Policies and

Guidelines of
SPECIAL EDUCATION
in the Philippines
Maria Martha Manette Apostol Madrid,
Ed.D .

Professor
Institute of Graduate Studies
Panpacific University North Philippines
Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, Philippines
martzmonette@yahoo.com

Article 1: Philosophy, Goals and Objectives

Section 1: The State shall promote the right of
every individual to relevant quality education
regardless of sex, age, breed, socio-economic
status, physical and mental condition, social or
ethnic origin, political and other affiliation.
The State shall therefore promote and
maintain equality of access to education as
well as the enjoyment of the benefits of
education by all its citizen. (BP Blg.
232)mental condition, social or ethic origin,
political )
Section 2: Every child with special needs has
a right to an educational program that is
suitable to his needs. Special education
shares with regular education basic
responsibilities of the educational system to

Article 1: Philosophy, Goals and Objectives

Section 3: Special education shall aim to
develop the maximum potential of the child
with special needs to enable him to become
self-reliant and shall be geared towards
providing him with the opportunities for a full
and happy life.
Section 4: The specific objectives of special
education shall be the development and
maximization of learning competencies, as
well as the inculcation of values to make the
learners with special needs a useful and
effective member of society.
Section 5: The ultimate goal of special
education shall be the integration or
maintenance of learners with special needs
into the regular school system and eventually

Article 2: Definition and Scope

Section 1: Special education refers to the

education of persons who are gifted or talented

and those who have physical, mental, social or
sensory impairment and cultural differences so as
to require modifications of the school curricula,
programs and special services and physical
facilities to develop them to their maximum
capacity. These persons may be gifted/talented,
fast learner, mentally retarded, visually impaired,
hearing impaired, with behavior problems,
orthopedically handicapped, with special health
problems, learning disabled, speech impaired or
multiply handicapped.
Section 2: These policies and guidelines shall
apply to all schools, centers and classes (national
or local, public or private, formal or nonformal)
established under the educational system of the
Philippines for the education of children with

Article 3: Identification, Screening, Assessment

and Evaluation of Children
Section 1: Identification, screening,
assessment and evaluation of children with
special needs shall be conducted by the school
and the community utilizing appropriate
assessment instruments.
1.1 Identification and assessment of every
child shall be conducted as early as possible.
1.2 The team approach shall be used in the
identification and assessment procedures.
The team shall be composed of persons with
working knowledge and understanding of
children with special needs, such as the
following:
1.2.1 parents/guardians/extended families,
neighbors and friends

Article 3: Identification, Screening, Assessment

and Evaluation of Children

1.2.3 special education teachers

1.2.4 guidance counselors
1.2.5 school administrators
1.2.6 health workers
1.2.7 social workers
1.2.8 psychologists
1.2.9 speech and physical therapists
1.2.10 law enforcement officers
1.2.11 probation officers

Article 3: Identification, Screening, Assessment

and Evaluation of Children
1.3 Aspects to be covered in the identification,

screening, assessment and education of children

with special needs shall cover the following
aspects:

1.3.1 Physical:
1.3.1.1 height and weight
1.3.1.2 physical deformities
1.3.1.3 gross and fine motor coordination
1.3.1.4 hearing
a.3.1.5 visual function
1.3.1.6 oral hygiene and dental developmen
1.3.2 Psycho-social
1.3.2.1 family history
1.3.2.2 personality

1.3.2.3 behavior
1.3.3 Educational

1.3.3.1 learning disabilities

1.3.3.2 language and speech

Article 3: Identification, Screening, Assessment

and Evaluation of Children
1.4 Appropriate assessment instruments shall
be developed or adopted in order to identify
handicapping conditions as early as possible.
1.5 Identification and assessment of children

with special needs shall be a continuing

process
1.6 The synthesis of identification and
diagnostic information shall be the basis for
the appropriate educational placement of the
child with special needs.

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes
Section 1:Children with special needs shall
enjoy equality of access to formal and
nonformal education.
1.1 Educational help for the handicapped child
shall be made available as early as possible.
1.2 Every school division shall organize special

classes and provide special services for

children with special needs. (PD 603)
1.3 All schools at the preschool, elementary,
secondary and tertiary levels shall admit
children and youth with special needs.
1.4 Preschool education and post secondary
education for technical and vocational courses
shall be salient features of the formal

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes

1.5 The school entrance age of a child with special

needs to formal academic instruction shall follow

the current regulation of the Ministry of Education,
Culture and Sports. He may be admitted any time
during the year, if circumstances warrant such
admission. No age requirement nor time limitation
shall be imposed for attendance to nonformal
education programs.
1.6 Only persons with special needs shall be eligible
for enrolment in special schools.
1.7 Special educational provisions shall be made in
hospital schools during treatment periods of
handicapped children.
1.8 An assessment test to determine proper grade
placement shall be administered to special students
who cannot present school credentials. Their
admission shall be subject to the approval of the

