FOUNDATION OF INCLUSION IN

EARLY CHILDHOOD They presented the idea that diversity, when

managed and viewed as assets, can lead to
A basic education teacher, for example, might productivity.
understand the term differently from someone
trained in Special Education (SPED). And interestingly, They posited that "diversity discussions are really
even among SPED practitioners, inclusion continues about understanding our social identities,
to be a confusing term. acknowledging what is important and learning to
integrate into society so that no subgroup feels
A Classic perception on inclusive education is that it excluded".
pertains simply to students with disabilities being
placed in general education settings, where majority Diversity Wheel organizes the different components
of those enrolled are typically developing. where people can differ from each other. The
objective of this representation is to generate
The concept, however, has a far wider scope that discussions with others so that new points of view
goes beyond disability. At the heart of inclusion is and higher levels of understanding can emerge.
diversity.
Although originally used to explain diversity in the
In order to understand what it is, one must truly workplace, Loden and Rosener's (1991) Diversity
accept and embrace diversity-that it is a given. It is Wheel is able to provide a strong impetus for
part of an educator's reality, it can neither be avoided educators to look at their own settings and seriously
nor resisted, and it has to be embraced by both examine how diversity can affect teaching and
teachers and learners. learning.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Guide on Ensuring
Inclusion and Equity in Education (2017) defines it to
be "people's differences which may relate to their
race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language,
culture, religion, mental and physical ability, class,
and immigration status."

A good framework that aligns with this definition is

the Diversity Wheel, which was developed by Loden
and Rosener (1990) to explain how group-based
differences influence a person's identity.
 FOUNDATIONS OF INCLUSION
Globally, countries have long called for a unifying
response to end all practices tha disrespect human
Inclusive Education was born as a response to life. Starting with the Universal Declaration of Human
segregated learning environments, where the Rights in 1948 which specifically upheld the value of
students being excluded were mostly those with each person, it was clear that there was a need for
disabilities. policies that would safeguard the well-being of all.

Cases of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are Nations once again banded together in 1989, this
documented everywhere: in the Bible, in cultural time to recognize the needs and rights of children
narratives, and in local and global history. through the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child.
Evidently, Society does not always treat PWDs
appropriately. People tend to react negatively toward In 1990, an international call through the World
anyone perceived to look, talk, walk, or behave Declaration Of Education For All (EFA) was made to
differently from them. make primary education accessible, complete, free,
and compulsory to every child by 2015. Such
In 1972, Wolfensberger enumerated how persons mandates clearly show a positive worldwide trend
often viewed PWDs: as menaces, as objects of dread, that uplifts the human person. However, with a
pity, comic relief, or ridicule, as Holy Innocents, or as history that puts the rights and status of PWDs in
forever children. Interestingly, decades after question, one could not help but surmise the
Wolfensberger's observation, a lot of people still possibility that the special communities remained
appear to treat PWDs the same way. largely unprotected.

In 1993, the world publicly recognized the

For education to be truly inclusive, one cannot look at
inclusion simply as a program placement strategy vulnerability of PWDs and vowed to protect them
where those with disabilities are "mixed" with those through the creation of the UN Standard Rules on the
without. Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities. Though it centered largely on the PWDs'
Real Inclusive Education has to start with the proper right to education, it was also here that the
mindset. Specifically, it can only be successfully importance of providing education in integrated and
implemented if disability is understood correctly. general school settings was first acknowledged.

