Embracing Special

Education
NCBTS: Domain-3 Diversity of Learners, Domain-7
Personal Growth and Professional Development
At the end of this module, the learners
should be able to:

• Discuss the importance of special

education;
• Form sound judgment on the curriculum
applicable for the child’s disability;
• Identify various disabilities.
INTRODUCTION:
A God-fearing individual envisions every
child with special need to possess an adequate
knowledge of the basics of education helping
him/her to realize his/her dream through the
utilization of his/her potentialities and
expressions without the fear of being ridiculed
by others.
RA 7277 (Magna Carta for Disabled Persons)
described persons with disabilities are part of
Philippine society and so the State shall give
full support to the improvement of the total
well-being of disabled persons and their
integration into the mainstream of society.
 What is Special Education?
Special education, in short SpEd, is an
individually planned and systematically
implemented and carefully evaluated
instruction to help exceptional children
achieve the greatest possible personal self-
sufficiency and success in present and future
environments (Inciong, et al 2007).
Every child in the SpEd classroom is provided
with individualized programs that will focus
on enhancing the child’s sphere of
development. Teachers must employ effective
strategies that will lead the Children with
Special Needs (CSNs) to embark into a quality
of life making them independent, integrated
and contributing members of society.
Terms used in special education as defined
in Section 4 of Republic Act 7277:

a. Disabled Persons- are those suffering from

restriction or different disabilities, as a result of
a mental, physical or sensory impairment, to
perform an activity in the manner or within the
range considered normal for a human being.
b. Individualized Education Program
– commonly called an IEP, is a legal document
collaboratively prepared by the special education team
of professionals (including child’s parents) describing
plans and procedures and necessary interventions.

c. Mainstreaming - or Least Restrictive Environment to

the maximum extent for the child to participate with non-
disabled peers in conjunction with the general education
curriculum.
d. Reasonable Accommodation – includes (1)
improvement of existing facilities used by
employees in order to render these readily accessible
to and usable by disabled persons, and (2)
modification of work schedules reassignment to a
vacant position, acquisition or modification of
equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or
modification or examinations and other similar
accommodations for disabled persons.
c. Rehabilitation- is an integrated
approach to physical, social, culture,
spiritual, educational and vocational
measures that create conditions for the
individual to attain the highest possible
level of functional ability.
f. Sheltered Employment- the provision of
productive work for disabled persons
through workshops providing special
facilities, income-producing projects or
homework schemes with a view to give
them the opportunity to earn a living thus
enabling them to acquire a working
capacity required in industry.
g. Social Barriers- refer to the
characteristics of institutions, whether
legal, economic, cultural, recreational or
other human group, community or
society which limit the fullest possible
participation of disabled persons in the
life of the group.
h. Zero Defect – specifying that all
children, regardless or ability are
guaranteed a free and appropriate
public education (PL94-142).
What are the types of disabilities?
Assessment in special education is based on
the same principles of assessment in the
general education classroom. Behaviour is
observed, progress is evaluated, and a
programmed planned. The special educator has
a professional responsibility to be accountable
for each assessment decision (Overton, 1992).
1. Autism is a neurological disorder that
affects communication and on
processing of sensory information.
Autism or Pervasive Development
Disorder (PDD) affects a child’s ability
to communicate, understand language
play, and relate to others.
This repetitive communication disorder
manifested by autistic children as
called
echolalia.
They have unusual physical mannerisms such as
rocking and hand flapping. Their general
movements may be clumsy or poorly coordinated.
Whenever his/her routine has a slight change the
child starts manifesting tantrums.
2. ADD/ADHD means Attention
Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder is a biological,
brain-based condition that is
characterized by poor attention and
distractibility and/or hyperactive and
impulsive behaviours.
They are physically active, they
care much less on difficult things,
they experience restlessness, they
press their fingers as an outlet for
energy, they daydream a lot, they
talk a lot, they exhibit many
movements, and they make noises.
3. Learning Disabilities refers
to a disorder in one or more of
the basic psychological
processes involved in
understanding or using spoken
or written language, spelling,
or mathematics.
These students are characterized by
their struggle with school learning
that will eventually lead to
differences in their social interaction
with peers. The essential dimensions
of learning disabilities are:
a. Dyslexia – an impairment in the ability
to read or comprehend written language
which is considered to be a significant
learning disability on reading problems,
and/or oral language. Dyslexic children
undergo dilemma on comprehension,
identification of words, spelling, sentence
and paragraph construction.
b. Dysgraphia- is a disorder related to
written language. People who become
disoriented with direction or distinctions.
Those who labour on handwriting, suffer
clumsiness or encounter difficulty in
walking, skipping and balancing over
spatial skills are classified within this
disability.
c. Dyscalcula or Dyscalculia – is the
difficulty of the individual in
mathematical problems. Mental
calculation, probability, mastery of
fraction or decimals, geometry,
problem solving are extraordinary
challenge for them.
d. Non-verbal – it is a disorder manifested
by children who have motor, visual and
spatial difficulties. Organizing time and
tasks (commonly referred as executive
function), sensitivity to senses and social
skills are also included in this classification.
However, they are fluent and capable with
language.
4. Mental Retardation – is a condition
that affects an individual’s general
ability to learn school materials, to adopt
to the social demands/ characteristics of
a given age level, and to maintain
appropriate interpersonal relationships
with other people.
 Classification IQ Range Capabilities according to supervision