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes
1.9 Over-aged students assessed by the
Philippine Educational Placement Test but
found deficient in communication and other
skills, shall be admitted provided that they
shall undergo remedial instruction in the
areas of deficiency.
1.10 Admission requirements for regular
students taking degree courses at the tertiary
level shall apply to students with special
needs.
1.11 Adaptation in the administration of
college entrance tests and other examinations
given by the Ministry of Education, Culture
and Sports and other agencies shall be
provided to meet the needs of special

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes

Section 2: For maximum efficiency, class size at any

given time shall be as follows:

Exceptionality...One-Grade Level...Multi-Grade or
Multi-Level
Gifted/Fast Learner...30-35...15-20
Mentally retarded...8-15...8-10
Blind
7-10
5-6
Deaf 7-15 6-8
Behavior Problems 15-20 7-12
Orthopedically Handicapped 10-15 10-15
Multiply Handicapped 5-8 3-6
Speech Defective 10-15 10-15
Learning Disabled 7-10 5-6

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes

2.1 Placement in a special class shall be temporary

and not terminal, thus a continuous assessment

process is essential.
2.2 A maximum of only 2 children with the same or
different type of handicapping condition shall be
integrated in a regular class at any given time.
2.3 An itinerant teacher shall have a case load of not
more than five children with special needs.
2.4 The special education teacher shall be assisted
by one or more teacher aide when necessity
demands and whenever possible.
Section 3: Promotion of children with special needs
shall follow the promotion policy for the regular
grades.
3.1 The promotion from grade to grade or from level
to level shall follow the promotion policy for the
regular grades.

Article 4: School Admission and Organization of

Classes
3.2 The following modifications shall be made for

special learners.

3.2.1 Promotion Scheme for Gifted/Talented/Fast

Learners

3.2.2 The levels of instruction for the mentally retarded

shall be as follows:

3.2.1.1 Yearly progression

3.2.1.2 Acceleration
3.2.1.3 Finishing the last three grades in the elementary grades
in 2 years
3.2.1.4 Advanced placement
3.2.2.1
3.2.2.2
3.2.2.3
3.2.2.4
3.2.2.5
3.2.2.6

Preschool
Lower Primary
Upper Primary
Intermediate
Advanced
Post-Secondary

3.2.3 For the multiply handicapped, individualized promotion

shall be adopted on a case to case basis.

Article 5: Curriculum Content, Instructional

Strategies and Materials

Section 1: Curriculum Content, Instructional Strategies

and Materials
1.1 The following schemes or options may be adopted
for Special Education Programs

1.1.1 Regular curriculum - the curriculum prescribed for

regular children.
1.1.2 Modified curriculum - the curriculum prescribed for
regular children with certain adaptations to meet the
needs of special children.
1.1.3 Special curriculum - the curriculum for children with
special needs aimed primarily at developing special
adoptive skills to maximize their potentials.

1.2 Curriculum plans shall be research-based, tested

successfully on a pilot basis before their

implementation on a bigger scale, and evaluated
periodically. These plans shall be accompanied by a
variety of instructional materials.

Article 5: Curriculum Content, Instructional

Strategies and Materials

1.3 The modified curriculum for the visually impaired

shall include sensory training, special instruction in

Braille reading and writing, mathematics, orientation
and mobility, Braille music, and typing.
1.4 The modified curriculum for the hearing impaired
shall emphasize communication and language
development based on the philosophy of TOtal
Communication which is tailored to meet the
individual child's communication, and educational
needs. The curriculum, in addition, shall include
special instruction in speech and speechreading,
auditory training and rhythm. The multi-sensory
approach shall be maximized and
speech/speechreading and sign language shall be
encouraged starting in Grade I.

1.4.1 Pilipino Sign Language shall be used in the

education of the hearing impaired.

Article 5: Curriculum Content, Instructional

Strategies and Materials

1.5 The modified curriculum for children with behavior

problems shall include special activities and

instructional techniques for the normalization of
behavior with emphasis on moral, civic and spiritual
values as well as training in livelihood, and technical
and academic skills to prepare them for the world of
work.
1.6 The curriculum for the physically handicapped
child shall include functional exercises.
1.7 The special curriculum for the mentally retarded
shall emphasize training in self-care, socialization,
motor and pre-vocational and vocational skills. For
the more severely ratarded child, emphasis shall be
on development of self-care skills.
1.8 Teaching strategies shall be creative and multidimensional. They shall make maximum use of all
remaining sense modalities and provide for active
participation in the learning process.