Smart emphasizes that models of disability serve Soon after, the Salamanca Statement and Framework
several purposes that provide aligned definitions, for Action on Special Needs Education (1994 ) was
practices, and policies on disability. Different mandated. This landmark global policy declared that
resources mention various models of disability. schools should accommodate all children, including
However, of all the perspectives, the most important the disabled, the gifted, and the marginalized.
models to understand would be the Biomedical
Perspective and the Social Perspective. OTHER GLOBAL POLICIES CALLING FOR INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION FOLLOWED:
A person who adheres to a Biomedical Perspective ■ the World Education Forum Framework for
will tend to look at disability as a personal defect or Action and the Millennium Summit of the United
impairment that needs to be addressed. This defect Nations in 2000
eventually causes societal exclusion. ■ the EFA Flagship on the Right to Education for
PWDs in 2001
Meanwhile, someone who adopts a Social ■ the UN Disability Convention in 2005
Perspective will see disability more as a systemic ■ the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
societal problem, where it is the sociological Disabilities in 2006
structures that "cause" a person's disability. They see ■ the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
physical or neurodevelopmental impairments simply Peoples in 2007
as manifestations of diversity, that is, something that ■ the Education 2030 Framework for Action
makes a person unique, and therefore, should not following the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
cause a person's exclusion or violation of rights. Development.
As a signatory to these global mandates, the It also added a clause on deliverance from public
Philippines also laid out several policies to help steer ridicule and vilification, and mandated the need to
our educators toward more inclusive practices. change the name of the law from "Magna Carta for
Disabled Persons" to "Magna Carta for Persons with
The Department of Education (DepEd Order No. 21, Disabilities."
series of 2019) cites the following legal mandates for
inclusive education: By adding such provisions, RA 9442 highlighted the
importance of looking at the person more than the
■ RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act disability. In 2013 and 2019, RA 7277 was further
of 2013 amended to address PWD employment and health
needs, respectively.
■ RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women
Most importantly, on August 2019, the Department of
■ RA 10157 or the Kindergarten Education Act Education released DepEd Order No. 21, series of
2019, otherwise known as Policy Guidelines on the K
■ RA 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education to 12 Basic Education Program.
Act of 2001
For learners with additional needs, this is a very
■ RA 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of significant policy as this officially declares that
1997 Philippine education is fully embracing inclusive
education.
■ RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act
of 2006 It states "The Principle Of Inclusion promotes
institutional sensitivity and responsiveness to the
■ RA 10665 or the Open High School System Act nature, situation, and realities of our country's
of 2015 learners and directs the Department to proactively
address these through the curriculum and other
■ RA 10361 or the Domestic Workers Act of 2013 interventions.

■ RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children This is Institutionalized by K to 12 through Inclusive

Education, a policy perspective realized through the
Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination
development and implementation of learner-centered
Act of 1992.
and context-responsive programs."
FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL OF THESE POLICIES ARE
It aligns with UNESCO's Definition Of Inclusive
TWO IMPORTANT LAWS:
Education, which calls for quality education that
(1) Article XIV, Sections 1 and 2 of the 1987
allows for the presence, participation, and
Philippine Constitution, which explicitly calls for the
achievement of all learners.
protection and promotion of right of every citizen to
quality education at all levels.
The Social Perspective situates teachers in a
strategic and powerful position where they can both
(2) RA 7277 (1992) also known as the Magna Carta
initiate and influence truly inclusive practices in their
for Disabled Persons, which calls for equal rights and
own environments.
privileges of PWDs on employment, education, health,
telecommunications, auxiliary social services,
Studies reveal that Children do not have prejudices
accessibility, political, and civil rights, as well as
toward others unless they observe these in adults.
penalties for violations of law.

RA 7277 has since been amended several times in

order to install more protective measures for PWDs.
For instance, in 2007, RA 9442 was signed into law.
This particular amendment provided for 20%
discount privileges to PWDs.
 BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF INCLUSION
IN EARLY CHILHOOD In a study done across Africa, Asia, and other
developing countries, THERE ARE 3 AREAS THAT
POSE CHALLENGES IN THE DELIVERY OF INCLUSIVE
Educators seem to be divided when it comes to their EDUCATION:
opinions on inclusive education. Most reflect a (1) Inadequate facilities and personnel training
general acceptance of the need for it and strive to programs
adopt a rights-based approach to inclussion. (2) Lack of funding structure
However, understanding the need to shift to inclusive (3) An absence of enabling legislation
practices does not necessarily mean one is fully
supportive of it. Alquraini (2010) echoes these findings and confirms
that in Saudi Arabia, his research site, teachers were
The European Agency for Development in Special concerned about their lack of training in teaching
Needs Education emphasizes that the success of students with disabilities. His study also revealed
inclusive education is largely dependent on what that there seems to be a fear among educators that
teachers do in their classrooms. learners with disabilities may endanger those without.

