FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Basic Concepts on Special and Inclusive Education

With the current reforms of the Philippine government in the inclusive curriculum
through the Department of Education Order (DO) no. 21, series of 2019, and in teacher quality
through the national adoption and implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for
Teachers (PPST) or DO 42, s. 2017, teachers are now expected to act as major implementers of
inclusive education. As a beginning teacher, your performance appraisals will be based on this
set of standards and among its seven domains, the third is devoted to Diversity of Learners where
its emphasis is on the central role of teachers to establish environments responsive to learner
diversity. The succeeding pages will acquaint you to terminologies such as disability and
inclusive education that will lay the foundation of a more inclusive classroom fitted to the
learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents.

 Difference between Special and Inclusive Education:

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), Inclusive Education (IE) is about upholding the right to education by including all
learners, recognizing their various needs, abilities, and qualities, and eliminating all forms of
discrimination in the learning environment. It is the process of improving the educational
system's ability to reach all students.Therefore, inclusion is the process that helps overcome
barriers limiting the presence of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out
to all learners. Inclusive Education is also highlighted in the recent DeEd Order 21, series of
2019 or also known as the Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program which
states that it is a inclusive curriculum, it is learner centered, developmenty, appropriate, culture
sensitive, relevant, gender responsive, and contextualized. With these concepts, teachers shall be
considered as the primary implementers of inclusive education as they address the diverse needs
of the learners. On the other hand, Special Education (SpED), is defined as lessons or teaching
aimed toward students with impairments, giftedness, and skills. Special Education Needs (SENS)
is a term used in some countries to describe children with impairments; related concepts include
mainstreaming and integration. Mainstreaming is the practice of educating students with
learning disabilities in regular classes, in the least restrictive environment possible, based on
their abilities, whereas Franklin (1996) defines integration as the creation of spaces such as
regular classrooms, special education classrooms, or pull-out services for diverse learners. A
school that admits learners with impairments and combines them with regular students in the
regular classroom is said to perform integration. While the classroom is referred to as a
mainstreamed classroom, this does not imply that they already practice inclusion.

UNESCO states that inclusion is the process of addressing and responding to in for esual
partici diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, culture
whenever possib and communities, and reducing, exclusion within and from education. It
involves change choice and option and modifications in content, approaches, structures and
strategies, with a common vision 2005). In the la which covers all children of the appropriate age
range and a conviction that it is the inclusiveness of K responsibility of the regular system to
educate all children (UNESCO, 2005). Once a child Indigenous Peopl with autism spectrum
disorder, for example, is officially enrolled in the regular classroom help provide a cle
participates actively in class activities without being excluded, and is seen to increase see table
1.2. . achievement, then this pupil undergoes inclusion. Figure 1.1 and Table 1.1 present the
concepts on integration and inclusion.

Inclusion Mainstreaming Integration

Placement of learners in the Placement in the regular class Placement in the regular class
regular class is based on age, is based on the admission in one or more subjects or
regard less of their abilities or requirements. activities.
disabilities.

Provisions of interaction with Provisions of interaction with

 There are no pullouts and no regular children, with the regular children, with the
shadow teaching. regular class as the child’s SPED class as the child’s
station station.

Individualization within the May includes shadow May include tutorial and
class without pullout. teaching in the regular class; other learning-assistance
provision for pullout and one- programs.
on-one.

Inclusive education aims to cater to various needs in formal and informal settings,
promoting diversity and providing tailored support to all learners. The latest DepEd order
highlights the inclusion of special education, indigenous people’s education, madrasah
education, and flexible learning options in the K-12 curriculum. In the Philippines, inclusive
education involves mainstreaming and integration, ensuring equal opportunities for all learners in
non-discriminatory environments. This approach includes learners with disabilities, gifted
individuals, indigenous and Muslim students, fostering a sense of belonging and access to
educational programs for social inclusion.
Inclusive Education Special Education

All learners, regardless of the condition, The learners with disabilities, giftedness
participate in a mainstream classroom and talents are accommodated in a special
alongside their age peers. class along with other learners of the same
condition.

The learners adhere to a prescribed curriculum A special curriculum is structured on the

and methodology with some accommodations/ learners' condition (e.g. intellectual
adaptations and modifications to meet the disability, visual impairments) but is based
needs of learners with disabilities, giftedness, on the big regular curriculum.
and talents.

All students simply require good instruction, The learners with disabilities, giftedness,
but different teaching strategies may be and talents are given specialized and
employed to those with low or very high intensive instruction anchored on their
education needs. curriculum.
Special Education provides specialized programs for learners with disabilities, giftedness,
and talents, allowing them to receive tailored services through an Individualized Education
Plan/Program (IEP). Learners with special education needs may also be known as students with
additional needs or children with special needs and disabilities. It is recommended to refer to
them as learners with disabilities to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities.

