Lesson 1 Understanding Diversity Learning

Outcomes

After the successful completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Familiarize with Loden’s Diversity Wheel.
2. Discuss the ability and disability as dimensions of diversity.

Course Materials
Unit 1 Loden’s Diversity Wheel

Individual is unique from one another and there are individual differences which need to be
acknowledged, accepted and respected.

Diversity has two types, one that cannot be controlled and the other one can be controlled.
 ONE THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED- One dimension of diversity beyond our control
is that one cannot choose parents, physical abilities, race, sexual orientation, date of birth and
place of birth.

 ONE CAN BE CONTROLLED. The other dimension that one can be controlled given an
opportunity is in education, geographic location, appearance, marital status, religion, income,
work experience, socio economic status and others.

It is important to understand social identities and be able to integrate oneself in a society where we live
and let no one be excluded in a group, no one be left behind thus, empathy, caring attitude and respect be given
to each one. Below is adapted from Loven’s Diversity Wheel of which the center is personality followed by the
second layer which are the internal factors, outside of it are the external factors followed by the organizational
factors and the era or different events.
 Loven’s diversity wheel

The Dimensions of Diversity shows two spheres: the inner embedded sphere which consists of age,
gender, physical ability, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation of which an individual has no control over these
aspects of diversity; and the outer sphere which consists of religion, education, work experience, thinking style,
personal values, political beliefs, personal appearance, marital status and income of which once an individual is
given an opportunity has the control over these aspects of diversity.

Unit 2 Ability and Disability as Dimensions of Diversity

  Ability is the resource to perform well something
 Disability the limits or challenges a person’s faces

 Elliot Hubbard cited, “The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live.”
Natalie Boyd on the lesson, “Ability and Disability Diversity in the Workplace: Definition, Trends and
Examples” mentioned person’s ability as the resources to perform well at something and person’s disability as
the limits one faces or one faces in certain limitations and challenges.

Read:https://www.washington.edu/doit/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Chapter- 7-Understand-your-
abilities-and-disabilities.pdf
Understand your abilities and disabilities. Play to your strengths.

Read:https://sites.google.com/site/diversityintheclassroom1234/gender/learni ng-styles/ability-
disability

Lesson 2 Addressing Diversity through the Years: Special and Inclusive Education Learning

Outcomes
 After the successful completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the historical and socio-cultural foundations of special education.
2. Explain the philosophical foundations of special education.
3. Identify the different legal bases of special education in the country.

Course Materials

Unit 1 Historical and Socio-cultural Foundations

 Article 1. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, “Persons with

disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory
impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective
participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

 Phil Forman (2020) cited that inclusive education is a widely accepted pedagogical and policy
principle. This is mentioned in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights in promoting
inclusive educational practices. As cited in Article 26 of the Declaration that parents “have a
prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”

 The concept of inclusive education was reiterated in the Education of All Handicapped
Children Act in the United States in 1975, the United Nations International Year of Disabled
Persons in 1981 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
in 2006. The main focus of the UN initiatives is on the right of persons with disabilities to fully
participate in the society.

Special Education in the Philippines, cited that Special Education which is also known as
 Special Needs Education,
 Aided Education,
 Vocational Education,
 and Limb Care Authority Education refers to the practice of educating students with special
educational needs to address individual differences and needs. Several interventions are
provided designed to help learners with special needs access to a typical classroom education.
 The establishment of the School for the Deaf and Blind in the Philippines in 1907 was
the birth of Special Education (or SPED) in the Philippines. In 1976, President Ferdinand Marcos
signed Presidential Proclamation 1587 and the Philippine Association for the Deaf (PAD)
spearhead the Hearing Conservation Week Activities.

In 1991, President Corazon Aquino signed Presidential Proclamation 829 declaring

November 10-16 as Deaf Awareness Week initiated by the Philippine School for the Deaf
(PSD) and the Philippine Institute for the Deaf (PID)
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8czXdfKn7F8 A
Brief History of Special Education in the Philippines

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6UvXJgaCf0

Unit 2 Philosophical Foundations

The basic philosophy of special education is stated as, “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 fulfill
the right of the child to develop his potential.”