Article 5: Curriculum Content, Instructional

Strategies and Materials
1.9 All special schools shall strengthen their vocational

and technical training programs. Arrangements shall

be made to enable the child with special needs to
attend special courses offered in the regular
vocational schools whenever practical.
1.10 A community-based, home-based or any useful
alternative special education delivery system shall be
established to reach those who cannot avail of regular
institution-based programs.
1.11 Effective guidance and counselling programs
shall be developed and maintained.
Section 2: Instructional Materials
2.1 Low cost and indigenous materials shall be
developed for the use of children with special needs.

Article 6: Organization Patterns

Section 1: Children with special needs shall be

provided with a variety of educational patterns and

services.
1.1 The assessed needs of each child shall be the
primary consideration in determining his particular
program and services.
1.2 Programs may be organized in a variety of
settings, namely:

1.2.1 Integration/Mainstreaming. This refers to the

enrolment of a child with special needs in a regular
school with additional teaching/care resources. There
are degrees of integration. In partial integration, a child
enrolled in a special class in a regular school is
integrated with regular children in non-academic
activities like work education, physical education, arts,
school programs, etc. Later on, qualified children may
be integrated gradually in one or more academic
subjects. In full integration (sometimes called "zero
reject model"), the handicapped child sits in the regular
classes in all subjects, academic or non-academic.

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.2.2 Resource Room Plan. Under this scheme, the child with
special needs is enrolled in the regular school program but
goes to a resource room to use the specialized equipment
either in a tutorial situation or in a small group. The resource
room teacher functions both as an instructor and as a
consultant. The usual procedure is for the resource room
teacher to serve the area of exceptionality in which she has
had training. However, occasionally in small communities,
necessity may dictate that she serves children with a variety
of learning disabilities. Such a resource room service that
does not constitute a complete program of special education
should not turn out to be a segregated plan.
1.2.3 Itinerant Teacher Plan. Under this plan, an itinerant or
traveling teacher serves one or more regular schools
depending on how many pupils need special help. She gives
direct and consultative services to children. In addition,
these specialists observe, diagnose, make referrals,
requisition textbooks and equipment, prepare instructional
materials and evaluates performance.
1.2.4 Cooperative Class Plan (Part-Time Special Class Plan). In
this plan, the child with special needs is enrolled in a special
class but receives some of his academic instruction in the

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.2.5 Special Class Plan (Self-Contained/Segregated Plan).

Under this plan, usually, pupils with only one type of
exceptionality label are enrolled in the special class. This
plan is needed for those with more sever problems which
makes it impossible for them to learn in a regular
classroom setting. At times, they may be with their normal
peers, but not usually in an academic situation.
1.2.6 Special Education Center. A growing alternative
service delivery system is the Special Education Center
which holds classes for children with special needs within
the regular school. Itinerant, resource room services,
special and cooperative classes are held in the special
education center. Classes range from three to more than
twenty, depending upon the population and affluence of
the community. The school-within-a-school concept
receives much support from parents of the children
themselves and from civic and social community
organizations. The Center is administered by a principal
and operated according to the rules and regulations that
govern a regular school.

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.2.7 Special Day School. This type of school serves

specific types of children with moderate to severe
disabilities. It offers a range of trained special educators
and a comprehensive array of medical, psychological and
social services.
1.2.8 Residential School. The reason for placing a child in a
residential school is based on the premise that he can
make greater progress in such setting than in any other.
Residential schools provide special education services that
are qualitatively and quantitatively superior to those
available in local communities.
They also offer comprehensive diagnostic and
counselling services, and vocational and recreational
services.
1.2.9 Hospital Instruction. Provision of children confined to
hospitals, sanatoria, and convalescent homes is a service of
special education. The types of children in need of hospital
instruction are the severely emotionally disturbed, the
profoundly retarded who are bedbound, the crippled, those
with chronic and/or serious health disabilities, and
recovering patients. Both bedside tutoring and group

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.2.10 Homebound Instruction. This plan is provided

by the local school system to serve the chronically ill,

usually the bedridden, the convalescents from
operation, accident or temporary illness, the
disturbed, and the retarded pupils. Services are
provided by either a full time itinerant teacher who
instructs each pupil in his own home about three
times a week, or the regular class teacher who
instructs her temporarily homebound pupils.
1.2.11 Community-based Delivery System. This is a
plan for children with special needs who reside in
distant communities and cannot avail of existing
special education programs. They are reached by
teachers, para-teachers or volunteers trained to teach
the basic 3 R's and self-help activities to prepare them
for useful and independent living.

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.3 A combination of plans may be considered where

special children are not concentrated in a particular
geographic area; where there are not enough children
to justify employing more than one teacher or where
the spread is great; and/or where a variety of services
is not feasible.