The way in which teachers understand inclusive As a result of this biomedical perspective to inclusion,
education can take different forms. In examining the belief in "Equal But Separate" education for PWDs
one's practices, personal contexts must always be becomes a common standpoint.
considered. These contexts are often in relation to
geography, demography, culture, language, and an Tuman, Roth-Johnson, Baker, and Vecchio (2008)
overall concept of what inclusion is. As a result, there
surmise that there is a mismatch between what
does not seem to be a singular definition for should be and what actually is. Despite the
inclusion. Each would have his/her own interpretation establishment of laws that legislate inclusive
of what it is and how it should be executed. education, they observed a disparity between
government services and services offered by private
Generally, Inclusion is defined as "a process of institutions.
addressing and responding to the diversity of needs
of all learners through increasing participation in In their research site, Mexico, Public Special
learning, cultures and communities, and reducing Education Policy is characterized by inadequate
exclusion within and from education". coverage, insufficient resources, and programs of
questionable quality. They also noted difficulties in
In an Inclusive Environment, there is a need for getting services to reach families in lower-income
curricular and strategic changes and modifications levels, which include failure to identify or diagnose
for all types of learners "with a common vision which those with disabilities.
covers all children of the appropriate age range," as
well as a strong belief that the regular system must Tuman et al.'s (2008) observations seem to mirror
be made accountable for the education of all children. the Philippine situation. As a UN signatory for several
global mandates on inclusive education, we have
The problem of implementation appears to be felt all established our own laws that direct schools toward
around the world UNESCO (2005) summarizes these such practices.
obstacles succinctly
However, implementation continues to be a
THE FOLLOWING FACTORS HINDER FULL challenge. Discrimination, marginalization, and
IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: exclusion are still existent. Our country also
continuously battles inappropriate student-teacher
1. Existing attitudes and values ratio levels, and there remains to be the question of
2. Lack of understanding of disability readiness among teacher-implementers.
3. Lack of necessary skills to address diverse needs
in the classroom
4. Limited resources
5. Inappropriate organization of educational
systems
 INCLUSIVE CULTURES AND PRACTICES
Muega (2016) notes that although teachers generally
IN COMMUNITIES
do not resist or question the practice of inclusion in
their own settings, THEY ALSO ADMITTEDLY ARE
NOT SURE : The previous chapter reiterated how diversity forms
(1) if they understand inclusive education properly the backbone of inclusive education and how this
(2) if their practices are effective and responsive makes inclusion the most logical choice for
enough to address their students' needs. educators. However, interactions with teacher-
implementers reveal that we have a long way to go in
Unfortunately, it was only in 2017 that the terms of making education truly inclusive. It is no
Commission on Higher Education required all secret that teachers play a central role in the success
education-enrolled students, that is, non-Special of inclusive education. Without their buy-in, it would
Education majors, to take at least three units of be difficult for schools to transform their practices.
Specia Needs and Inclusive Education courses. Prior
to this, such courses were only taken by students According to UNESCO (2005), a key element in the
who chose to specialize in the said field. shift to inclusion is to introduce changes in the
systemic and societal level so that transformative
This contributed to the lack of teachers in the basic initiatives would be able to trickle down to the
education who are trained in inclusive practices. grassroots level. This means that inasmuch as the
Moreover, there is also our country's inclination success of inclusive education depends on teachers,
toward meritocracy and performance-based national and local governments have great influence
standards. Schools have been reported to exclude in the process as well.
students with special needs in their activities
including national examinations for fear that they Ainscow, Booth, and Dyson believe that in order to
could pull down institutional ranking. address this concern, we have to strive for
international cooperation where countries view the
Despite all these challenges, it is maintained that concept of inclusion the same way.
inclusion is still the way to go. Countries are called to
strive for inclusive and equitable quality education 2 MAIN CATEGORIES FOR LOOKING INTO
and lifelong opportunities for all. It is even presented INCLUSION:
as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that the
international community aims to fulfill by year 2030. 1. Descriptive Definitions center on how inclusion is
practiced. Focus mainly on people.
Labeled as SDG4, nations are enjoined to build and
upgrade their education systems and facilities so 2. Prescriptive Definitions refer to how inclusion is
that they become child-, disability-, and gender- understood and how it is meant to be understood by
sensitive. All are also enjoined to provide safe and others. Refer to broader developmental issues
effective learning environments that are accessible present in education systems.
to all learners (UNESCO, 2017). Studies show that
inclusion, despite its challenges, is still the most THESE 2 MAIN CATEGORIES OF INCLUSIVE
cost-efficient and cost-effective way to educate EDUCATION ARE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO 6 TYPES
learners.
Descriptive Definitions of Inclusion:
According to UNESCO (2005), IF IMPLEMENTED
PROPERLY, INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CAN: 1. "Inclusion as a concern with disabled learners and
▪ Significantly level up the quality of education others categorized as 'having special educational
offered in general education settings. needs." This perspective assumes a biomedical
▪ Optimize the use of resources. perspective wherein learners with special needs are
▪ Lower retention and kick-out rates. perceived as deficient because they find it difficult to
meet the standards set by their country's educational
▪ Increase rates for student success.
systems. Like the biomedical perspective, this
▪ Reduce societal costs of supporting at-risk
definition of inclusion assumes and accepts a
learners later on in life. segregated environment, where some students need
to be taken out of the usual educational setup in
order to be seen by a teacher specifically trained in
special education.
2. "Inclusion as a response to disciplinary exclusion." Foundational to the framework is the laying down
This definition is a reaction to schools' disciplinary and establishing of inclusive cultures, which are
practices where they exclude students from activities crucial to getting people to willingly shift policies and
because of "inappropriate" behavior. Here, inclusion practices.
involves looking for solutions to avoid such incidents.
Central to building inclusive cultures are the
3. "Inclusion in relation to all groups seen as being stakeholders, which are social constructs or groups
vulnerable to exclusion." This definition is similar to that connect schools to their community because of
social inclusion, where inclusion is considered as a mutual benefits that the entities can potentially enjoy.
means for groups that are prone to marginalization
because of economic, social, cultural, or religious Known Educational stakeholders are teachers,
differences to overcome discrimination. administrators, school staff, education officials,
parents, families, the community, and the
Prescriptive Definitions of Inclusion: government.

