INTRODUCTION
Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability of people to
understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations,
coordinate movements, direct attention, among other similar difficulties. The
term “children with special needs” is the most commonly used and inclusive
term to describe children with disabilities. However, different regions and
cultures may use alternative terms such as "differently abled", “exceptional
child”, “Learners with Disability (LWD)”, or whatever term that is being
desired by the parents in order to promote a positive and empowering
perspective on disability.
The recent study of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF,
2022) estimates that there are about 1.6 million Filipino children with
disabilities. Such disabilities are categorized but not limited to autism, deaf-
blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual
disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health
impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment,
traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.
Philosophy of Special Education
Special Education (SpEd) refers to the specially designed instruction
to meet the unique needs and abilities of exceptional students (Ryan, 2004)
to enable them to cope up with minimal supervision. It pertains to the
education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the
students’ individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves:
a. The individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement
of teaching procedures; and
b. Adapted equipment and materials, accessible settings, and other
interventions designed to help learners with special needs achieve
a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success (i.e.
computer aided learning system, hearing aids, books in large print,
Braille, visuals, etc.)
The base for special education program is the “school within a school
concept”. There is an area for special education or self-contained class
composed of a group of pupils with the same exceptionality or disability.
There is also the mainstreaming program that allows children with disabilities
to be integrated in a regular class and learn side by side with their peers.
Two types of Mainstreaming
1. Partial Mainstream - children with moderate or severe forms of
disabilities integrated in regular classes in selected subjects.
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2. Full Mainstream – children with disabilities going to regular classes
and participate in all the subjects.
There is also the Special Day Class that focuses on helping children
develop social skills and self-control. A special day class is designed to help
children become successfully integrated within their community. This is for
children who suffers severe mental or emotional disorders and learning
disabilities. The special education classes are taught by trained special
educators.
Another SpEd system of learning is the residential or boarding school
where students are provided with both special education and dormitory
services. Complementing the curricular programs here are houseparent
services, diagnostic services, guidance and counselling, recreational, and
different social activities.
Government Initiatives in support to the SpEd Program
In its commitment to strengthen the Philosophy of Special Education,
various legislative measures were adopted in the country.
In September 11, 1982, the Interim Assembly Batasang Pambansa
approved BP Blg. 232 which provides that “The State shall promote the right
of every individual to relevant quality education, regardless of sex, age,
creed, socio-economic status, physical and mental conditions, racial or
ethnic origin, political or other affiliation. The State shall therefore promote
and maintain equality of access to education as well as the enjoyment of the
benefits of education by all its citizens”.
In March 24, 1992, the Senate of the Philippines approved Republic
Act 7277 which is “An Act Providing for the Rehabilitation, Self-Development
and Self-Reliance of Disabled Persons and their Integration Into the
Mainstream of Society and for Other Purposes”.
In December 07, 1982, Batas Pambansa Blg. 344 otherwise known as
the Accessibility Law was passed which is an “An Act to Enhance the Mobility
of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions,
Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices”.
On November 02, 2021, DepEd also issued DepEd Order No. 44 s.
2021 which is the “Policy Guidelines on the Provision of Educational
Programs and Services for Learners with Disabilities in the K to 12 Basic
Education Program”. The program provided a better environment for all
learners to collaborate, regardless of their issues or differences, and sought
to make schools inclusive; this shall ensure that students with disabilities are
included in mainstream or general education classes.
But despite the obvious need to reach out to learners with disability,
statistics in the year 2023 shows that out of the 13,408 schools in the
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Philippines that have SPED programs, only 648 are SPED Centers - 471 in
elementary schools and 177 in high schools.
It is in this basic fact that CFS, Inc. has shown its desirability to be a
part of the continuous development of the SPED program in the country,
more particularly in the City of Santiago. In this study, the term “Learners with
Disability (LWD)” will be most frequently used.