Examples of variation:
a) A Resource Room Plan may be established and the special
teacher works part-time as an itinerant teacher, since the
children enrolled for the Resource Room Program can be
scheduled to attend the regular classroom when he is not in the
building.
b) A plan such as the one described above may also be
established when one special teacher must meet the needs of
children at both elementary and secondary levels.
c) The Cooperative Class Plan may be maintained for some pupils
and other pupils scheduled under the Resource Room PLan,
particularly when a program is being changed from a Cooperative
Class Plan to a Resource Room Plan.
d) If the Cooperative Class Plan is being used, the special
teacher could leave her class for a portion of time to serve as an
itinerant teacher when a provision is made for the children

Article 6: Organization Patterns

1.4 Appropriate referral system shall be established if the result

of an assessment merits residential school placement, e.g., for
the child who lives too far from existing special education
services. Otherwise, homebound instruction shall be provided.
1.5 Special supportive services like readers, interpreters,
notetakers, and others shall be provided when necessary.
1.6 Special programs for the gifted, talented and creative shall
be developed and maintained.
1.6.1 Special provisions for the gifted, talented and creative
may take the following prototypes, singly or in combination:

1.6.1.1. Grouping - clustering of small groups from different

sections to be placed with a teacher who can modify the curriculum
to suit the gifted as in seminars, mini courses, a library period a
week, etc.
1.6.1.2 Vertical Acceleration - early school admission, double
grade promotion, advanced placement, tutoring; correspondence
courses; independent study, acceleration by grade skipping or time
compression.
1.6.1.3 Horizontal Acceleration - mentorship wherein gifted
students are paired with adults who serve as their mentors in a
subject of mutual interest; individual or group research projects;
honors classes; a core or block program for the integration of
ideas from two or more subjects.
1.6.1.4 Guidance - individual conferences; community-sponsored

Article 6: Organization Patterns

Section 2: The goal of special education shall be

integration or mainstreaming of children with

special needs.
2.1 Integration or mainstreaming of children with
special needs shall be viewed as a developmental
process.
2.2 Special supportive services like readers,
interpreters, notetakers, and other auxiliary
services shall be provided when necessary.
2.3 The school division shall extend such services as
orientation and training of administrators, teachers,
other school personnel and regular popils on special
education.

Article 7: School Plant Facilities

Section 1: Adequate physical facilities and equipment
shall be provided to assure quality education for all
children with special needs.
1.1 The school system shall assign buildings and
resource rooms and adapt physical facilities to suit
children with special needs.
1.2 The school system shall provide appropriate
specialized equipment, instructional materials and
supplies.
1.3 Requirement for school site, school plants,
physical facilities and classroom size shall be for the
purpose of securing permit for operation of special
schools modified in accordance with the type of
exceptionality and enrolment size.
1.4 The minimum requirement for basic classroom
equipment for children with special needs prepared
by the Ministry of Education, culture and Sports
including medical and dental facilities shall be

Article 7: School Plant Facilities

Section 2: Buildings and facilities shall be

made accessible to persons with special

needs.
2.1 Steps shall be taken to remove
architectural barriers to and within buildings
(walkways, corridors, doors, washrooms and
toilets) to enhance mobility of disabled
persons.

Article 8: Personnel Recruitment, Welfare and

Development
Section 1: For the effective implementation of the
special education program, the education, welfare and
training of personnel shall be given high priority.
1.1 All personnel involved in the education of children
with
special needs shall have adequate and appropriate
educational
background and training and personnel qualities specified
as
follows:
1.1.1 Education and Work Experience

1.1.1.1 For a special education teacher

Bachelor of Elementary Education specializing in special education

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education or Secondary Education,

Article 8: Personnel Recruitment, Welfare and

Development
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education or Secondary
Education plus 16 units in special education with 4 years of
very satisfactory experience in the regular schools
Bachelor of Science in Elementary or Secondary Education
plus 14 units in special education with 4 years of very
satisfactory experience in the regular schools
Bachelor of Science in Elementary or Secondary Education
plus 12 units in special education with 6 years of very
satisfactory experience in the regular schools

1.1.1.2 For Regional and Division Supervisors,

coordinators, and administrators of special schools and
centers

Master of Arts with 18 units in special education or any related

field

Article 8: Personnel Recruitment, Welfare and

Development
1.1.2 Civil Service Eligibility
For security of tenure of all personnel,
possession of an appropriate civil service
eligibility is required.
1.1.3 Personal Qualities
Must demonstrate positive attitudes,
desirable personal values and commitment
toward children with special needs.

Article 8: Personnel Recruitment, Welfare and

Development
1.2 In the absence of qualified teachers in the division,
equivalent experience or training in handling children

with special needs and demonstrated commitment shall

be considered for appointment.
1.3 Teaching and non-teaching personnel working with
children with special needs shall be provided with ongoing and various training opportunities to ensure staff
competence.
1.4 Training programs shall be upgraded periodically to
emphasize early identification, screening, assessment
and evaluation of children with special needs. It shall
include courses in psychology to develop the right
attitudes toward handicapped persons.
1.5 The hiring rate of special education teachers shall

Article 8: Personnel Recruitment, Welfare and

Development
1.6 Incentives shall be given to special
education personnel through the following:

1.6.1 master teacher positions when they

meet the requirements;

1.6.2 awards for consistent outstanding

performance for the last 3 years;

1.6.3 priority in recommendations to related

scholarships and fellowships;

1.6.4 attendance to conferences or

observations of special education programs in
countries with more advanced programs in
special education.

