POLICY ON THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL

SERVICES TO LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
 I. Rationale

- Every child has the right to education

- Around 15 percent of the world population

live with some form of disability according
to the 2016 estimates of the World Health
Organization (WHO).
- In the Philippines, about 15 million of the
estimated 100 million Filipinos have some
form of disability, wherein 50 percent are
children (WHO, 2011).
Policy Context of the Framework
International Agreements/Commitments

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(1948;1978) *free education
2. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
*universal commitment to advance children’s
rights
3. World Declaration of EFA (1990)
*stress necessity and urgency of providing
education for children, youth and adults with
special needs within the regular education
system
 Policy Context of the Framework
4. UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs
(2007)
*recognizes the right of persons with disabilities
to education and access to equal
opportunities.
5. Incheon Strategy to “ Make Rights Real” for
Persons with Disability ( 2012)
*expansion of early intervention and education
of children with special educational needs
(Goal 5).
 Policy Context of the Framework

6. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development
*Goal 4, gives prominence to the provision
of inclusive and equitable education and the
promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for
all.
 Policy Context of the Framework
Philippine Legal Bases and Policies

1. 1987 Philippine Constitution

2. Republic Act 7277 known as “Magna Carta
for Disabled Persons” and amended in RA
9442.
3. DepEd Order 26,1997 entitled-
“Institutionalization of SPED Programs
in All Schools”
4. RA 10533 : Enhanced Basic Education
Act of 2013
II. Scope
The Policy on the Provision of
Educational Services to LSENs
articulates how the Department of
Education provides opportunities for
LSENs in accessing appropriate
programs and services
This Policy aims to:
1. Define learners with special educational
needs with reference to the social model
on disability;
2. Articulate proper assessment for LSENs
3. Elaborate how the K to 12 curriculum is
responsive to the unique needs of
learners;
4. Articulate learning delivery models for the
implementation of SPED programs
appropriate to school community contexts
and capabilities;
This Policy aims to:

5. Set standards for teachers’

competencies and learning resources
for efficient program delivery and
6. Establish program management
mechanism to ensure that schools are
supported and capacitated
III. Definition of Terms:
1. Assessment
2. Assistive devices and technologies
3. Curriculum adaptation
4. Flexible learning options
5. International Classification of Functioning, Disability
and Health (ICF)
6. Learners
7. Learners-at-risk
8. Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs)
9. Learning Environment
10.Learning Resource Center (LRC)
11. Multi-disciplinary team
12.Special Education
III. Policy Statement
The right to education must be
ensured for children, youth and adult
learners with special educational needs.
Effective and efficient education services for
LSENs will enable them to develop their
potentials to become well-rounded, happy
and smart individuals who can contribute
meaningfully to society
III. Policy Statement
DepEd’s efforts to provide LSENs access to
appropriate programs and services shall be
anchored on the following principles:

1. That every learner has a fundamental right

to equitable education, and must be given
the opportunity to maximize his/her
potentials. (Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, 1948; World Declaration on
Education for All, 1990).
III. Policy Statement
2. That every learner has unique
characteristics, interests, abilities and
learning needs (Salamanca Statement and
Framework for Action, 1994).
3. That educational system should take into
account the diversity of learners and should
respond to their learning needs (Salamanca
Statement and Framework for Action, 1994).
4. That educational assistance should be
given to persons with disability
(Republic Act 9442).
III. Policy Statement

5. That Special Education, as an

integral part of inclusive education,
focuses solely on the special
education needs of differently-abled
children, (Advisory Council for the
Education of Children and Youth with
Disabilities and the Asian Institute of
Management, 2014).
III. Policy Statement

6. That inclusion is a key standard and

principle of the K to 12 Basic Education
Program.
7. Inclusion is best implemented while
learners are in the elementary grades.
8. That family support and involvement
are central to the learner’s development
and well-being
V. Learners with special educational needs

LSENs are individuals who have been

observed to have difficulties in hearing,
communicating, seeing, self-care, mobility
and cognition and/or who are gifted and
talented in various developmental
domains
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

A. Assessment Services
1. Classroom assessment
2.Screening assessment for learners-at-risk
3. Assessment and diagnosis of special
educational needs
4. Progress evaluation based on IEP goals
5. National assessment
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

B. K to 12 Curriculum Adaptations for

LSENs
1. Essential adaptive skills and
competencies
2. Additional curriculum content for
LSENs
3. Curriculum content adaptations
4. Transition skills and competencies
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

C. Individual Educational Plan (IEP)

Every LSENs should have an IEP that

articulates his/her learning goals
based on K to 12 Basic Education
Curriculum
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

D. Resource Room Services

The resource room is for learners

who need additional instruction/
therapy sessions after classes
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

E. Educational Placement

LSENs needs varies on the

basis of the capacity
of the school to address the
learning requirements of
individual learner
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

E. Educational Placement

1. Full Inclusion with Resource Room Services

2. Partial Inclusion with Resource Room Services
3. SPED Centers and Special Education Classes
a. SPED Centers
b. Self-contained SPED Classes
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs

F. Teachers

Collaboration of SPED teachers and Regular

Class teachers

SPED teachers shall work together with families,

School heads, regular teachers, non-teaching
personnel, communities, local units, organization
and institutions in responding to the needs of
LSENs
VI. Educational Ser vices for LSENs
G. Learning Resource Adaptations and ICT

-LRs shall be developed and utilized in line with the

curriculum content and teaching-learning
processes for LSENs

-Teachers should contextualize and modify materials

based on learner’s race, ability and interest.

