit in isolation. However, the
belief that once disabled always disabled
rendered there individuals as uneducable.

Perspective on Educability in the Early Beginnings of

Special Education

 Being taken care for can be considered as

humane treatment for persons with disability, a
Historical, Philosophical, Theoretical, and Legal different perspective stipulates that without
Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education education, there is no humanity.
 Thus, to reinforce equal treatment among all
The development of special and inclusive education humans, one should have right to education
Era of Extermination regardless of his or her disability.
 Being taken care for can be considered as
Era of Ridicule humane treatment for persons with disability, a
Era of Asylum different perspective stipulates that without
education, there is no humanity.
Early Beginning of Special Education and Inclusive  Thus, to reinforce equal treatment among all
Education in the Philippines humans, one should have right to education
regardless of his or her disability.
Era of Extermination
Pedro Ponce de Leon (1578)- First documented
 During the Greek and Roman Ear, people held
experience about education of deaf children
such negative views about disability that it was
regarded as a punishment from God, something Abbe Charles-Michel de l'Épée (1960)- Created the
that signifies being bad or evil. “institute pour sounds” (Institute for Deaf)
 Individuals with disability were labelled as
“defectives” that need to be eliminated from Louis Braille-Invented the “Braille Script”, which allow
the society. the blind to read.
Timeline of Events, Persons, and Ideas that Shaped the criticized, it reinforce negative attitudes towards
Early History of Special and Inclusive Education individuals with special needs. During 1920s to 1930s,
social and economic hardships took away much of the
MID-1700s
interest about individuals with handicaps. However, in
Joseph Periere- He showed interest in a group of the 1940s, Alfred Strauss and Heinz Werner became
individuals called “deafmutes”who were generally instrumental in special education, especially on the
believed to be unteachable. Using simple sign language neurological basis of learning disabilities.
and a machine he invented, he systematically taught
1950s to 1970s-The improvement of economics and
them to do simple arithmetic calculations.
politics at this time helped create a more positive
Jean Marc Itard- He was well known for his work o attitude and available funding for special education.
intellectual disability. A case he is well-known for is that Among the programs during this time was Head Start,
of Victor, the wild boy of Aveyron, a child reportedly which promoted early intervention for children who
fund wandering naked in the woods and raised by were or at risk of becoming handicapped. Other
animals. He managed to teach Victor how to identify important figures in special education during this time
common objects, letters of the alphabet, and the were Samuel Kirk, who coined the term “learning
meaning of some words; thus demonstrating the disabilities,” Marianne Frostig, Newell Kephart, and
possibility of teaching individuals previously deemed William Cruickshank, who all contributed in the progress
unteachable. of special education.

EARLY 1800s 1970s and BEYOND- Special education started to be

recognized as a formal and identifiable profession;
Samuel Gridley Howe- was known for his work with parents and advocates also started to acknowledge the
blind individuals at the Perkins School for the Blind in rights of individuals with special needs and importance
Boston, while Thomas Gallaudet put up a school for the of special education; and legislation
deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.
From Special to Inclusive Education
Edouard Seguin- Itard’s student, focused on teaching
individuals with intellectual disability. Among the The classic view of special education deemed LSEN as
institutions he became involved with were Hospice des being different from other learners, and thus, specially
Incurables in France; Pennsylvania Training School for designed instructions, along with special settings,
Idiots in the United States; and Weak-minded and Weak- special teachers, specialists, special ratio, special
bodied Children in New York, which he was instrumental methods/tools, and special program and goals are
in putting up. needed to educate them.

