SPECIAL EDUCATION

Vision for Children with Special Needs from Department of Education in consonance with the philosophy of inclusive education - will hold a common vision for the Filipino child with special needs - State - Community - Family - be adequately be provide with basic education by 21st century - fully realize potentials for development and productivity - let the child be capable of self- expression of rights in society - let the child be God-loving and proud of being a Filipino - will get full parental and community support for education without discrimination of any kind - be provided with a healthy environment along with leisure, recreation and social security measures

Policy, Goals and Objectives of Special Education policy on Inclusive Education for All - accelerate access to education among children and youth with special needs goal of the special education programs (DepEd) - provide appropriate educational services within the mainstream of basic education - two- pronged goal: - development on: - key strategies on legislation - human resource - family involvement - active participation of government and non-government organizations - addressing of major issues on: - attitudinal barriers of the general public and efforts towards institunalization - sustainability of special education programs and services aims - provide a flexible and individualized support system in regular class environment in schools nearest students home - provide support services, vocational programs and work training, employment opportunities for efficient community participation and independent living - implement a life-long curriculum including early intervention and parent education, basic education and transition programs on vocational training or preparation for college - make available array of educational programs and services - Special Education Center built on a school within a school concept

Historical Perspectives American Regime (1902) - beginning of interest to educate Filipino children with disabilities - Mr. Fred Atkinson - General Superintendent of Education - proposed deaf and blind children be enrolled in school like other children Formal Start of Special Education Program (1907) - Mr. David Barrows - Director of Public Education - worked for the establishment of the Insular School for the Deaf and the Blind in Manila - Ms. Delight Rice - an american educator - first administrator and teacher of special school 1926 to 1949 1926 - Philippine Association for the Deaf (PAD) was founded - composed mostly of hearing and impaired members and special education specialists 1927 - Welfareville Childrens Village in Madaluyong, Rizal was established by the government 1936 - Mrs. Maria Villa Francisco was appointed as the first Filipino principal of the School for the Deaf and Blind (SDB) 1945 - National Orthopedic Hospital opened its School for Crippled Children (NOHSCC) 1949 - inauguration of Quezon City Science High School for gifted students - Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation was organized 1950 to 1975 1950 - PAD opened school for children with hearing impairment 1953 - Elsie Gaches Village (EGV) was established to take care of abandoned and orphaned children and youth with physical and mental handicaps 1954 - first week of August was declared as Sight Saving Week 1955 - members of Lodge NO. 761 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks organized the Elks Cerebral Palsy Project Incorporated - First Parent Teacher Work Conference in Special Education was held at SDB 1956 - First Summer Institute on Teaching the Deaf was held at SDB 1957 - integration of deaf pupils in regular classes - Bureau of Public Schools (BPS) of Department of Education and Culture (DEC) created Special Education Section of the Special Subjects and Services Division - Baguio City Special Education Center was organized 1958 - American Foundation of Overseas Blind (AFOB) opened regional office in Manila - provides consultancy services in the teacher training program - integration of blind children in regular classes - materials production in Phil. Printing House for the Blind 1960 - some private colleges and universities started to offer special education courses in graduate school curriculum 1962 - Manila Youth and Rehabilitation Center (MYRC) was opened - DEC issued Circular No. 11s. 1962 that specified the Qualifications of Special Education Teachers - PFRD sponsored Pan Specific Rehabilitation Conference which convened international experts on the rehabilitation of handicapped persons

- experimental integration of blind children at Jose Rizal Elementary School in Pasay - First National Seminar in Special Education was held in SDB - St. Joseph Cupertino School for the Mentally retarded was founded - training of DEC teacher scholars at the University of Philippines commenced in areas under R.A. 5250: - hearing impairment - mental retardation - mental giftedness - Philippine General Hospital opened classed for school- age chronologically ill patients 1963 - approval of R.A. 3562 for training of DEC teacher scholars for blind children at Philippine Normal College - Philippine Printing House for the Blind was established - Manila Science High School was also established 1965 - marked the start of training program for school administrators of special education 1967 - BPS organized the National Committee on Special Education - General Letter No. 213 regulating the size of special classes for maximum effectiveness was issued 1968 - approval of R.A. 5250 of teacher training program for teachers of exceptional children held in PNC for the next ten years - First Asian Conference on Work for the Blind was held in Manila 1969 - classes for socially maladjusted children were organized at the Manila Youth Reception Center 1970 - training for teachers for children with behaviour problems started at University of the Philippines - SDB was reorganized into two separate residential schools - School for the Deaf - Philippine National School for the Blind - Paaralan ng Pag-ibig at Pag-asa, a special school in San Pablo City was established 1971 - DEC issued a memorandum on Duties of the Special Education Teacher for the Blind 1973 - the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in Manila established Tahanan Special School for socially maladjusted children and youth - First Asian Conference on Mental Retardation was held under the auspices of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines and the Philippine Association for the Retarded (PAR) - Caritas Manilas Special School for the Retarded was organized by Rev. Fr. Arthur Malin, SVD 1974 - First National Conference on the Rehabilitation of the Disabled was held - Southeast Asian Institute for the Deaf (SAID) was established - the Division of Manila City Schools implemented the Silahis Concept of Special Education in public elementary schools 1976 to 2000 1976 - Proclamation 1605 declared 1977 to 1987 as the Decade of the Filipino Children - National Action Plan for Education was promulgated - First Camp Pag-ibig for handicapped children was held on Valentines Day - Juvenile Domestic and Relations Court organized the Molave Youth hall for Children with behaviour Problems

1977 - Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC, former DEC) issued Department Order No. 10 which designates regional and division supervisors of special education programs - West Visayas State College started teacher training program and offered scholarships to qualified teachers - Baccara Special Education Center and the Bacolod Special Education Center opened 1978 - marked the creation of the National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP, later renamed National Council for the Welfare of the Disable Person, NCWDP) through Presidential Decree 1509 - MEC Memorandum No. 285 directed school divisions to organize special classes with a set of guidelines on the designation of teachers who have no formal training in special education - UP opened special education training program of undergraduate students 1979 - Bureau of Elementary Education Special Education Unit conducted a two-year nationwide survey of unidentified exceptional children who were in school - Cartias Medico - Pedagogical Institution for the Mentally Retarded was organized - Jagna Special Education Center in the Division of Bohol was organized 1980 - School for Crippled Children at the Southern Island Hospital in Ceby Vity was organized 1981 - United Nations Assembly proclaimed the observance of the International Year of Disabled Persons