4. "Inclusion as developing the school for all." This

definition describes the development of a common DIMENSION A- CREATING INCLUSIVE CULTURES:
school for all where educators are expected to
respond to learner diversity and acknowledge Section A.1 Building community
individual differences.
Section A.2 Establishing inclusive values
5. "Inclusion as 'Education for All." This definition
pertains to initiatives of countries to specifically This dimension creates a secure, accepting,
adhere to the "Education for All" movement, which collaborating, stimulating community, in which
started in 1990, right after the UN Convention on the everyone is valued as the foundation for the highest
Rights of the Child established the right of all children achievements of all. It develops shared inclusive
to receive education without any form of values that are conveyed to all new staff, students,
discrimination. governors, and parents/carers. The principles and
values, in inclusive school cultures, guide decisions
6. "Inclusion as a principled approach to education about policies and moment to moment practice in
and society." This definition refers to societal change classrooms, so that school development becomes a
that has its roots on values that are made explicit continuous process.
through actions. In this definition, inclusion refers to
processes that aim to increase learner participation DIMENSION B- PRODUCING INCLUSIVE POLICIES:
and reduce exclusion from schools and communities.
It also puts a premium on recognizing the role of the Section B.1 Developing the school for all
different stakeholders of education.
Section B.2 Organizing support for diversity
Booth and Ainscow's Index for Inclusion
■ This framework aims to direct schools toward This dimension makes sure that inclusion permit all
developing their own action plans if they want to school plans. Policies encourage the participation of
become more inclusive. students and staff from the moment they join the
■ "It takes on the social model of disability as its school, reach out to all students in the locality, and
starting point, builds on good practice, and then minimize exclusionary pressures. All policies involve
organizes the index work around a cycle of clear strategies for change. Support is considered to
activities, which guide schools through stages of be all activities, which increase the capacity of a
preparation, investigation, development, and school to respond to student diversity. All forms of
review". support are developed according to inclusive
principles and are brought together within a single
3 DIMENTIONS FOR INCLUSION BY BOOTH AND framework.
AINSCOW:
1. Creating Inclusive Cultures
2. Evolving Inclusive Practices
3. Producing Inclusive Policies
 INCLUSIVE POLICIES
DIMENSION C- EVOLVING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES:
Policies are important movers and triggers for
Section C.1 Orchestrating learning inclusion. In asmuch as its absence could mean non-
action of important stakeholders, there is also a
Section C.2 Mobilizing resources possibility that there exist numerous policies but
there are not enough monitoring systems to ensure
This dimension develops school practices which their proper implementation. Worse, we could have a
reflect the inclusive cultures and policies of the number of policies with conflicting principles or
school. Lessons are made responsive to student stipulations.
diversity. Students are encouraged to be actively
involved in all aspects of their education, which BOOTH AND AINSCOW SUGGESTED WAYS ON HOW
draws on their knowledge and experience outside STAKEHOLDERS CAN HELP BUILD INCLUSIVE
school. Staff identify material resources and POLICIES:
resources within each other, students, parents/carers, ■ Involve other sectors of society. For an inclusive
and local communities which can be mobilized to setup to truly be successful, we must go beyond
support learning and participation. homeschool partnerships and aim for the active
involvement of the entire community.
BOOTH AND AINSCOW SUGGESTED SEVERAL WAYS Specifically, those in the health, business, legal,
IN WHICH STAKEHOLDERS CAN BUILD INCLUSIVE security, commercial, transportation, service,
COMMUNITIES: media, and religious sectors must be given
representation in planning and training sessions.