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

Section 1: The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports

shall have overall responsibility for the administration

and supervision of special education in the country.
1.1 The Bureau of Elementary Education through the
Special Education Division shall provide leadership and
guidance over the Special Education program for
learners with special needs in the elementary level. The
Bureau of Secondary Education and the Bureau of
Higher Education shall likewise establish a division or
unit that shall provide similar functions and
responsibilities over learners with special needs in their
respective levels.
1.1.1 Until such divisions or units are established,
said Bureaus shall send a representative to an ad hoc
group based at the Bureau of Elementary Education to

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

1.2 The Special Education Division shall provide

supervisory and consultative services to assist regional

and division offices develop and expand their program
and to ensure quality and continuity of services. It shall
meet these responsibilities through the following main
functions:
1.2.1 provision of a broad framework and minimum standards

for use in establishing and maintaining field programs for

children with special needs;
1.2.2 supervision of programs for children with special needs. It
shall provide assistance in planning, establishing andmaintaining
such programs and for the interpretation of the needsof such
programs;
1.2.3 development and validation of prototype instructional
materials for children with special needs; and
1.2.4 consultation and coordination of services with other
divisions and bureaus within the MECS and with other national,

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

1.3 The implementation of these four functions shall be

carried out by the Special Education Division in the

following ways:

1.3.1 provision of a broad framework and minimum

standards;

1.3.1.1 development of policies and guidelines to

serve as guide for the field in establishing and maintaining
programs for children with special needs;

1.3.1.2 cooperation with public and private agencies to

insure the development of all services in the best interests
of gifted and handicapped children;

1.3.1.3 collaboration with other divisions and bureaus

within the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for the
proper development and maintenance programs;

1.3.1.4 development and coordination of policies and

procedures relative to the preparation and monitoring of

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

1.3.2 supervision of programs for children with special needs. This is

basically the responsibility of the regional and division offices. It shall be

carried out through the following means:

1.3.2.1 encourage schools to initiate and develop programs for children

with special needs;

1.3.2.2 assist schools in the identification and diagnosis of such

children. The Division of Special Education shall encourage schools to
conduct vision screening programs and to follow up these programs by
requiring that students who are identified as having vision problems be
referred to a qualified eye specialist for accurate diagnosis;

1.3.2.3 assist schools in the selection of teachers, suitable classroom

facilities, and special instructional materials and equipment needed by
children with special needs;

1.3.2.4 interpret policies and regulations for the development and

maintenance of programs;

1.3.2.5 plan and conduct workshops for teachers, school administrators

and other interested persons to provide an understanding of the program;

1.3.2.6 serve as in-service consultant to field programs; and

1.3.2.7 assist schools in the utilization of services available from other

local and national agencies.

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

1.3.3 development and validation of prototype instructional materials for

children with special needs. Such materials shall be managed and handled
in accordance with existing rules and regulations; and

1.3.4 consultation and coordination with public and private agencies.

The following procedures shall be used to complement this function:

1.3.4.1 consultation and coordination of activities with public and

private agencies that have responsibilities for the diagnosis,
treatment and rehabilitation of children with special needs, such as
the National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons, the Ministry
of Social Services and Development and the Ministry of Health;
1.3.4.2 promotion and carrying out a program of cooperation and
coordination with private agencies having programs for such
children;
1.3.4.3 consultation with institutions of higher learning with regard
to recruitment of persons for training as special education teachers
and the development of programs in the area of special education;
1.3.4.4 act in advisory capacity, upon request, to private groups
maintaining programs for children with special needs; and

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

Section 2: The Regional and Division Offices shall have the
primary responsibility for the initiation and implementation
of programs for children with special needs. The education
of these children is the responsibility of the total school
system. The overall effectiveness of the program will
depend largely upon the leadership and cooperation of the
regional/division promotional and administrative staff and
teachers.
2.1 Regional Director The Regional Director shall have
overall responsibility for the administration and supervision
of special education in the region.
2.2 Chief of Elementary Education Division The Chief of
Elementary Education Division shall directly assist the
Regional Director in the development and implementation of
policies, plans and programs in special education for the
region. He may preferably assign one who had training in
special education the responsibility of supervising the

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

2.3 Schools Superintendent The Schools

Superintendent shall have the overall responsibility for
the administration and supervision of special education
in the division. He shall be assisted preferably by a
Division Supervisor who had training in special
education whose responsibility of the program shall
include the following:

