Speacial Education

MODULE 1
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
What is special education?

Children and youth with special needs have always been recognized as legitimate beneficiaries of the Philippine government’s
reforms in basic education. For almost a century now, the Department of Education through its Special Education Division has been
providing the broad framework and standards in establishing and maintaining special education programs in both public and private
schools all over the country.
Special education also known as Special Ed or SPED, is a set of educational programs or services specially designed to meet the
unique needs of learners with disabilities that cannot be sufficiently met using traditional educational programs or techniques. Special
education services and programs may be provided individually or in a group with other learners with similar educational needs.
Special Education is the design and delivery of teaching and learning strategies for individuals with disabilities or learning
difficulties who may or may not be enrolled in regular schools. Students who need special education may include students who have
hearing impairment or are deaf, students who have vision impairment or are blind, students with physical disabilities, students with
intellectual disability, students with learning difficulties, students with behavior disorders or emotional disturbance and students with
speech or language difficulties.
Introductory Activity
What do students know about special education?
Who is special education for?
Who teaches special education?

Special Education is the design of teaching and learning strategies for individuals with disabilities or learning
difficulties. It is also about attitude, because teachers need a positive attitude to be effective special educators. This is also about
understanding the different needs that students have, including the different types of disability and learning difficulties. Put simply,
whenever a teacher makes any kind of adaptation to their usual program so that they can assist a student with special need, that
teacher is implementing special education.
A special education is appropriately only when a pupil’s needs are such that he pr she cannot be accommodated in a
general education program. Simply stated, a special education is a customized instructional program designed to meet the unique
needs of an individual learner. It may necessitate the use of specialized materials, equipment, services and/or teaching strategies. For
example, an adolescent with a visual impairment may require books with larger print, a pupil with a physical disability may need
specially designed chairs and work tables; a student with a learning disability may need extra time to complete an exam. In yet another
instance, a young adult with cognitive impairments may benefit from a cooperative teaching arrangement involving one or more
general educators along with a special education teacher.
Finally, if a special education is to be truly beneficial and meet the unique needs of students, teachers must
collaborate with professionals from other disciplines who provide related services. Individuals with disabilities are more like their
typical peers that they are different from them. Always remember to see the person not the disability, and to focus on what people can
do rather than what they can’t do. It is our hope that as you learn about people with disabilities, you will develop a greater
understanding of them, and from this understanding will come greater acceptance.
Special education is for students with special education needs. These may be students who have a general difficulty with
some part of their learning at school or who seem to have difficulty with all kinds of learning. They may be students with a particular
disability, such as hearing impairment, a vision impairment, a speech impairment, a physical impairment, or intellectual disability. They
may be students with behavior disorders, emotional problems or a medical condition of one kind or another. Their special need might
be permanent or it might be temporary; this depends on the nature of the need and, to some extent on what action is taken by their
parents, teachers and other community members. Any student can have a special educational need at some time or another, and any
student can develop a special need. This is why it is sometimes said that special education is for all students.
Special Education Terminology
The World Health Organization (1980) determined the following definitions which have been generally accepted throughout the world:
 Impairment – an abnormality in the way organs or systems function (e.g. medical condition, eye disease, a heart problem
 Disability – the functional consequence of an impairment (e.g. an intellectual disability due to brain impairment; low vision; deafness)
 Handicap – the social or environmental consequence of a disability (e.g. a person with a wheelchair is not handicapped when paths and
buildings are wheelchair accessible)
In writing and speaking about, and with, people with disabilities, whether they are young or old, it is important to use appropriate
terminology. Firstly, it demonstrates to all that we value people with disabilities as members of our society. Secondly, it educates those
who read and hear what we say, about appropriate terminology, and therefore gives them an opportunity too, to help develop and
promote positive, inclusive and equitable values.
Vision for Children with Special Needs
The Department of Education clearly states its vision for children with special needs in consonance with the philosophy of inclusive
education, thus:
“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 own 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 a Filipino.
It is also envisioned that the child with special needs will get full parental and community support for his/her education without
discrimination of any kind. This special child should also be provided with a healthy environment along with leisure and recreation and
social measures”. (DepEd Handbook on Inclusive Education, 2000)
Policy, Goals and Objectives of Special Education
The policy on Inclusive Education for All is adopted in the Philippines to accelerate access is adopted in the Philippines to accelerate
access to education among children and youth with special needs. Inclusive education forms an integral component of the overall
educational system that is committed to an appropriate education for all children and youth.
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 flexible and individualized support system for children and youth with special needs in a regular class environment in schools
nearest the students’ home
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 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 disadvantaged children in far-flung towns, depressed areas and underserved barangays.

Speacial Education

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Speacial Education

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Speacial Education

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MODULE 1

SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

What is special education?

What do students know about special education?

Who is special education for?

Who teaches special education?

Who is special education for?

Who is special education for?

Special Education Terminology

Vision for Children with Special Needs

Policy, Goals and Objectives of Special Education

Special education aims to:

You might also like