The diagrams below present the differences between special, integrated, and inclusive education.

Based on the figure above, inclusive

education works on improving and making
the system flexible (changing the box) and
not trying to change the learning to fit in the
education system (resembling the square
pegs to make it round). Inclusive
education is transformative rather
than just being alleviative (Toh, 2018)
and it equates to the idea of equity as
presented below.
  EQUALITY refers to the principle that all students, regardless of their background,
should have access to the same quality of education and opportunities to succeed.
 EQUITY is about ensuring that every student has access to the resources and
opportunities they need to succeed, regardless of their background.
 LIBERATION in education is a powerful concept that goes beyond simply acquiring
knowledge.
 SPECIAL EDUCATION is a vital part of the educational system that addresses the
unique needs of students with disabilities.
 REGULAR EDUCATION often referred to as "general education," refers to the
standard educational experience provided to students who do not have identified
disabilities requiring specialized services.
 INTEGRATED EDUCATION is a broad term with multiple interpretations, depending
on the context. It generally refers to educational approaches that aim to bring together
diverse groups of students in a single learning environment, fostering inclusivity and
understanding.

In reality, these represent systemic and educational barriers that limit learners
participation. Valbrun (2017) then replaced the barriers on the second panel of illustration with
the chain-linked fence where all children can see the game without any additional support.
According to her, this represents the removal of systemic barriers that coul ultimately create
equitable systems of education. The removal of these barriers, of the anticipation of the needs of
the audience in the field, is an example of a good inclusi practice. Likewise in education, if the
teacher anticipates different behaviors, types, needs and concerns of learners as the teacher
develops lesson plans, instructional materials, assessment tools, then the teacher practices
inclusion or removal of barriers that lim learners' presence, participation and achievement.
It is also important to differentiate between the terms and acommodations of adaptations
and modifications. In making education inclusive, teachers use both accommodation and
modification strategies in teaching. Accommodations change how the learners with disabilities,
giftedness, and talents learn the same material and meet the same expectations as their age peers
(e.g. a person with visual impairments using audio books, highlighted texts or large print
materials) while modification changes what a student is taught or expected to learn (e.g. a person
with intellectual disability use less complicated text materials of different content topic, than
their age peers). Through these strategies, learners with disabilities and those with academic
challenges are provided with materials that meet their learning needs.
The term disability is often confused with impairment. The precondition to completely
understand its definition is by becoming acquainted with its two major disability models, medical
and social model.
  MEDICAL MODEL of disability presents a traditional view of looking at persons with
disabilities (PWDs) as the problem that needs fixing. The medical model of disability
sees that the part of his body that is impaired needs to be fixed first for him to get to the
next floor.
 SOCIAL MODEL of disability is seen to be caused by the barriers in society. These
barriers include inaccessible environments. example: (segregated or poor education,
housing problems, discrimination in employment). Without these barriers, PWDs can
easily access facilities, health care, policies and education systems, the same way the
regular beings do.

Below is a table of comparison between the two models.

MEDICAL MODEL SOCIAL MODEL
The person is the problem. The barriers created by the society are the
problem.
The individual needs to change. The barrier needs to be removed.
PWDs become the victim or client that their PWDs have independence, control and
responsibilities are disempowered. choice.
Assessment, monitoring, and evaluation are Resources are made available to regular
exposed by therapy. services.
Segregation and alternative are given. Training of parents and professional are
provided.
Society remains unchanged. Society involve