2.3.1 assisting in the integration of the program into the

division or district total school program;

2.3.2 assisting the special education teacher in an itinerant
program to arrange a workable district-wide schedule
2.3.3 arranging with district supervisors/principals for
adequate classroom facilities for the special education
program;
2.3.4 helping the special education teacher secure materials
and equipment necessary to his particular program;

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

2.3.5 providing assistance to special education teachers

through the conduct of in-service training, seminars and

workshops
2.3.6 visiting the program periodically to gain a better

understanding of the special education teachers' work;

2.3.7 arranging periodic conferences with the special

education teacher;
2.3.8 assisting special education teachers to monitor
records
2.3.9 scheduling opportunities for the special education
teacher to discuss and explain his program;
2.3.10 assigning special education teachers who are
promoted as administrators to schools wih the special
education program; and

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

2.4 District Supervisor

The District Supervisor shall have the overall

responsibility for the administration and supervision of
special education in the district.
2.5 School Principal and Other School Administrators
The principal and other school administrators shall help
maximally in the development and continuing success
of an effective special education program by:
2.5.1 creating within the school an atmosphere of acceptance

of the program;
2.5.2 including the special education teacher in all staff
activities and programs in the school;
2.5.3 coordinating the program with other programs offered
by the school including guidance services, physical
education activities, music activities, home economics and

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

2.5.4 providing an adequately equipped room for a Resource

Room, or on an adequate place for the itinerant teacher, if

this plan is used;
2.5.5 Securing necessary equipment and materials which are
available within the school building for the special education
teacher;
2.5.6 making available to special education teachers
pertinent data concerning the family background, scholastic
and other pertinent records of all children enrolled in the
program;
2.5.7 assisting the special education teacher with scheduling
classes for each child;
2.5.8 encouraging classroom teachers to consult with the
special education teachers regarding any problem which
might arise in relation to the child in their classroom;

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

2.5.9 notifying the special education teacher (especially the

itinerant teacher) in advance when special activities or

programs will prevent children from following their regular
schedule;
2.5.10 visiting the special education program as he does the
regular classroom program;
2.5.11 arranging for classroom
teachers to visit periodically the class for children with
special needs; and
2.5.12 arranging for the special education teacher to talk
with parents, teachers and other community groups about
his program.
Section 3: Teacher Responsibilities

It is important to the effective functioning of a school

program for children with special needs to have full
cooperation of all teachers in the school.

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.1 Classroom Teacher

Of primary importance to the successful functioning of

the child in the regular classroom are the attitudes of
people he meets, his self-regarding attitudes and the
attitudes he develops. The positive attitudes that are
essential are most likely to develop where accurate
information is available. It is the responsibility of the
special education teacher to provide such information
when possible; however, in some instances where there
is no special education teacher available, to following
are suggested for the classroom teacher to do:
3.1.1 be alert to the behavioral signs and physical
symptoms of difficulties in all children. Be sure that
proper referrals have been made and everything
possible has been done to correct or ameliorate the

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.1.2 accept and provide for a wide range of individual

differences on many dimensions among the children

with special needs;
3.1.3 view the physical, mental and social limitations of
the child as only one of his attributes;
3.1.4 accept the child as much as you would any other
child;
3.1.5 provide a setting for, and expect achievement of
the pupil in terms of his scholastic aptitude and other
attributes;
3.1.6 provide lesson presentations which utilize all
senses;
3.1.7 arrange preferential seating for the child in terms
of his needs;

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.1.8 obtain assistance in the form of constructive

consultation and specialized materials and equipment

from those who assume special responsibilities for the
child;
3.1.9 help the child to develop concepts meaningful to
himself and in line with his own reality;
3.1.10 if possible, provide first-hand experiences for the
child rather than vicarious ones; and
3.1.11 do not expect the special education teachers to
re-teach what has been taught in the regular
classroom. The itinerant teacher's role is to facilitate
learning (more than to teach directly) through
assistance to the regular teachers and to the child.

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.2 Responsibilities of the Resource Room Teacher The
resource room teacher shall:
3.2.1 share the responsibility for program planning and
scheduling with the classroom teacher, principal, guidance
counselor, and other appropriate school personnel;
3.2.2 interpret the child's needs to the classroom teacher and
other school personnel who will be working with him;
3.2.3 advise the classroom teacher as to the best seating
arrangement for the visually impaired or hearing impaired
child;
3.2.4 interpret to the classroom teacher and other school
personnel, practices and procedures which make learning tasks
easier for the child;
3.2.5 assume the responsibility for procuring texts,
supplementary materials, educational aides and equipment
needed by the handicapped child; and
3.2.6 see that the child is provided with the necessary

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.3 Responsibilities of the Itinerant Teacher

The

itinerant teacher shall:

