Foundation of Special &Inclusive Education

Historical & Legal Background

Historical Background
$ Era of Extermination (Greek & Roman Era)
- Disability was regarded as a punishment from God, which signifies bad
or evil.
- Individuals with disability was labeled “defectives”, that need to be
eliminated from society.
- There were calls for “infanticide”- the father had the right to terminate
their child’s life if he or she happened to be born with a disability.
- Disabled person was denied some rights (like being prohibited to enter
sacred places/temple).
$ Era of Ridicule (Middle Ages)
- PWDs were treated with ridicule in which they were used as servants,
clowns, mocked for their deformities and even ordered to be put to
death.
$ Era of Asylum (Renaissance Period)
- Catholic church began accepting PWDs as wards of state.
- Start of human treatment to them and taken care of.
- However, the belief that once disabled, always disabled rendered PWDs
as “uneducable”.
$ Perspective on PWDs Educability
- One should have the right to education regardless of his/her disability.
- Pedro Ponce de Leon (1578) – provided education to deaf children.
- Abbe Charles Michel de l’Eppe (1960) – put up institute for the deaf.
- Louis Braille (1829) – invented the Braille script that allow the blind to
read.

Philippine Historical Background on SPED & IE

Facts:
$ There are over 40 million children and youth in the Philippines and increasing.
$ Twelve percent (12%) of these children and youths have special needs.
$ Ninety-seven percent (97%) of them do not receive appropriate educational
services.

Brief Timeline (Highlights)

$ 1902 - the interest to educate Filipino Children was expressed through...(Fred W.
Atlitson – General Superintendent of Education.
$ 1927 – First School for Retardation in Welfareville Children’s Village,
Mandaluyong.
$ 1926 – 1949 - Philippine Association for the Deaf (PAD).
$ 1956 - The first Samar institute for teaching the deaf.
$ 1957 - Department of Education created the Special Education Section.

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 Foundation of Special &Inclusive Education
Historical & Legal Background

$ 1958 - The American Foundation for overseas blind open it’s regional office in
Manila.
$ 1960 - Some private Colleges & Universities started to open special education
courses in their graduate school.
$ 1962 - Training of Teachers at University of the Philippines; Hearing Impairment,
Mental Retardation, Mental Giftedness.
$ 1997 – The Indigenous People’s Rights Act.
$ 2000 – The Dakar Framework for Action – Education for All
$ 2004 – Alternative Learning System (ALS)
$ 2007 – Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA 9442)
$ 2008 – Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
$ 2009 – Inclusive Education as a Strategy for Increasing Participation Rate of
Children
$ 2009 – Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education
$ 2013 – Enhanced Basic Education Act
$ 2016 – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Senate Bill 1298)
$ 2016 – Inclusive Education for Children and Youth with Special Needs Act (Senate
Bill 996)
$ 2017 – Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (Dep.Ed. Order #42. Series
2017)
$ 2019 – Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program (Dep.Ed. Order
#21. Series 2019).

Important Laws
$ Republic Act No. 5250
An Act Establishing a ten- year Teaching training programs for teachers of
special and exceptional children.

$ Presidential Decree No. 603

In 1975 known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code was enacted.

$ Presidential Decree No. 1509

In 1978, created the National Commission Concerning Disable Persons

(NCCDP). It was renamed as National Council for the welfare of Disable Person
(NCWDP).

$ Batas Pambansa Bilang 232

Also known as Education Act of 1982. The State shall promote the right of
every individual to relevant quality education regardless of sex, age, breed, socio-
economics status, physical and mental condition, social and ethnic origin, political
and other affiliations.

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 Foundation of Special &Inclusive Education
Historical & Legal Background

$ Policies and Guidelines of Philippine Special Education

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
to his full potential.

$ Batas Pambansa Bilang 344

In 1983, The Accessibility Law. An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled

Persons.

$ Republic Act No. 6759

In 1989, The Law declared August 1 of each year as “ White Cane Safety
Day” in the Philippines.

$ Republic Act No. 7610

In 1992, The Law is An act providing for Strong Deterrence and Special
Protection against Child Abuse, Exploitation and discrimination.

$ Presidential Proclamation No. 361

In 2000, set new dates for the National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation.

$ Republic Act No. 9288

In 2004, known as The Newborn Screening Act of 2004.”

Recent Legislations:
Section 8: Dep.Ed.Order #43, series 2013 – Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013
- Policy that recognizes the inclusiveness of the enhanced basic
education.
- Implementation of programs aiming to address the physical, intellectual,
psychological and cultural needs of all learners.

Senate Bill 1414 – Bill of the Inclusive Education for Children and Youth with Special
Needs
- Provide every Filipino child and youth with access to inclusive
education, as well as the appropriate resources, materials, and
equipment they need.

Senate Bill 1298 – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2016 (IDEA)
- Intends to provide free appropriate education to children with
disabilities.

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 Foundation of Special &Inclusive Education
Historical & Legal Background

Senate Bill 996 – Inclusive Education for Children And Youth with Special Needs Act of
2016
- An act instituting inclusive education and establishing SPED centers for
children and youth with special needs in all public-school divisions.

Dep.Ed. Order #42, series 2017 – National Adoption and Implementation of the
Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST
- Intends to set out clear expectations of teachers along the different
stages of their carrer,
- Basis in developing learning programs for teachers in order to capacitate
them for the effective implementation of the K to 12 Program, as well s
the selection and promotion of teachers.

Ched Memo 74-75, series 2017 – Policies, Standards, and Guidelines for BEED, BSED,
BECED and BSNED
- Require that a Prof.Ed. course of Fondations of Special and Inclusive
Education be taken by all education students in order to ensure that all
teachers have the basic knowledge in handling learners with disabilities,
giftedness, and talents.

Dep.Ed. Order #21, series 2019 – Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 basic Education
Program
- Embedded inclusive education in the K12 curriculum.

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