■ Set the parameters for inclusion. The The more aware a community is, the more
government may consider centralizing inclusive inclusive it will be.
practices, as well as take the initiative to make
the welfare and development of children with ■ Collaborate and consult with the right people.
additional needs the responsibility of all. In the True collaboration would guarantee an inclusive
end, every stakeholder has to be involved and program that would cover as much areas as
they must understand their roles in propagating possible. It also ensures that all sectors are
inclusion. properly represented. Although the presence of
experts is necessary, consultations from sectors
■ Build key people. Included here are skills training that are fighting for their places in society must
and capacity-building initiatives for all be prioritized. As they say, there should be
stakeholders. There is a misconception that "nothing about us without us!"
inclusive education is the task of special needs
practitioners. On the contrary, although they ■ Recognize the shift in roles of the teachers. With
would most likely have the training, inclusive the shift to inclusive education, the role of
education is both a special needs education special education (SPED) teachers becomes
matter and a general education matter. Teachers more consultative rather than executive.
must take this into heart. However, their training, insights, and skills as a
supposed prime mover in the inclusive education
■ Identify and remove barriers. A huge part of framework must not be watered down as they
inclusive education is dealing with Learning are expected to provide the needed training for
barriers, that is, identifying possible obstacles to basic/general education teachers, who are now
inclusive practices and finding solutions for considered inclusive education's main
these. One should always be mindful that implementers.
obstacles may exist on both a systemic and
grassroots level. Additionally, prevailing attitudes ■ Include transitions in planning. Systemic
and misconceptions must always be addressed. changes rarely work when done abruptly.
Remember-real inclusive education has to start Transition phases must be well mapped. It
with the proper mindset. should also be mindful of current practices,
whether existing or implied, as disregarding
these may cause resistance and resentment
among stakeholders.
 INCLUSIVE PRACTICES IN SCHOOL
Meanwhile, as future teachers, you are enjoined to
Educational Institutions would often have an image accommodate learner needs.
of what inclusion is. But in reality, for most schools,
inclusive education remains an ideal; it stays as an 3 WAYS FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR INCLUSIVE
aspiration rather than a trigger for transformation. PRACTICES IN CHECK. EVERY TIME YOU TEACH, IT
WOULD BE A GOOD PRACTICE TO ASK YOURSELF
Teaching is not simply "cutting-and-pasting," THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
especially if one teaches the same material year after 1. Do all my students get to join my activity or lesson?
year. On the other hand, inclusive teaching also is not
meant to make processes difficult for teacher- 2. Am I hindering the participation of some students
implementers. And neither does it have to be an by planning for just one type of learner?
expensive process.
3. Do all my students experience achievements in my
In fact, countries with scarce resources have class, albeit small?
developed their own practices to meet inclusive
standards. If students with additional needs are in your class but
are not able to participate in all your activities, then
ALL OF THEM BELIEVE IN: that is not real inclusion, but unconscious inclusion
■ Empowering stakeholders or inclusion by circumstance.
■ Strengthening homeschool partnerships
If students with additional needs do not get to
■ Linking with community resources
experience even small wins in your class, then you
■ Utilizing students in peer programs
are not being inclusive either. Real inclusion always
■ Adopting trainer-of-trainer models for
considers the presence, participation, and
professional development.
achievement of all.
■ Linking university students in pre-service training
institutions for their clinical/internship
experience
■ Converting SPED schools into resource centers
to provide expertise and support general
education institutions.