3.3.1 share the responsibility for program planning and
scheduling with teachers, principals, guidance
counselors and other school personnel;
3.3.2 confer with the classroom teacher in order to
determine:
a) when the child needs help
b)how
often he will work with the child
c) other matters
related to his work
3.3.3 reinforce the work of the classroom teacher and
do intensive teaching of certain phases of a subject as
the need arises;
3.3.4 consider the following in scheduling for:

a) working
with the child with the least interruption of his class
participation
b) keeping travel time to the minimum

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.3.5 maintain records and exchange information about

the child with the classroom teacher on a regular basis;

3.3.6 prepare a master schedule to be given to his

superior and the principal of each building in which he

works;
3.3.7 work within the framework and policies of the
schools in which he serves children;
3.3.8 understand the pertinent medical reports
concerning the children;
3.3.9 prepare appropriate materials for the handicapped
child being served; and
3.3.10 assist in the initiation of new services and
coordinate existing ones for use in the educational
program; interpret to the general educators resources

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.4 Responsibilities of the Cooperating Classroom

Teacher
The cooperating classroom teacher shall:
3.4.1 maintain all school records for children in his
class;
3.4.2 be responsible for the overall educational program
for each child;
3.4.3 determine the amount of participation each child
can manage in the regular classes
3.4.4 teach much of the subject matter and arrange
with the classroom teacher and other school personnel
(principal, guidance counselor, and other appropriate
school personnel for pupils to participate in some of the
activities of the regular classroom and of the entire
school; and

Article 9: Administration and Supervision

3.5 Responsibilities of the Special Class Teacher

The
special class teacher is responsible for teaching the
basic academic subjects with minimum integration with
the non-handicapped in physical education, for
socialization purposes. He must interpret the child's
needs and abilities to the regular classroom teacher or
any other school personnel. He must work closely with
all personnel in the school in planning a program which
will be beneficial to these special children.

Article 10: Evaluation of Programs and Services

Section 1: The Ministry of Education, CUlture and

Sports shall develop and implememnt a system of

evaluating special education programs and services.
1.1 An internal and external evaluation of programs
shall be conducted. It shall include an investigation of
all program components such as curriculum, staff
development, physical facilities, funding and research.
1.2 Private schools for children with special needs shall

be acrredited upon compliance with the minimum

standards that shall be prescribed by the Ministry of
Education, Culture and Sports.
1.3 Results of evaluation and feedback shall be used for
program improvement and decision-making.

Article 10: Evaluation of Programs and Services

Section 2: The government shall provide through

legislation, incentives for individuals, governmental and

non-governmental entities and agencies engaged in
special education and as:
2.1 franking privilege
2.2 tax exemption
2.3 tax reduction
2.4 educational grants or scholarships and fellowships
2.5 loans from government financial institutions
Section 3: Government assistance in job placement for

beneficiaries of the special education program shall be

provided by:
3.1 allocating positions in government offices for them

Article 11: Research and Special Studies

Section 1: Research relevant to the education of

children with special needs shall be conducted to

provide empirical basis for the improvement of
instruction at all levels.
1.1 Research on the theory and practice of special
education in the country and abroad should be given
equal opportunity.
1.2 Specifically, researches should include:
1.2.1 theoretical and conceptual models in special
education
1.2.2 identification, screening, assessment and
evaluation of children with special needs;
1.2.3 programs and delivery systems
1.2.4 curricular content, instructional strategies and
materials

Article 11: Research and Special Studies

1.3 Research proposals shall come from all sectors of

society, e.g., government ministries including the

Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, nongovernment organizations, the academic community,
research centers and private persons.
1.4 A scheme for the dissemination and utilization of
research findings should be evolved and applied.
Section 2: Special studies shall be made in other areas

not specified but needed in the development of the

special education program.

Article 12: Parent Education and Community

Involvement
Section 1: Parents of children with special needs are

valuable members of the educational team in the

program of rehabilitation for independent living of their
children.
1.1 Parent education shall be a necessary component of the
special education program. As early as possible, parents
shall be made aware of their children's handicaps and the
intervention strategies needed to help facilitate each child's
academic, social-emotional and communicative
development.
1.2 Parents shall be provided with information, and a process
of sharing experiences continuously with other parents
experiencing similar problems.
1.3 Parents of children with special needs shall be directly
involved in the planning of educational and special services

Article 12: Parent Education and Community

Involvement
1.4 The family of the child shall be involved in the

process of habilitation and rehabilitaion. It shall be

encouraged as the major rehabilitation unit.
1.5 The training of trainors from among community
volunteers, including parents and family members of
children with special needs, in basic special education
techniques as part of the community-based or homebased rehabilitation services shall be conducted to
promote programs on early identification and
intervention and to enhance home-school relationships.