Unit 3 Legal Foundations

Rabara (2017) cited the Legal Bases of Special Education in the Philippines anchored on
the following legal documents:
Articles 356 and 259 of Commonwealth Act No. 3203, "the right of
every child to live in an atmosphere conducive to his physical, moral and
intellectual development" and the concomitant duty of the government "to
promote the full growth of the faculties of every child."
Republic Act No. 3562: "An Act to Promote the Education of the
Blind in the Philippines provided for the formal training of special education
teachers of blind children at the Philippine Normal College, the
rehabilitation of the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) and
the establishment of the Philippine Printing House of the Blind.
Republic Act No. 5250: "An Act Establishing a Ten-Year Teacher
Training Program for Teachers of Special and Exceptional Children."
provided for the formal training of teachers for deaf, hard-of-hearing,
speech handicapped, socially and emotionally disturbed, mentally retarded
and mentally gifted and youth at the Philippine Normal College and the
University of the Philippines.
Section 8, Article XV of the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines, "A
complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the
goals of national development."
Articles 3 and 74 of the Presidential Decree No. 603 of 1975, "The
emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted child shall be treated with
sympathy and understanding and shall be given the education and care
required by his particular condition." "Thus, where needs warrant, there shall
be at least special classes in every province, and if possible, special schools
for the physically handicapped, the mentally retarded, the emotionally
disturbed and the mentally gifted. The private sector shall be given all the
necessary inducement and encouragement.
Presidential Decree No. 1509 of 1978, created the National
Commission Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP) Education Act of 1982
or Batas Pambansa Bilang 232, "The State shall promote the right of every
individual to relevant quality education regardless of sex, age, breed,
socioeconomical status, physical and mental condition, social and ethnic
origin, political and other affiliations. The State shall therefore promote and
maintain equality of access to education as well as Asia Pacific Journal of
Contemporary Education and Communication Technology (APJCECT) ISBN:
978 0 9943656 82; ISSN: 2205-6181 Year: 2017, Volume: 3, Issue: 1
www.apiar.org.au Asia Pacific Institute of Advanced Research (APIAR)
Page188 enjoyment of the benefits of education by all its citizens."
Section 24 of BP 232:, "Special Education Services" "the State
further recognizes its responsibility to provide, within the context of the formal
education system services to meet special needs of certain clientele. These
specific types shall be guided by the basic policies of state embodied on
General Provisions of this Act which include the education of persons who are
physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, culturally different from the so-
called 'normal' individuals that they require modification of school
practices/services to develop to their maximum capacity."
 Batas Pambansa Bilang 344: "An Act to Enhance the Mobility of
Disabled Persons. “required cars, buildings, institutions, establishments and
public utilities to install facilities and other devices for persons with disabilities.
Article XIV, Sections 1 and 2 of the 1987 Constitution of the
Philippines, "The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to
quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such
education accessible to all." "The State shall provide adult citizens the
disabled and out-of-school youth with training in civics, vocational efficiency
and other skills."
Republic Act No. 7277: Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities,
An Act Providing for The Rehabilitation, Self-Development and Self-Reliance
of Disabled Person and Their Integration into the Mainstream of Society and
for other Purposes.
Republic Act No. 9442, An Act Amending Republic Act No. 7277,
Otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability as Amended,
and for Other Purposes’ Granting Additional Privileges and Incentives and
Prohibitions on Verbal, Non-Verbal Ridicule and Vilification Against Persons
with Disability. Persons with disability are part of Philippine society, and thus
the State shall give full support to the improvement of their total wellbeing and
their integration into the mainstream of society. They have the same rights as
other people to take their proper place in society. They should be able to live
freely and as independently as possible. This must be the concern of everyone
the family, community and all government and non-government organizations.
Rights of persons with disability must never be perceived as welfare services.
Prohibitions on verbal, non-verbal ridicule and vilification against persons with
disability shall always be observed at all times.
Lesson 3 Making Schools Inclusive

Learning Outcomes

After the successful completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Discuss on how to create or develop inclusive culture.
2. Explain ways of producing inclusive policies.
3. Describe evolving inclusive practices.

Course Materials

Unit 1 Creating Inclusive Cultures

In developing an inclusive classroom culture recognizes the important contributions of

students, their families and communities.