To find out a school's level of "inclusivity," BOOTH

AND AINSCOW (2002) RECOMMEND THAT IT
REVIEWS ITS OWN POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
ADMINISTRATORS MAY LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING
AREAS:
■ Student admissions
■ Accessibility to utilities and facilities
■ Supports available to students, parents, and
school personnel
■ Learner accommodations
■ Exclusionary or discriminatory incidents
■ The number of bullying cases
■ Faculty and staff promotions
 MEANING OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND
CATEGORIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS They are also capable of showing appreciation,
gratitude, love, and friendship.
Exceptional children and youth are individuals with The Department of Education's Special Education
unique traits and characteristics, just like other students Division of the Bureau of Elementary Education is
in regular classes. Some learn slower than average responsible for managing and supervising special
pupils, such as those with mental retardation. Others, education programs nationwide.
who are gifted and talented, learn very quickly and
demonstrate creativity. Special Education allows exceptional children to study
in either regular or special schools. Special education
Exceptional children with learning disabilities may have teachers help these children participate in school
average or above-average mental ability but do not learn activities through a modified or functional curriculum.
as much as they are capable of.
According to current literature (Heward, 2003), special
OTHER EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN HAVE SENSORY education is defined as "individually planned,
DISABILITIES: systematically implemented, and carefully evaluated
■ Blindness- Severe visual impairment that meets instruction to help exceptional children achieve the
certain criteria for receiving disability benefits and greatest possible personal self-sufficiency and success
other support. in present and future environments".
■ Low vision- A less severe visual impairment than
blindness. In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities
■ Deafness- The state of being unable to hear Education Act (IDEA) mandates the creation and
categorized as congenital or acquired. implementation of an Individualized Education Program
(IEP) for every special education student between the
COMMUNICATION DISORDERS, OR PHYSICAL ages of 3 and 21.
DISABILITIES:
■ Cerebral Palsy- A group of disorders that affect a AN IEP MUST INCLUDE:
person's ability to move and maintain balance and ■ The child's current performance levels, including
posture. academic achievement, social adaptation, and
■ Spina Bifida- A birth defect that affects the spine various skills
and is a type of neural tube defect. ■ Annual goals for educational performance to be
met by the end of the school year.
CHRONIC HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS: ■ Short-term instructional objectives that are
■ Epilepsy- A neurological disorder characterized by measurable, intermediate steps toward the annual
recurrent, unprovoked seizures. goals.
■ Juvenile Diabetes Mellitus- commonly known as ■ Specific educational services.
Type 1 Diabetes, is an autoimmune disease where ■ Necessary transition services for students aged 16
the body's immune system attacks and destroys or older before they leave school.
the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
■ Asthma- A chronic respiratory condition in which Systematically implemented and evaluated instruction-
the airways in the lungs become inflamed, narrow, Different children with special needs require specific
and swell, producing extra mucus. educational services, curriculum goals, skills, and
■ Cystic Fibrosis- Hereditary disease that affects the approaches for evaluating their learning.
exocrine glands, which produce sweat, mucus, and
digestive fluids. Personal self-sufficiency- A key goal of special
■ Hemophilia- A rare inherited bleeding disorder in education is to help children become independent from
which the blood doesn't clot properly. adults in areas such as personal maintenance,
homemaking, community life, vocational activities,
Despite their disabilities, these children have the same leisure, and travel.
psychological needs as all other children:
■ To Belong The Present Environment refers to the child's current life
■ Be Accepted conditions, including their family, school, and
■ Be Appreciated community. It also includes institutions like government
and non-government organizations that offer support.
■ And Be Loved.