Article 13: Linkages

Section 1: Linkages with government and non-

government organizations shall be established,

maintained and expanded.
1.1 Special education shall be a component of all
community-based, home-based and other rehabilitation
services. These shall be coordinated with medical,
social and vocational rehabilitation services.
1.2 All health, welfare and other community services,
like parent-teacher organizations, socio-economic
clubs, and other groups which can help children with
special needs and their families shall be tapped.
1.3 Carefully designated pilot programs that shall
demonstrate the effective collaboration of education,
medical, health care, and social services shall be
undertaken.

Article 13: Linkages

1.4 A system of referral, collaboration and follow-up

among various disciplines and services for specific

areas shall be established and intensified.
1.5 A directory or service information center that lists all
rehabilitation services available in a particular
geographical areas and the types of children with
special needs that can be served shall be prepared and
made available.
1.6 The school shall exert effort to link with the
community in providing wholesome recreational and
other facilities that would enable children with special
needs to interact with their normal peers.

Article 14: Public Information, Education and

Communication
Section 1: A nationwide information dissemination

campaign on the prevention, early identification and

intervention of children with special needs shall be
intensified.
1.1 Mass media shall be utilized to make the public
aware of the importance and availability of services for
children with special needs.
1.2 Short radio and TV messages that are easy to grasp
shall be aired utilizing language that parents and
laymen can understand to change and improve public
attitudes towards children with special needs.
1.3 Information dissemination on special education
services shall be the responsibility of the Ministry of
Education, Culture and Sports.

Article 14: Public Information, Education and

Communication
1.4 Guidelines to disseminate relevant information

concerning educational programs for children with

special needs, as distinguished from other disciplines,
shall be issued as often as necessary.
1.5 Annual celebration and activities on special weeks
like Sight Saving, Hearing Conservation, and others
shall be publicized for the information of the public.
1.6 Data bank in special education shall be developed
and maintained at the regional, division and district
levels.

Article 15:

Funding

Section: The cost of educating children with special

needs shall be borne by the national and local

governments
1.1 The national government shall provide for the
items and salaries of special education teachers and
other school personnel.
1.2 The national government shall authorize the
reclassification of the present items of personnel
presently involved in special education to special
education items at all levels whenever requirements
are met.
1.3 The national government shall provide for the
construction of appropriate buildings and the
procurement of special equipment, tools and
supplies.

Article 15:

Funding

1.4 The regional office shall allot funds for research and

evaluation, the training of special education personnel,

the cost of special equipment, facilities and
instructional materials ans travel allowance of their
own personnel.
1.5 The division office and local government units shall
allot funds for the travel allowance of itinerant teachers
and division supervisor in-charge of the program and,
where possible, transportation of pupils.
1.6 The City and/or Provincial school board shall
provide for additional funds for facilities and
instructional materials, and for yearly inservice training
of teachers and scholarship grants to qualified teachers
and administrators.

Article 16:

Policy Support Legislation

Section 1: Legislative measures to strengthen the

special education program shall be passed. These

shall be geared towards:
1.1 Maximization of (1) teacher salaries and other
benefits, and (2) opportunities for professional
growth.
1.2 Provision of sufficient appropriation for continuing
research, establishment of diagnostic centers,
facilities and supplies, etc.
1.3 Greater family and community involvement.
1.4 Establishment of special day and residential
schools.

Article 17:

Special Provisions

Section 1: Special schools shall provide the following

levels of instruction by themselves or in consortia

with other institutions:
- Preschool
- Elementary
- Secondary
- Continuing education for technical and vocational
training if faculty and facilities are available and upon
approval by proper authorities. Short term courses
only.
- Tertiary level
- Graduate level

Article 17:

Special Provisions

Section 2: Special schools shall serve in a variety of

alternative settings which may be one or more of the
following:
- Residential school
- Day school
- Hospital school
- Homebound instruction
- Rehabilitation Center (also for drug dependents and
juvenile delinquents)
Section 3: Special schools shall expand their role from
being primarily an educational institution to that of a
resource development and service center for the
special education program in the community.

Article 17:

Special Provisions

Section 4: Criteria for admission to a government

dormitory for children with special needs shall take into
account the following factors:
- Age (at least 5 years old)
- Good health (as certified by a government physician)
- Financial status (preferably those with low family
income as shown in the family income tax returns)
- Distance of residence from school (inaccessible by
transportation or travel is risky for the pupil)
Section 5: The quality of instruction in special schools
shall equal or be better than that of the general school
system, and closely linked to it.

Article 18: Special Provisions

Amendment Clause
Any revision or amendment of these policies
and guidelines to be made by the
implementing offices shall be referred to the
respective Divisions which shall in turn
recommend its promulgation to the Minister
of Education, Culture and Sports.

Article 19:

Effectivity

These policies and guidelines shall take

effect immediately upon its approval by the
Minister of Education, Culture and Sports.

The final word is yours!