Brief Profile of the City of Santiago
The City of Santiago is located at about 79 kms. south of Isabela
Province, City of Ilagan, and about 328 kms. from Metro Manila. Being the
first City in Region 02, the then Municipality of Santiago became an
Independent- Component City in 1994. Containing an area of 27,406
hectares, the land is predominantly devoted to agriculture with 21,632.87
hectares or 78.93%. The built-up area is 2,778.61 hectares or 10.14%.
Reciprocating its great strides in infrastructure and utility development
is its geographic centrality with respect to the different towns and provinces
of Region II and the different neighboring regions as well. Forming a
proverbial infinite tie, the three (3) major roads that converge at the urban
area practically polarized and shaped the city to become what it is today
known as the fastest growing economy in Region II. It is now being groomed
as an agricultural Center and the Commercial haven of the North.
Based on the PSA statistics in the year 2020, the City of Santiago has
a population of 148,580 with an average growth rate of 1.98% per annum.
There are about 151 educational institutions offering various
educational programs from early childhood education to higher education
catering demands of school-age population and adult population who are
availing and training in the City of Santiago. School-age population of other
neighboring towns who opt to study in the city comprised about 30% of the
City’s educational participation rate.
Table 1. Educational Institutions and School Facilities
Source: By Level SY 2020-2021, CPDO
TYPE OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION NO. OF SCHOOLS/
INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOLS
FACILITIES LEVELS/PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
PUBLIC
Child Development Center Early Childhood Care & 64
Development Program
Supervised Neighborhood Early Childhood Care & 3
Playgrounds (SNP) Development Program
Child-Minding Center Play and Learn 1
Public Elementary Schools Kindergarten to Grades 1-6 32
Integrated School
Public High Schools Junior High School 9
Senior High School
Higher Education Higher Education 1
Institutions
3
PRIVATE
Private Child-Minding Play Activities 5
Centers/Play Gyms
Private Schools Preparatory Program/ 26
Kindergarten Classes
Elementary (Grades 1-6)
Junior High School
Senior High School
Higher Education Higher Education 10
Institutions
TOTAL 151
Table 2. Population Composition by School-Age
Source: 2017 Household Profiling and Skills Mapping (HPSM), PSA
BOTH MALE FEMALE SEX
AGE GROUP RATIO
SEXES No. % No. %
School going population 53,054 26,992 51% 26,062 49% 1.04
Pre-school (3-5) 7,661 3,892 51% 3,769 49% 1.03
Elementary (6-11) 16,418 8,491 52% 7,927 48% 1.07
Secondary (12-17) 15,932 8,033 50% 7,899 50% 1.02
Tertiary (18-22) 13,043 6,576 50% 6,467 50% 1.02
Literacy Rate
The 2017 HPSM that surveyed 122,459 total number of household
population within the City has established a 98.98% literacy rate which
translates that a total of 121,213 Santiagueños are literate. Subsequently, the
remaining 1.02% or 1,246 Santiagueños are illiterate. The literacy rate has
marked a dramatic increase since year 2000 which is considered low at
81.88 percent to 98.98 percent in 2017.
Persons With Disability (PWDs)
Based on the CY 2023 Annual Report of the Persons with Disability
Affairs Office (PDAO) of the City of Santiago, there are about 3,735
registered individuals with disability within the locality.