The Future Environment is a projection of the child's

progression to the next educational level and eventually
to the workplace where they can find gainful
employment.
Special Education aids in this transition from student to WHO: The most important people are the exceptional
wage earner, allowing them to lead a normal life despite children themselves, followed by administrators,
a disability. teachers (special and regular), and interdisciplinary
teams of professionals like guidance counselors,
Exceptional Children And Youth are those with psychologists, therapists, and doctors.
conditions such as mental retardation, giftedness and
talent, learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral WHAT: Every exceptional child needs access to a
disorders, and physical disabilities, among others. modified and differentiated curriculum to learn the skills
and competencies of the basic education curriculum.
This term includes children who struggle with the basic The IEP outlines annual goals, quarterly objectives,
education curriculum and require a modified curriculum, teaching strategies, evaluation methods, and required
as well as those with superior performance who need a services.
specialized curriculum to reach their full potential.
HOW:
Exceptional children are also known as Children with ■ Children with mental retardation are taught
Special Needs (CSN). The mental ability of exceptional adaptive skills and basic academics suitable for
children or CSN can be average, below average, or their mental ability.
above average. ■ Gifted children are given enrichment and advanced
content and may be in accelerated classes.
4 POINTS OF VIEW ON SPECIAL EDUCATION: ■ Blind children learn braille, orientation, and mobility
(Heward, 2003) techniques.
■ Deaf children learn sign language and speech
Special Education is a legislatively governed enterprise: reading.
This perspective is based on legal foundations.
WHERE: Educational placements include inclusive
The 1987 Philippine Constitution (Article IV, Section 1 education (mainstreaming in regular classes), special
and 5; Article XIII, Section 11) guarantees the right to schools, residential schools, self-contained classes, and
quality education for all citizens and mandates the State homebound or hospital instruction.
to provide training for adults, the disabled, and out-of-
school youth. It also prioritizes the needs of the Special Education is purposeful intervention:
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and ■ Intervention aims to prevent, eliminate, or
children. overcome obstacles that might hinder a person
with disabilities from learning or participating fully
R.A. 7277 - The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons - in school and social activities.
provides for the rehabilitation, self-development, and ■ Preventive intervention is designed to stop
integration of disabled persons into society. potential problems from becoming a disability.
■ Primary prevention aims to counteract risk factors
The Philippine Policies and Guidelines for Special to prevent a disability.
Education state that every child with special needs has ■ Secondary intervention focuses on reducing the
the right to an educational program tailored to their effects of existing risk factors.
needs.
■ Tertiary prevention minimizes the impact of a
specific disability.
Special Education is a part of the country's educational
■ Remedial intervention attempts to eliminate the
system. It is a component of the Department of
effects of a disability.
Education's basic education program.
BASIC TERMS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION:
The Special Education Division of the Bureau of
Developmental Disability is a severe, chronic disability
Elementary Education creates policies, plans, programs,
of a child aged five or older that is:
and standards for services.
√ Caused by a mental, physical, or combined
impairment.
Special Education is teaching children with special
√ Manifested before the age of 22.
needs in the least restrictive environment. This
√ Likely to continue indefinitely.
perspective focuses on the "who, what, how, and where"
√ Results in major functional limitations in three or
of its implementation.
more life activities like self-care, language, learning,
mobility, and self-direction.
√ Requires a combination of lifelong special care,
treatment, or services that are individually planned.
Impairment or Disability refers to a reduced function or Emotional and Behavioral Disorder a condition
loss of a specific body part or organ. These can include exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics
blindness, deafness, mental retardation, learning over a long period that negatively affects educational
disabilities, communication disorders, and physical performance. inability to learn (not explained by other
impairments. These conditions restrict the normal factors), inability to build relationships, inappropriate
functions of a particular organ. behaviors, a pervasive mood of unhappiness or
depression, or a tendency to develop fears related to
For example, in sensory disabilities like blindness and school problems.
deafness, vision or hearing do not function normally.
The terms "impairment" and "disability" are used Speech and Language Disorders these exist when a
interchangeably. communication pattern is faulty, puts a person at a
disadvantage, negatively impacts emotional growth, or
Handicap is a problem a person with a disability causes physical damage or health risks (Emerick and
encounters when interacting with people, events, and Haynes, 1986).
the environment.
Hearing Impairment a general term for hearing
For example, a child with low vision is handicapped by disabilities ranging from mild to profound. A deaf
regular-print textbooks. It is important to note that a person cannot use hearing to understand speech, even
disability may be a handicap in one environment but not with a hearing aid.
in another.
Visual impairment this covers a range of visual
At Risk refers to children who have a higher chance of disabilities from total blindness to good residual vision.
developing a disability. These children are in danger of It is a visual restriction severe enough to interfere with
substantial developmental delay if they don't receive normal educational progress without modifications.
early intervention services.
A blind child learns primarily through other senses, like
Established Risk are conditions that started during touch for braille. A child with low vision can learn
pregnancy, like cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. through the visual channel and typically learns to read
print.
Biological Risk children born prematurely, underweight,
or whose mothers had conditions like diabetes or Physical Impairments these may be orthopedic or
rubella during pregnancy. neurological.