Based on New Zealand Ministry of Education (2014), there are four key strategies for
action in developing an inclusive classroom environment as follows:
1) Value what student brings, where many aspects on the lives of the students are
not known and there is a need know the hidden part of student lives to be able to know
and better understand them. To implement this strategy, the following are suggested:
understand identity, culture and language; develop learner profiles;
know your learner; and, include students’ languages and culture.
2) Establish a respectful class, there is a need to learn or have a knowledge of
every child to strengthen respect and understanding. There are four suggestions to
implement this strategy such as: learn about diversity and equity together;
have high expectations; support student leadership; and, strengthen a
supportive peer culture.
3) Plan for everyone to participate and achieve, this would mean creating an
environment free of barriers and make learning flexible. To implement this strategy,
there are three suggestions: create flexible learning environment; focus on
what the student can do and their next step; and, seek student feedback.
4) Take a community approach, which denotes to build a community where
students help each other, there is collaboration of staff and students with respect,
partnership between parents and staff and, involvement of the
 community in school. There ae three suggested strategies for implementation such as:
build relationships with parents, involve the community and, involve
past students.

Unit 2 Producing Inclusive Policies

Ministry of Education New Zealand (2018) suggested implementing strategies for

inclusive policies. In developing inclusive policies, the following must be observed: 1) Policy
protection, this provide a point of reference for schools and security for students and families. 2)
Review the policies, with which the policies and procedures are inclusive for diverse students,
staff and families. 3) Review enroll and student management system procedures, to ensure
accuracy and updated record of the students. 4) Design respectful forms and surveys; 5)
Design respectful transition approaches, together with the students, respect the way of sharing
the information of students between teachers and school.

Unit 3 Evolving Inclusive Practices

Collier (2019) cited INCLUSIVE PRACTICE as a teaching approach that

recognizes the student differences and ensure all students to have access to education and can
participate fully in the learning process.

The benefits of inclusive practice are:

 teach students about diversity and equality;
 develop empathy and sensitivity to diverse group.
 Improve friendship, confidence level and self-image;
 provide teachers with additional ways to work as a team and collaborate with
one another;
 promote confidence on the part of the parents that their children are accepted.

Inclusive practice ensures acceptance of students’ diversity and protection against

discrimination to achieve equality in caring for students of diverse culture. To promote equality
and diversity in the workplace, the following need to be examined: 1) Assess the teaching
methods, reflect on the teaching methods why there is a need to teach and the lesson be taught; 2)
Examine one’s affinities and prejudice, think of the students who is closely related or students
that remind of your own child or someone you have been with and taught; 3) Embrace variety,
 there is a need to utilize different teaching methods such as working in pairs, groups and
individually, make use of

computers, make posters and other develop instructional materials, read books, story writing, role
playing, sports and musical activities. This is one way of making students more engaged in the
activities show off their strengths, hidden talents and skills.; 4) Adapt the content, lessons
must be adapted by the students; 5) Meet students’ needs, teacher need to find out if there are
physically or mentally challenged learners and need to make necessary adjustments.

In summary, inclusive practice is a teaching approach of recognizing the diversity of

students and provide equal treatment, opportunities and respect to ensure that students of different

family orientation, family background are given equal opportunity to succeed.

Seven Principles for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Principle 1. Affirming students in their cultural connections

 ØRace and Ethnicity

 ØGender Identity, Sexual Orientation
 ØCultural Style
 ØPersonality
 ØInterests

Principle 2. Being Personally Inviting

 ØStudents “get it that we like them”
 ØStudents believe that we enjoy being in their presence
 ØCreating a culture of caring and positive personal regard in our classrooms

Principle 3. Creating Physically and Culturally Inviting Learning Environments

 ØStudents get a sense that “this school looks and feels like me”
 ØMulticultural images on the walls, the textures and colors, the sounds and other
sensory inputs communicate to students and parents that “this place belongs to us”

Principle 4. Reinforcing Students in Their Academic Development

 Ø“Catching kids being smart”
  ØHigh expectations for all
 ØGenuine respect for cultural ways of knowing
 ØMaking kids feel smarter than even they think they are

Principle 5. Accommodating our instruction to the cultural and

learning differences of our students
 ØMeaningful and accessible instructional approach
 Ø“Learning to sing harmony to our students’ music
 ØDemonstrating profound appreciation for the uniqueness and giftedness of each of our students

Principle 6. Managing our classrooms with firm, consistent and

caring control
 ØBalance of toughness, fairness and love
 ØMuch of disproportionate discipline of students of color by educators is grounded in a
fundamental disconnect between the socialized expectations of teachers, and the survival needs and
lived realities of those students

Principle 7. Creating opportunities that honor both the individuality
and the collectivity of our students

 ØSchooling has been based on individual performance and competition.

Those exploited by dominance are founded on communal, collaborative and
collectivist social interactions
 ØBuild both modalities into classroom practices so that all students benefit from learning bicultural
skills