Table 3. Persons with Disability Statistics In the City of Santiago
Source: Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), CY 2023
NUMBER AGE RANGE SEX
TYPE OF
OF
DISABILITY PERSONS
0-17 18-59 60-above Male Female
Deaf or Hard of Hearing 181 25 122 34 96 85
Learning Disability 138 102 36 - 92 46
Mental Disability 164 32 127 5 90 74
Physical Disability 1,407 123 953 331 833 574
Psychological Disability 881 256 533 92 481 400
Speech & Language Impairment 214 65 136 13 110 104
Visual Disability 578 46 389 143 279 299
Cancer 151 12 127 12 29 122
Rare Disease 21 3 17 1 10 11
TOTAL 3,735 664 2,440 631 2,020 1,715
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Table 4. Enrolment of Children with Special Needs
Source: Santiago North Central School SpEd Center,
SY 2019-2020 to SY 2022-2023
CATEGORY 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023
557 594 608 572
Fast Learners
Children with
149 259 248 280
Special Needs
In the school year 2022-2023, enrolment of SpEd Children with
Special Needs has increased from 149 in SY 2019-2020 to 280 in SY 2022-
2023. In SY 2022-2023, a total of 115 children with special needs are
enrolled in mainstreamed class. These pupils are in the level of partial
mainstreaming. They only attend in the three basic subjects which are
English, Science, and Math. They attend special education curriculum
classes with the SpEd teachers to further develop their skills in preparation
for them to attend the full mainstream program.
Table 5. Enrolment of Children with Special Needs
Per Type of Exceptionality
Source: Santiago North Central School SpEd Center & Santiago South Central
School, SY 2021-2022 to SY 2022-2023
TYPE OF EXCEPTIONALITY SY 2021 - 2022 SY 2022 – 2023
Visual Impairment (Normal Blind) 5 5
Visual Impairment (Low Vision / MDVI) 5 5
Autism Spectrum Disorder (Multi-level) 37 80
Emotional Behavioral Disorder (Multi-level) 1 2
Cerebral Palsy (Multi-level) 41 51
Intellectual Disability (GDD) 82 76
Intellectual Disability (DS) 26 23
Hearing Impairment (Early Intervention) 8 7
Hearing Impairment 25 18
Speech & Language Disorder 17 13
Learning Disability 0 0
Orthopedically Handicapped 1 0
TOTAL 248 290
Table 6. Enrolment of Children In Mainstreamed
Classes/Inclusive Education
Source: Santiago North Central School SpEd Center & Santiago South Central
School, SY 2021-2022 to SY 2022-2023
Type of SY 2021-2022 SY 2022-2023
Exceptionality Male Female TOTAL Male Female TOTAL
Hearing Impairment 15 14 29 7 11 18
Blindness 2 3 5 0 0 0
Low Vision 1 4 5 0 2 2
Intellectually Disabled 32 29 61 36 18 54
Multiple Handicapped 0 0 0 0 0 0
Autism Spectrum Disorder 28 7 35 19 2 21
Cerebral Palsy 17 12 29 10 9 19
Learning with Disability 0 0 0 0 0 0
Speech Defect 11 6 17 0 1 1
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TOTAL 106 75 181 72 43 115
Viability of the Proposed Project
For purposes of this feasibility study, assuming that 25% of the 3,735
or about 933 PWDs that were listed in the PDAO statistics for CY 2023 in the
City of Santiago (Table 3) are being categorized under LWDs with ages
between 6 – 25 years old, and considering the number of enrollees of
Children with Special Needs for SY 2022-2023 totaling to 290 (Table 5), it
could be safe to assume that more than 50% or more than 500 LWDs can
still be enrolled for SY 2024-2025 and beyond. This data is a very
conservative estimate since it only includes PWDs who were registered with
PDAO and it is believed that there are a lot of PWDs within the City who were
not able to register with PDAO due to various reasons. This analysis
translates to a higher number of LWDs that could be potentially enrolled in
the SpEd Program of the City of Santiago in the next few years. It is also
worth mentioning that the Local Government Unit of the City of Santiago is
very supportive of the SpEd Program.
Furthermore, considering the fact that most of the private schools in
the City of Santiago who offered SpEd programs never re-opened after the
pandemic (May 2022), there is now a wide gap or a shortage of private
schools where parents of LWDs could enroll their children with learning
disability, hence, the need for private schools to open/re-open their doors to
these LWDs are very much viable, not just for revenue or profitability
purposes, but for its social desirability as well.