Environmental Risk caused by factors such as extreme Health Impairments are chronic illnesses that are
poverty, child abuse, and parental substance abuse. present for long periods and do not tend to improve.

CATEGORIES OF EXCEPTIONALITIES: Severe Disabilities this term includes individuals with

Mental Retardation defined as substantial limitations in severe and profound disabilities in intellectual, physical,
functioning, characterized by significantly sub-average and social functioning.
intellectual functioning along with limitations in two or
more adaptive skill areas. This must manifest before Due to the intensity of their problems, they require
age 18 (American Association of Mental Retardation, highly specialized educational, social, psychological,
1992). and medical services beyond what is traditionally
offered.
Giftedness and Talent are individuals with high
performance in intellectual, creative, or artistic areas, This category includes individuals who are seriously
unusual leadership, and excellence in specific academic emotionally disturbed, schizophrenic, autistic, severely
fields (US Government). Giftedness includes traits like mentally retarded, and deaf-blind.
above-average abilities, high task commitment, and
creativity (Renzulli, 1978). In the past, Derogatory labels like "imbecile," "moron,"
"idiot," "dunce," and "dumb" were used to describe
Specific Learning Disability a disorder in one or more of people with physical deformities, mental retardation,
the basic psychological processes involved in and behavioral problems. These terms are now
understanding or using language, which can affect the considered unacceptable.
ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do
mathematical calculations.
2 MAIN POINTS OF VIEW ON THE USE OF LABELS: √ A disproportionate number of children from diverse
Point of View 1: Against Labeling backgrounds have been inaccurately labeled as
■ Labeling focuses on the disability, ignoring a disabled, particularly under the category of mild
person's positive characteristics. mental retardation.
■ It can lead to the "spread phenomenon," where the √ Classifying exceptional children requires significant
disability becomes the main influence on people's money, professional time, and student time that
negative preconceived ideas about the person. could be better used for instruction.
■ Persons with disabilities are, first and foremost,
human beings with the same needs as everyone
else.

Point of View 2: For Labeling

■ This less popular view argues that using workable
disability labels is necessary to describe
exceptional learning needs so that special
education services can be provided systematically.

Pros and Possible Benefits of Labeling

√ Labels can connect a diagnosis to specific types of
education and treatment.
√ Labeling may lead peers to be more accepting of a
typical behavior.
√ It helps professionals communicate with each
other and classify research findings.
√ Funding for special education programs is often
based on specific categories of exceptionality.
√ Labels enable disability-specific advocacy groups
to promote programs and legislative action.
√ Labels can make the needs of exceptional children
more visible to the public.

Possible Disadvantages of Labeling:

√ Labels can cause people to focus on what an
individual cannot do, rather than their abilities.
√ Labels can lead others to have low expectations for
a child, which can result in a "self-fulfilling
prophecy".
√ Labels describing a child's performance deficit can
be mistakenly used as explanatory constructs (e.g.,
"Sherry acts that way because she is emotionally
disturbed.").
√ Labels may suggest that learning problems are
entirely the child's fault, reducing accountability for
ineffective instruction. This can become an excuse
for educators (e.g., "Jalen hasn't learned to read
because he's [labeled]").
√ A labeled child may develop a poor self-concept.
√ Labels can cause peers to reject or ridicule the
child.
√ Special education labels have a certain
permanence, making it difficult for a child to ever
be seen as "just another kid".
√ Labels can be used as a reason to keep children
out of regular classrooms.