Mild 50-55 to 70 Can learn basic academics and have enough social adaptive ability to
become semi-independent or independent living

Moderate 35-40 to 50-55 Can learn self-help, communicate, social and simple occupational
skills but limited to academics and vocational skills

Severe 20-25 to 35-40 Can learn self-help, communication and simple work tasks under
supervision

Unspecified There is no strong presumption and the person is considered to be untestable by

standard intelligence set
5. Physical Impairments – are conditions
that affect movement – an individual’s
gross-motor control or mobility (e.g.
walking, standing) and fine-motor
control (e.g. writing, holding, or
manipulating small objects using the
hands, oral-motor skills).
 Impairment Description
Cerebral Palsy Literally means “paralysis of the brain” involving muscle control, posture and
movement that is not progressive or does not get worse over time.

Hearing A permanent or temporary disability in listening that will affect learning skills or
academic achievement. This inability to absorb verbal instruction indicates a
commonly called deafness impairment.

Visual Blindness is referred as having low or no vision. Similar with deafness, this
impairment will adversely affect the child’s educational performance.

Aphasia or Apraxia Expressive speech disorder or any language impairment, receptive or expressive,
caused by brain damage. The child is unable to use the lips, tongue, and other
speech structures that can produce sounds for language.
6. Gifted and Talented
- These children exhibit excellence in the areas
of intellect, creative arts, leadership and in some
specific academic areas whose parents or
teachers are astonished with their reasoning
power or geniuses. They are very sensitive and
expect perfections on things and undertakings
assigned to them. Failures are heart-breaking for
them most likely lead to frustrations.
7. Tourette syndrome, Down
syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome,
traumatic brain injury, and
emotional behaviour disturbance.
What’s in a Plan? Making
special children learn
Special education teacher’s plan is not for
the entire class but rather for an individual
child. This is called Individual Educational
Plan, or IEP.

It is a legal document made through

with special education assessment,
eligibility, and instructional planning
procedures (Friend, 2008).
Based on the child’s disability, a pool of
professionals administers the procedures with
the consent and knowledge of parents and/or
guardian. IEPs are effectively deployed –
support curriculum and assessment and
organizational flexibility are observed to ensure
that provision and assessment take place and
relate to activities that are additional to or
different from the usual (Farrell, 2004).
IEP is a planning tool where
knowledge and skills are
systematically taught. Differentiated
steps and teaching requirements are
needed to help the pupil reach the IEP
learning target.
 The Special Education Curriculum
Bauzon (2001) Curriculum is viewed as
the very heart of all educational systems.
The issues, problems, and prospects of an
educational institution are intimately
intertwined with the issues, problems, and
prospects of the curriculum.
1. Integrative or Activity – Centered
Curriculum Approach. The scope and
sequence of this approach is found in the
child himself. The learner’s needs and
interests supply the basis for planning the
activity or experience – centred
curriculum.
2. Child – Centred Curriculum Approach.
It is designed for the child as the centre of
the educational process. Children become
the focus of educational efforts. Experience
becomes the medium of learning.
Stowe (2006) presented the curricula for
children with special needs.
Disability Suggested Curriculum
- Weekly spelling test
Learning Disabilities - Active role in helping your
students to gain skills
- Teach student to active
homework independently
- Use graphs and blocks of
different sizes and clearly outline
boxes with numbers
- Pursue the cursive writing
 ADD/ADHD - balance of teacher-
directed and self-directed
activities
Autism - Teach the child according
to his/her needs and
interest
Tourette Syndrome - Give homework,
activities need to be
shorter
Mental Retardation - Use many cues in
teaching and presenting
information.
Gifted and Talented - Provide learnings that
is suited to him/her
and put forth effort on
creativity.
Physical Impairments - Provide graphic
organizer or any digital
type of materials in
presenting
information.
 I need to remember the
following:
Embracing special children in the mainstream
of regular education is the call of the times. A
Special education teacher knows how to design
and innovate to suit to the needs of special
children. Scaffold and other interesting strategies
should be used by Special Education teachers to
maximize student’s experiences thereby
increasing success.
Teachers touch lives, but special
education teachers “reach and
touch” lives of children under their
care.
Researcher’s Point of View
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

STAY SAFE, EVERYONE!