Having high regards in the Philosophy of Special Education and
respect to the government’s initiatives in support to the SpEd Program
nationwide, the Children First School, Inc. finds it necessary and challenging
to open its door to the LWDs of the City of Santiago and nearby localities
starting in the School Year 2024-2025.
CFS, Inc. is perfectly located at Barangay Rosario, Santiago City.
Barangay Rosario is situated within the Poblacion area having a total land
area of 121 hectares and a population of 1,399 based on the 2020 PSA
census with an annual growth rate of 1.96%. It is the 2 nd most populated area
in the City which is accessible to all major amenities such as commerce,
hospitals, schools, and public transportation. There are 1 public elementary
school, 1 public high school, 3 private elementary schools, and 1 private high
school within the said barangay.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Children First School, Inc. arose from humble beginnings. On its
first laps of operation in 1996, it catered Preschool Courses to 37 children
with the goal of providing a nurturing environment for their social, emotional,
physical, cognitive and moral development.
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In the first years, the number of enrollees fluctuated unpredictably. The
management and the teaching force strived to stratify a curriculum that
answers the needs and abilities of the learners, and soon CFS established a
reputation of being an excellent educational institution. And in SY 1996-1997,
the Preschool Department of Children First School was granted Government
Recognition R. 01, Series of 1997.
In the school year 2000-2001, the CFS boldly responded to the
demands of the parents and children to offer Grades 1 to 3. A permit to
operate Grade 1 to Grade 3 was granted by the Department of Education
and from then on, the student population escalated until in the school year
2003-2004, Children First School was granted Government Recognition No.
02 Series of 2003 and produced graduates of the grade school department.
Again, due to parents’ demand, the school started offering High
School courses. Through the effort of the Administration, Faculty and Staff,
DepEd Region 2 granted Government Mandatory Accreditation to Children
First School for offering the operation of the Complete Secondary School
Course under the Restructured Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC). With
Government Recognition No. A-049, s. 2007, Children First School made
history for producing the first batch of high school graduates.
A year after, by SY 2008-2009, Children First School again charted its
historical direction by passing Certification for the Educational Service
Contracting Program of the government and thus qualifying for government
subsidy through the FAPE-ESC Scholarship granted to incoming freshmen in
the high school department.
In February 01, 2010, Children First School made another leap in its
commitment to institutional improvement by applying accreditation to the
Philippine Accrediting Association for Schools Colleges and Universities
(PAASCU) and on February 10, 2010, Children First School joined the ranks
of the PAASCU APPLICANT INSTITUTION in the Philippines vying for
accreditation after a series of visits by PAASCU panel of specialists.
After 3 years of receiving Government Subsidy for ESC students and
teachers, Children First School continued to upgrade and develop the
different sectors of the academic programs so as to achieve the
government’s re-certification program.
Philosophy
CFSian Education is a process of growth geared towards the holistic
formation of the child embedded in the Christian values of character, faith,
service and excellence as manifested in the cognitive development,
psychological-social maturation and personal experiences of the whole
school community made possible through a strong partnership of the school
with the parents and the community where the child belongs.
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Vision
The Children First School, Inc. envisions an academic community of
God-loving, self-disciplined and dynamic achievers involved in living out
responsible citizenship and effective leadership.
Mission
The Children First School, Inc., in the partnership with families and the
community, fosters personal excellence, social commitment and spiritual
formation of God-loving, self-disciplined, competent, responsible individuals,
who will make a significant difference in a highly relevant social milieu. It
aims to provide a balanced and child-centered program for the child’s social,
emotional, physical, cognitive, moral and spiritual development thus
reaffirming its thrust that at CFS: CHILDREN COME FIRST!
In pursuit of its mission, Children First School, Inc. professes:
a. To provide the basic foundation for the Christian and moral
formation of the students;
b. To promote a learning atmosphere that will help the students
and pupils discover and develop their intellectual capacities in
order to become self-directed and lifelong learners;
c. To provide learning experiences that will help the students
develop love of country and cultural heritage and become civic-
conscious, aware and involved in local, national and global
issues; and
d. To provide an ideal environment for the children’s physical
development and for the nurturance of the students’ aesthetic
sense, talents and potentials.