-ICT can also support LSENs through the help

of assistive devices and technologies
VII. Program Management

A. Schools
B. Schools Division Offices
C. Regional Offices
D. Central Office
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:

Schools are the primary implementers of the

special education program. The school
should foster a healthy, happy, and engaging
learning environment that is inclusive. It
shall welcome and support all learners,
including those with special educational
needs.
VII. Program Management
A. Schools:
The school, through the leadership of the
school head, shall:
• promote acceptance and respect all learners,
teachers and non-teaching personnel in the
school.
• plan for and prepare the school community in
accepting learners with diverse abilities, needs
and backgrounds, and in making the school
inclusive for all.
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• involve and communicate to teachers,
nonteaching personnel, learners, and families
how schools can accommodate LSENs and make
the environment more inclusive for them.
• ensure that data on LIS and EBEIS are correct
and properly encoded.
• use school data in planning for and allocating
resources for the school
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• ensure that provisions for LSENs are
included in the School Improvement Plan
(SIP) and Annual Improvement Plan (AIP)
of the school.
• setup and establish resource rooms
within the school to support additional
needs of LSENs.
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• manage and sustain resources of the school
and/or center and ensure that services are
available to all.
• establish and lead the multidisciplinary team
and ensure that needs of learners are met in the
achievement of their educational goals.
• support the special education teacher in the
implementation of the IEP and other programs
and services for LSENs.
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• advocate the conduct of LAC sessions.
• discuss with regular and SpEd teachers
during LAC sessions strategies on how
LSENs can be better accommodated in
regular classroom and how remediation
classes can be conducted.
VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• plan with the SDO and the teachers
how they may be mobilized in
providing access to basic education
to learners in remote areas and to
learners with special needs.
 VII. Program Management

A. Schools:
• guarantee participation of LSENs in
national assessments, services, programs,
and other school and community
activities.
• establish and sustain partnerships with
families and the community.
VII. Program Management

B. Schools Division Offices

• shall capacitate, support, and
empower schools in achieving
and maintaining a healthy, happy,
and engaging learning
environment for all.
VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

• shall actively plan for the roll out of

special education services in the
division so that by 2022, all learners
with special needs will have access to
quality interventions that would help
them participate meaningfully in the K
to 12 Basic Education Program.
VII. Program Management

B. Schools Division Offices

• ensure that schools and centers have

school IDs and that the integrity of
data on LSENs is maintained.
VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

The division supervisor in-charge of SpEd

shall be responsible for the following:
• promote inclusiveness and capacitate
schools for inclusion.
• provide technical assistance and expertise on
special education and intervention for
learners.
 VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

• ensure that multidisciplinary teams

are established and sustained in
centers and schools.
• plan with the multidisciplinary team.
• ensure that schools and centers are
able to gather correct data of learners.
 VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

• analyze data of the division to provide better

input in planning and allocation of resources
of the SDO.
• plan with the SDO, schools, and centers on
how teachers will be mobilized in providing
access to basic education, including those
with special needs.
VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

• provide CPD programs and capacity-

building activities to regular and
special education teachers on
inclusive education.
• provide materials for and serve as a
resource person to schools during LAC
sessions on special needs education
VII. Program Management
B. Schools Division Offices

• arrange with district supervisors

and/or school heads for adequate
classroom facilities and resources.
• support schools and centers in
provision of LRs for their SpEd
programs.
VII. Program Management

B. Schools Division Offices

• monitor and evaluate the program

implementation periodically as basis
for technical assistance.
VII. Program Management
C. Regional Offices
• make sure that planning for the rollout of
special education services provision is
implemented by all SDOs in the region.

• ensure that SDOs are able to provide technical

assistance to schools on the implementation of
inclusive education and the provisions of
special education programs and services for
LSENs.
VII. Program Management
C. Regional Offices

• consolidate and analyze data in

planning and allocating resources for
schools and centers. It shall conduct
monitoring and evaluation activities
to ensure that division offices are
supported and capacitated.
VII. Program Management
D.Central Office
• shall have overall responsibility for the
administration and supervision of
special education in the country.
• shall ensure that targets set by divisions
and regions in the rollout of special
education services are met so that all
learners with special educational needs
are helped.
VII. Program Management
D.Central Office
• shall also communicate and coordinate
with national government units and
agencies, nongovernment organizations,
industries, medical, and allied medical
and educational institutions in ensuring
that initiatives and efforts in planning for
inclusive schools are harmonized.
VIII. M o n i to r i n g a n d Eva l u at i o n
M & E of programs and services for LSENs
shall be integrated within the over-all K to 12
system under the oversight of the Office of
Planning Services
 Inclusion of learners
with special educational
needs

Effective and efficient teachers,

school managers and leaders