EARLY 20th CENTURY Although this has advantages, it also has disadvantages
such as it reinforces their being “disabled;” less is
Maria Montessori developed techniques and materials expected of them; segregates them from community;
that can be used to teach learners with intellectual and provides them with less chance to interact with
disability; while Grace Fernald developed techniques for other children their age.
providing remedial education in reading. Despite the
advances in special education, in the United States, The definition of disability has also evolved. While the
negative attitudes toward individuals with handicapped medical condition focuses on pathology, the social
was still apparent. Institutions for special education definition considers the context and environment in the
became the dumping ground for unwanted individuals. manifestation of disability. Moreover, the World Health
Organization (WHO,1996) differentiated the term
1920s to 1940s impairment which refers to physical or mental defect at
Henry Goddard published a famous study on the the level of a body system or organ; disability, which
Kallikak family (Feeblemindedness: Its Causes and refers to person-level limitations in physical or psycho-
Consequences, (1914), about a man who fathered an cognitive activities; and handicap, which refers to social
illegitimate child, whose descendants were of average abilities or relation between the individual and society.
to above average intelligence. While this was highly
From a tradition of segregation, the education of LSENs 1996-Four Pillars of Learning (Learning the Treasure
has moved to inclusion. This was due to three kinds of Within-report to UNESCO of the International
pressures. First is the ethics and moral pressure, which Commission on Education for the 21st Century)
was reinforced by associations, laws, and increased
1997- RA 8371 The Indigenous People’s Act Right
awareness.
2000- The Dakar Framework for Action – Education for
Second is the conceptual framework, which comes from
All
the need to treat individuals as normally as possible
(normalization); to educate children with disabilities 2001-RA 9155 Governance of Basic Education Act
alongside those who do not have (least restrictive
environment); to let them engage with others of the 2004-DepEd Order 51, series of 2004 Standard
same age and other social characteristics (social Curriculum for Elementary Public Schools and Private
validation); to allow them to adapt only when necessary Madaris
and to increase their participation and success 2004- EO 365 Renaming the Bureau of Non-Formal
(principles and adaptation); and to allow them to Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System
integrate physically, socially, and pedagogically
(mainstreaming, inclusion, integration). 2006-UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
Finally, economic pressure puts scrutiny on the
effectivity and cost special education entails. This led to 2006-The Philippine Education for All (EFA) 2015
the move toward inclusion, which brings support National Action Plan
services to the child, rather than the child to the 2006-RA 9344 The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act
support services.
2007-UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Key Developments in the Practice of Inclusive
2007-RA 9442 An Act Amending RA 7277 Magna Carta
Education in the Philippines for Disabled Persons
1907- The Insular School for the deaf and Blind was 2008-Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps)
established.
2009-DepEd Order 72, s. 2009 Inclusive Education as a
1960-Programs for the Gifted were developed Strategy for Increasing Participation rate of Children
1977-The position for Undersecretary for Education ad 2009-DepEd Order 74, s. 2009 Institutionalizing Mother
culture for Non-Formal Education (PD 1139) was created Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MLE)
1983- BP 344 or The Law to Enhance Mobility of 2009-RA 9710 The Magna Carta of Women
Disabled Persons
2010-DepEd Order 22, s. 2010 Mainstreaming and
1987-The Philippine Constitution (Article XIV, Section 1 Institutionalization on Madrasah Education Program by
and 2) Transferring its Developed Components to the Bureau of
1989-Proclamation 480 declares the Period 1990-1999 Elementary Education and Regional and Division Offices
as the “Decade of Education for All” 2011-DepEd Order 62, s. 2011 Adopting the National
1990- World Declaration on Education For All Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) Education Policy Framework

1992- RA 7277 magna carta for the Disabled Persons 2011-DepEd Order 103, s. 2011 Creating of Indigenous
People’ Education Office
1992- RA 7610 Special Protection Against Abuse,
Exploitation and Discrimination Act 2012-RA 10157 Kindergarten Education Act

1994-Salamanca Statement on the Education of Children 2012-DepEd Order 83, s. 2012 Implementing Guidelines
with Disabilities on the Revised School-Based Management (SBM)
Framework, Assessment Process and Tool (APAT)
2013-RA 10533 Enhanced Basic Education Act

2013- RA 10361 Domestic Workers Act or Batas

Kasambahay Act

2016-Senate Bill 996 Inclusive Education for Children

and Youth with Special Needs Act

2016-Senate Bill 1298 The Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA)

2017-DepEd Order 42, s. 2017 Philippine Professional

Standards for Teachers

2017-CHEd Memo 74-77, s. 2017 Policies, Standards,

and Guidelines for Bachelor of Elementary Education VISION, POLICY, GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
(BEEd), Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd), OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECEd), and
Bachelor of Special Needs Education (BSNEd); all with a VISION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS- The
required Professional Education course of Foundations Department of Education clearly states its vision for
of Special and Inclusive Education children with special needs in consonance with the
philosophy of education, thus: inclusive "The State,
2022-RA 11650 Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and community and family hold a common vision for the
Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Filipino child with special needs. By the 21st century, it
Inclusive Education Act is envisioned that he/she could be adequately provided
Philosophical Bases with basic education. This education should fully realize
his/her own potentials for development and
Equality- means that all people should have equal rights productivity as well as being capable of self-expression
and equal opportunities. Related to equality is equity, of his/her rights in society. More importantly, he/she is
which is about providing the means - often varied - for God-loving and proud of being a Filipino.
people to move towards equal and just outcomes
POLICY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION The policy on Inclusive
Inclusivity-means making everyone feel welcome and Education for All is adopted in the Philippines accelerate
valued. It's About Belonging access to education among children and youth with
special needs.

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 2000). Inclusive Education- 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.

GOAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION 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
organizations. non-government. Likewise, there are
major issues to address on attitudinal barriers of the
general public and effort towards institutionalization the
and sustainability of special education programs and
services. Provide support services, vocational programs
and work training, employment opportunities for
efficient community participation and independent
living.

OBJECTIVES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION 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.