Specific Goals/Objectives
a. Maintain high standards for academic performance and promote
co-curricular programs.
b. Assist the learners to become increasingly adept in
understanding facts and help them discover the world more
objectively, systematically and logically.
c. Intensify the child’s creativity, resourcefulness and sense of
responsibility.
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d. Help the children acquire and develop aesthetic sense, artistic
talents, potentials and values.
e. Emphasize the value of hard work over innate capabilities.
f. Encourage the students to behave appropriately, cooperatively
and generously towards others.
g. Equip them with the ability to value and promote the virtues of
God-fearing (maka-Diyos), patriotic (Makabayan), mindful of
humanity (makatao) and respectful of nature (maka-kalikasan).
With such track record in the past years, CFS, Inc. to-date has grown
to be one of the most respected private schools within the locality and nearby
LGUs with the following latest enrolment statistics, to wit:
Table 7. Statistics of K to12 Enrollees of CFS, Inc. for the
current School Year 2023-2024
Source: CFS, Inc. Data Base of Enrollment Records, SY 2023-2024
GRADE SY 2023-2024
Pre-School 37
Grade School 87
Junior High School 96
Senior High School 51
TOTAL 271
The Proposed SPED Program of Children First School, Inc.
In recent school years, CFS, Inc. has been receiving requests from
various parents to open its SpEd curriculum. Some of these LWDs were
identified with the following categories of disability, to wit:
1. Global Developmental Delay (GDD) - 2
2. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - 8
3. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - 1
4. Delayed Speech (DS) – 1
CFS, Inc.’s Understanding/Insights on the needs of these four (4) disability
categories
Global Developmental Delay (GDD). Children with GDD usually take
longer to acquire new skills from the early years. They may be lacking
the foundational skills required to learn, and acquiring these skills may
take longer than their peers. Children with GDD often require additional
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and intensive support in educational settings to learn new skills, as well
as to help them learn at a faster rate and catch up to their peers. Each
child diagnosed with GDD will be impacted by their disability in a
different way and this is why it is important to do a comprehensive
assessment to find out exactly where the child’s current set of skills
are, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism spectrum disorder affects
how a person acts, experiences the world, and expresses themselves.
While autistic people have similarities, each individual is different and
so is their presentation of being autistic. The three levels of ASD help
medical providers prescribe appropriate therapies based on a person's
unique needs. These therapies can help the person with ASD make
the most of their strengths and improve their social, language, and
occupational skills. It is important to keep in mind that actual autistic
people's traits and experiences are not as clear-cut as these levels
present. Many autistic people have a wide mix of traits associated with
multiple levels, so these classifications are not helpful outside of
medical contexts. Labelling an autistic person as one level socially and
seeing them solely through the lens of the DSM can lead to neglect,
hindered potential, and harmful misunderstandings.
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD, also called
attention-deficit disorder, is a behavior disorder, usually first diagnosed
in childhood, that is characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and, in
some cases, hyperactivity. These symptoms usually occur together;
however, one may occur without the others. The symptoms of
hyperactivity, when present, are almost always apparent by the age of
7 and may be present in very young preschoolers. Inattention or
attention-deficit may not be evident until a child faces the expectations
of elementary school.
Three major types of ADHD include the following:
a. ADHD, combined type. This, the most common type of ADHD,
is characterized by impulsive and hyperactive behaviors as well
as inattention and distractibility.
b. ADHD, impulsive/hyperactive type. This, the least common
type of ADHD, is characterized by impulsive and hyperactive
behaviors without inattention and distractibility.
c. ADHD, inattentive and distractible type. This type of ADHD is
characterized predominately by inattention and distractibility
without hyperactivity.