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2011 has pointed out that disability should be
viewed neither as purely medical nor purely social, since neither is a better model than the other,
instead, they promoted the conceptual framework of the International Classification of
Functioning, Disability, and Health also known as IF - the biopsychosocial model. In this
framework, disability refers to the difficulties encountered in three connected areas -
impairments, activity limitations and participation restriction. Impairments are problems in body
function or alterations in body structure (e.g. deafness, paraplegia or strabismus). Activity
limitations are difficulties in executing activities (e.g. walking, writing or eating). Participation
restrictions are defined as problems with involvement in any area of life (e.g. admission to
school, employment or access to buildings) Disability therefore arises from the interaction of
health conditions with contextual factors such as environmental and personal factors.
Environmental factors can either be facilitators or barriers such as: products and technology; the
natural and built. in environment; support and relationships; attitudes; and services, systems and
policies. Personal factors, on the other hand, can influence the participation of a person in the
society, such as motivation and self-esteem.
In the school setting, apart from the structural barriers, many learners with disabilities
face attitudinal barriers that could lead to isolation and low achievement in the classroom. As a
pre-service teacher, it is important to avoid discriminatory behavior and language towards
learners with disabilities, to be sensitive enough not to make them feel different from other
students in the school, and also to avoid name-calling (i.e. using the term SpEd to denote poor
performance and misbehavior regardless of the person's condition when SpEd clearly refers to a
program, and not individuals). Another way to model non-discriminatory behavior is by being
sensitive to the words used to address people with disabilities. Language use is not difficult, so if
you are referring to PWDs in vour sentence construction, use the People First Policy, where the
word people or person is used followed by their condition or impairment. For example, use the
phrase, "person with an intellectual disability" instead of using intellectually disabled person,
mentally retarded or learning disabled. One can also use the phrase "person with mental health
impairment" instead of using "mentally ill," "mental patient" or "insane." This practice shifts the
focus on the individual rather than their condition. The terms "abnormal" or even "special" may
also be deemed offensive, so avoid using these terms.
 Inclusive Education in the Philippines
I. Definition
 Inclusive Education (IE)- The 2009 Department of Education Order No. 72 describes
inclusive education as the idea of accepting all children regardless of race, size, shape,
color, ability, or disability, with support from school personnel, students, parents, and the
community.
More recently, the 2013 Enhanced Basic Education Act identifies gifted and talented
children, learners with disabilities, learners from madrasha, indigenous peoples, learners
in difficult circumstances such as geographical isolation, chronic illness, displacement
due to armed conflict, urban resettlement, or disaster, and abused children as target
groups for inclusive education

 Special Education Needs- The 2016 Special Education Senate Bill, which has yet to be
adopted, defines learners with special needs as children who differ in mental
characteristics, sensory ability, neuromuscular or physical characteristics, socioeconomic
status, and/or multiple handicaps and thus require tailored school practices or special
education services. The Act applies to those who are gifted, talented, crippled, impaired,
or handicapped who require special education and rehabilitation programs.

 Exceptional Learners- Teachers today must be able to work with a diverse group of
students. Previously, students with identifiable learning challenges were referred to as
exceptional. Exceptional students include both the talented and the disabled.
Handicapped students may be mentally retarded, physically handicapped, emotionally
disturbed, or learning disabled, or have communication or behavioral problems.
Nature of Exceptionalities
 Exception- indicate classes of exceptional learners include disabled, handicapped,
abnormal, special, and gifted.
 Impairment- used to describe the physical conditions of exceptional people
 Disability- refer to the term as an Objectively denned deviation in physique or
functioning that through interaction with specified environment, results in
behavioral inadequacies or restrictions for the person
 Handicap- the burden imposed upon the individual by the unfortunate product of
deviation and environment. This “product” includes various social and emotional
facets that the individual with a physical impairment experiences.

The evolution toward Inclusion

The process by which a school attempts to respond to all pupils as individuals by
reconsidering its curricular organization and provision. Through this process, the school builds
capacity to accept all pupils from local community who wish to attend and in doing so reduces
the need to exclude pupils .
 3 Components of Inclusion:
1. Placing students with special needs in a regular school campus.
2. Creating appropriate support and services to guarantee an adaptive fit.
3. Coordinating general and special education services

Salient Features of Inclusive Education

Inclusive school is described as one that embraces diversity with the following features.
1. Inclusion means implementing and maintaining warm and accepting classroom
communities that embrace diversity and honor differences
2. Inclusion means implementing a multi-level, multi-modality curriculum.
3. Inclusion means preparing and supporting teachers to teach interactively.
4. Inclusion means providing ongoing support for teachers in the classroom and breaking
down barriers of professional isolations
5. Inclusion means involving parents in the planning process in meaningful ways

Potential Benefits of Inclusion

1. Reduced fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and awareness
2. Growth in social cognition.
3. Improvement of self- consent
4. Development of personal principles
5. Warm and caring friendship

Goals, Beliefs, and Values of Inclusive Education

The goal of an inclusive education system is to provide all students with the most
appropriate learning environments and opportunities for them to best achieve their potential
1. All children can learn and reach their full potential given opportunity, effective
teaching and appropriate resources.
2. Programs will be offered to best meet the individual needs of each child and student
within the school community
3. A students program must address the intellectual, learning, communication, social,
emotional and physical aspects of a child's development.
4. Parents play a key role in the education of their child in that they are the most
complete information source and have the greatest investment in their child's future.
5. “All students will have equitable opportunity to be included in the typical learning
environment." This means educating children/students with special supports and
service needs in inclusive settings is the first placement option, providing the
opportunity to participate in regular classrooms with same-aged peers in their
neighborhood school.
6. All students shall be given the opportunity to participate in all aspects of school life,
subject to limitations based on reasonableness in each circumstance
7. Whenever possible, the student should be a partner in his/her educational program.
 8. Student program needs are best met by a team approach. For children and students to
receive the services they need, school personnel will work together with service
providers in the community.
9. There must be a balance between individual and group rights within the classroom
setting. In every case, the best educational interest of students is the paramount
consideration for decision-making and programming awareness and support by the
school community is essential to successful inclusion. Diversity must be valued in
order for inclusion to be successful

