SPECIAL

EDUCATION

The White Paper on Education,

Charting our Education Future
(1995), states:

ALL STUDENTS,
regardless of their
personal circumstances,
HAVE A RIGHT
of access to and participation in
the education system, according
to
their potential and ability.

DEFINITION:
SPECIAL EDUCATION OR
SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION
- is the education of students with
special needs in a way that
addresses the students' individual
differences and needs.

It also refers to the

arrangement of teaching
procedures, adapted
equipment and materials,
accessible settings, and other
interventions designed to
address the needs of students
with learning differences,
mental health issues, physical
and developmental disabilities,
and giftedness.

VISION FOR
CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS

The State, community and family hold a

common vision for the Filipino child with
special needs. By the 21st century, it is
envisioned that he/she could be
adequately
provided
with
basic
education. This education should fully
realize his/her own potentials for
development and productivity as well as
being capable of self-expression of
his/her
rights
in
society.
More
importantly, he/she is God-loving and
proud of being a Filipino.

GOAL OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION
- to provide children with
special needs appropriate
educational services
within the mainstream of
basic education.

The two-pronged goal

includes the development of
key strategies on legislation,
human resource development,
family involvement and active
participation of government
and non-government
organizations.

1987 Philippine Constitution.

Article II, Section 17

-provides that the state

must give priority to
education.

Article XIV, Section

1
guarantees that this
education be
accessible to all:
appropriate steps must
be taken.

Chapter II of Title II of the

Magna Carta for Disable
Persons, RA 7277
Sec. 12 mandates that the
"State shall take into
consideration the special
requirements of disabled
persons in the formulation of
educational policies and
programs."

On the other hand, learning

institutions are encouraged "to take
into account the special needs of
disabled persons with respect to the
use of school facilities, class
schedules, physical education
requirements, and other pertinent
consideration." Specifically, learning
institutions are encouraged to provide
"auxiliary services that will facilitate
the learning process for disabled
persons."

Sec. 14 of RA 7277
provides that the State
"shall establish, maintain and
support complete, adequate
and integrated system of
special education for the
visually impaired, hearing
impaired, mentally retarded
persons and other types of
exceptional children in all
regions of the country."

OBJECTIVES OF
SPECIAL
EDUCATION

OProvide a flexible and

individualized support
system for children and
youth with special
needs in a regular class
environment in schools
nearest the students
home.

O Implement a life-long

curriculum to include
early intervention and
parent education, basic
education and transition
programs on vocational
training or preparation
for college, and

O Make available an array educational

programs and services: the Special

Education Center built on a school
within a school concept as the
resource center for children and youth
with special needs; inclusive education
in regular schools, special and
residential
schools,
homebound
instruction, hospital instruction and
community-based
programs;
alternative modes of service delivery
to reach the advantaged children in
far-flung towns, depressed areas and
underserved barangays.

Special Education Act of 2007 identifies ten groups

of Children with Special Needs (CSNs):
1. gifted children and fast learners
2. mentally handicapped/mentally retarded
3. visually impaired
4. hearing impaired
5. children with behavior problems
6. orthopedically handicapped
7. children with special health problems
8. children with learning disabilities (perceptual
handicap, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction,
dyslexia and developmental aphasia)
9. speech impaired
10. persons with autism

PRINCIPLES
OF
SPECIAL
EDUCATION

 students with special educational needs have a right to

an appropriate education
the needs of the individual student are paramount in
decisions relating to their education
parents should have an active role within the system

a continuum of educational services should be provided

and, where
practicable, appropriate education should be provided in
ordinary schools for all students with special educational
needs

only in exceptional circumstances should a student have

to live away

from home to avail of an appropriate

education
the state should provide adequate resources to enable
students with

special educational needs to avail of an