Delayed Speech (DS). Speech and language delay means that a child
is not able to use words or other forms of communication at the
expected ages. Language delays include problems understanding
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what is heard or read. There can also be problems putting words
together to form meaning. Speech delays are problems making the
sounds that become words. This is the physical act of talking. Some
children have both speech and language delays. Speech and language
delays can have many different causes. These causes can include
hearing problems, Down syndrome or other genetic conditions, autism
spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, or mental health conditions. Delays
can also run in families. Sometimes the cause is not known.
Inclusive Education
CFS, Inc. is proposing an Inclusive Education where the students go
directly to regular class. The most basic rationale for this choice is that
Inclusion strives to make all people feel valued and respected. The primary
objective of inclusive education is to educate students who have disabilities
in the regular classroom and still meet their individual needs. Inclusive
education allows children with special needs to receive a free and
appropriate education along with general education students in the regular
classroom.
Inclusion is seen as a universal human right. The aim of inclusion is to
embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other
needs. It is about giving equal access and opportunities and getting rid of
discrimination, intolerance and removal of barriers.
To realize this purpose, CFS, Inc. will be hiring teachers with focus on
scaffolding activities and differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all
students, not just the special education students. Provide direct support to
students in a classroom by delivering instruction and ensuring learning
through a variety of co-teaching models and strategies.
Research has shown that inclusive play settings build confidence, self-
esteem, and social skills in children with and without disability. Some of the
benefits of inclusion for children with (or without) disabilities are friendship
skills, peer models, problem solving skills, positive self-image, and respect
for others. This can trickle down to their families as well, teaching parents
and families to be more accepting of differences. To foster an inclusive
culture, the school teacher needs to model and encourage inclusive
behaviors, such as listening, empathizing, respecting, and collaborating. The
teacher also needs to create and maintain a safe and supportive space
where everyone can express their opinions, ideas, and concerns without fear
of judgment or retaliation.
The Inclusive Education Teacher
The effective teacher in the inclusive classroom possesses such
characteristics such as efficient use of time, good relationships with students,
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provides positive feedback, has a high student success rate, and in general,
provides support for the students with and without disabilities.
An important element of inclusive education involves ensuring that all
teachers are prepared to teach all students. Inclusion cannot be realized
unless teachers are empowered agents of change, with values, knowledge
and attitudes that permit every student to succeed.
The Special Educators
CFS, Inc. will also be hiring Special Educators in order to complement
the school’s SpEd program. The special educator will be collaborating closely
with teachers, other professionals and administrators to foster the teaching
and learning of students with additional requisites. The special educator will
participate in the process of fostering the inclusive school development.
If CFS, Inc. will be granted a DepEd permit to open its SpEd program
for the School Year 2024-2025, the school can readily absorb these 12 LDWs
in the its current regular class set-up.
Below is the 5 year-projected enrollees of LWDs of CFS, Inc, using an
annual growth rate of 30%. This rate of increase has been the norm of the
school in almost all of its curriculum expansion programs.
Table 8. FIVE YEAR-PROJECTED ENROLLEES OF LWDS OF CFS, INC
Assumption: Growth Rate of 30% per Annum
SCHOOL YEAR LWD ENROLLEES
(Regardless of Disability)
2024-2025 12
2025-2026 16
2026-2027 21
2027-2028 27
2028-2029 35
Tuition Fees
The basic tuition fee range for SY 2024-2025 being proposed by CFS, Inc.
less 20% discount as provided under RA 9442 will be as follows:
Table 9. DISCOUNTED TUITION FEES PER YEAR FOR LWDs,
SY2024-2025
BASIC TUITION FEE DISCOUNTED
PER SCHOOL YEAR TUITION FEE
P60,000.00 – P80,000.00 P48,000.00 – P64,000.00
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FINDINGS/RECOMMENDATIONS
1. In light of the findings drawn from the results of the study, in order to
develop an inclusive classroom culture for children with special needs,
CFS, Inc. shall take the community approach and expect the following
results:
a. Everyone is made to feel welcome;
b. Students will help each other;
c. School staff will collaborate with each other;
d. Staff and students will treat one another with respect;
e. There will be a partnership between staff and parents/carers;
f. School staff and supervisors will work well together; and
g. All local communities will be involved in the school.