Inclusive Education in The Philippines

The module on the foundation of special and inclusive education discusses the vision,
policy, goals, and objectives of special education. It covers the history of special education in the
Philippines, as well as the laws and legislation affecting its development. The module aims to
help students understand the vision for children with special needs, discuss inclusive education
policy, enumerate the goals and objectives of special education, and recognize important events
in the implementation of special education in Western countries and the Philippines. The
Department of Education in the Philippines has been providing a framework for special
education programs in public and private schools for nearly a century, with a focus on access,
equity, and participation for children with special needs. Professionalization of special education
through teacher and administrator training programs is also highlighted.

Policy:
The Philippines adopted a policy on Inclusive Education to ensure children with special needs
have proper access to education, making it an integral part of the overall educational system.
Goals:
The Department of Education's special education programs aim to offer appropriate services
for children with special needs in mainstream education. Goals include developing strategies
on legislation, human resource development, family involvement, and government and non-
government participation. Challenges include overcoming attitudinal barriers and ensuring
sustainability of programs.
Vision:
The State, community, and family share a vision for the Filipino child with special needs to
receive adequate basic education by the 21st century. The goal is for these children to reach
their full potential, be productive members of society, express their rights, and take pride in
being Filipino. It is crucial for them to receive support from parents and the community, as
well as access to a healthy environment, leisure, social security measures.

SCOPE (School Organization)

Considered an inclusive and learner-centered teaching and learning strategy, the 2016 Basic
Education Research Agenda defines inclusive education as a cross-cutting issue implemented
through Special Education (SPED), Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED), Indigenous Peoples'
Education, Madrasah Education, the Alternative Learning System (ALS), and Alternative
Delivery Modes (ADMs).
  Special Education (SpED)- is included into that the country's
school system and carried out through a particular program
aimed at gifted and talented students as well as children with
impairments, who require a methodical and intentional
approach in order to attain functional literacy and realize their own potential.

 Indigenous People (IP) schools for Indigenous Peoples

Education (IPEd)- are registered within the Department of
Education (DepED) are mainstreamed in the national
educational system, but benefit from some flexibility in terms
of curriculum. teacher recruitment and school calendar.

 Madrasah Education- made official in 2004 through the

Elementary Standard Curriculum. Both private and public
madrasah schools adopted this curriculum, which was later
enhanced with the Refined Elementary Madrasah Curriculum
(REMC) implemented in 2011. This curriculum was applied in public elementary schools
with at least 15 Muslim pupils and in private madaris. Education at madrasahs is offered
in both public and private schools, incorporating Muslim culture, customs, traditions, and
interests through the integration of the Arabic language and Islamic Values Education
(ALIVE) into the basic education curriculum.

 Alternative Learning System (AST) - is a method of education

that runs parallel to the conventional school system and is
typically held in community learning centers. It was created by
the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 to give those
who are not enrolled in school the chance to obtain and finish their basic education.

 Alternative Delivery Mode - programs are based on self-

learning modules to cater to learners in different and
challenging circumstances.
 Inclusive Education in other countries (IDEA-US)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free
appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and
ensures special education and related services to those children.
In the law, Congress states:
Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of
individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children
with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity,
full participation, independent living, and economic self- sufficiency for individuals with
disabilities.
The stated purpose of the IDEA is:
 to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate
public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet
their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent
living.
 to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are
protected;
 to assist States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide
for the education of all children with disabilities;
 to assist States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated,
multidisciplinary, interagency system of curly intervention services for infants and
toddlers with disabilities and their families.
 to ensure that educators and parents have the necessary tools to improve educational
results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities,
coordinated research and personnel preparation, coordinated technical assistance,
dissemination, and support, and technology development and media services;
 to assess, and ensure the effectiveness of, efforts to educate children with disabilities.

The law guaranteed access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least
restrictive environment (LRE) to every child with a disability. Subsequent amendments, as
reflected in the IDEA have led to an increased emphasis on access to the general education
curriculum, the provision of services for young children from birth through five, transition
planning, and accountability for that achievement of students with disabilities.
The IDEA upholds and protects the rights of the infants, toddlers, children, and youth with
disabilities and their families.

GROUP 1 Members:
1. Dela Luna, Rexcelyn R.
2. Durango, Wiljie
3. Sibala, Janelle
4. Anfone, Jhea
5. Billones, Lean Faith
6. Banogon, Gicille