2. CFS, Inc. shall adopt the three (3) teaching strategies for inclusive
education.
a. Create a consistent routine;
b. Provide a visual schedule; and
c. Prepare students for an upcoming transition
3. Regarding the skills requirement of Inclusive Education teachers of CFS,
Inc., the findings of the study showed that the most important skills that
should be acquired in inclusive classes are self-acquaintance,
communication, and empathy.
4. The teachers should continuously avail of workshops organized by
competent entities in order to equip them with practical skills on
instruction, collaboration, alternative forms of evaluation, classroom
management, and conflict resolution, and on how to adapt the curriculum.
At the same time, the teachers’ initial training programs should
incorporate inclusive education components.
5. Provisions of human and material resources should also be implemented
by the school. CFS, Inc. should provide more adequate resources,
equipment, and teaching material for learners with diverse learning
needs.
6. Proper placement of the students with learning disabilities shall be done.
The implementers of the SpEd program shall strictly adhere to the policies
of the school.
7. Strong support of the stakeholders shall be encouraged by formulating
active organization spearheaded by the CFS, Inc. school head.
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8. The relative advantage of CFS, Inc. as a private school offering a SpEd
Program is that it could provide:
a. Adequate classrooms suited for inclusion program;
b. Adequate lot area for school expansion;
c. Adequate school facilities; and
d. Adequate financial resources to send teachers to SpEd
workshops and trainings
9. CFS, Inc.’ Vision and Mission statements are in consonance with the
Philosophy of Special Education of the national and the local government.
10. For CFS, Inc.to expand its participation in the SpEd Program, it must be
aware of the following components of comprehensive inclusive program
for children with special needs, to wit:
a. Child Find. This is locating where these children are through the
family mapping survey, advocacy campaigns and networking with
local health workers. The children with special needs who are not in
school shall be listed. These children shall be visited by Special
Education (SpEd) teachers and parents should be convinced to
enroll their children in the school.
b. Assessment. This is the continuous process of identifying the
strengths and weaknesses of the child through the use of formal
and informal tools for proper program grade placement.
c. Program Options. Regular schools with or without trained SpEd
teachers shall be provided educational services to children with
special needs. The school shall access educational services from
SpEd Centers or SpEd trained teachers. The first program option
that shall be organized for these children is a self-contained class
for children with similar disabilities which can be mono-grade or
multi-grade handled by a trained SpEd teacher. The second option
is inclusion or placement of the child with disabilities in general
education or regular class where he/she learns with his/her peers
under a regular teacher and/or SPED trained teacher who
addresses the child’s needs.
The third option is a resource room program where the child with
disabilities shall be pulled out from the general education or regular
class and shall report to a SpEd teacher who provides small
group/one-on-one instruction and/or appropriate interventions for
these children.
d. Curriculum Modifications. This shall be implemented in the forms of
adaptations and accommodations to foster optimum learning based
on individual’s needs and potentials. Modification in classroom
instructions and activities is a process that involves new ways of
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thinking and developing teaching-learning practices. It also involves
changes in any of the steps in the teaching-learning process.
Curriculum modifications shall include service delivery options like
cooperative or team teaching, consulting teacher program and
others. The provision of support services from professionals and
specialists, parents, volunteers, and peers or buddies to the
children with special needs is an important feature in the inclusion
program.
e. Parental Involvement. This plays a vital role in preparing the
children in academic, moral and spiritual development. Parents
shall involve themselves in observing children’s performance,
volunteering to work in the classroom as teacher aide and providing
support to other parents.
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