FINAL EXAM IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

PART I.
1. RA 11650: An Act Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in
Support in Inclusive Education, Establishing Inclusive Learning Resource Centers of Learners with
Disabilities in all School Districts, Municipalities and Cities, Providing for Standards, Appropriating
Funds Therefor, and For Other Purposes. This law states that all public schools nationwide are required
to identify learners with special needs and provide these learners with free basic and quality education. It
also mandates that all cities and municipalities have at least one Inclusive Learning Resource Center
(ILRC). An ILRC is a physical or virtual centre that provides teaching and learning support through
appropriate, accessible, and gender-sensitive materials. This is in line with the country's efforts to
eliminate barriers that prevent learners from reaching greater heights through accessible and quality
education. This applies to all learners, with or without disabilities. Learners with disabilities are often
overlooked in public education. This results in low academic competence for these learners, making
them less able to live full and meaningful lives. The law provides the resources to allow students with
disabilities to be provided with individualized learning programs based on their current skills and needs,
within the school setting.
Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and other professionals are needed to support the
efforts of each ILRC. Implementation of the law mandates salaries and other benefits for these
therapists. Filipino SLPs share the responsibility of promoting public awareness regarding the conditions
that challenge the ability of learners with special needs to communicate. With the passing of this law,
the SLPs can play an important role in implementing the act nationwide, such as taking part in creating
course outlines for subjects that aim for inclusion, contributing to materials that are available in the
ILRCs, and ensuring the access to information of learners with disabilities through different types of
media. The active involvement of SLPs in these programs will hopefully also make way for the practice
of school-based SLPs in the Philippines, making it easier for children in school to receive needed
support.
It is true that it may not be easy to achieve full implementation. The Philippine education system in
general is in need of resources in order to effectively provide primary and secondary education to
Filipino children. This additional effort to respond to children with special needs within the school
system is a further demand. Is it worthwhile? The law fosters a more inclusive society, in which
disability is not seen as a barrier but a strength. And it makes it possible to provide a holistic learning
environment for every Filipino student. The law influences the development of a more inclusive
educational system that addresses every child’s right to equitable and quality education, particularly
learners with disabilities. It is a milestone in the Philippine education system.

2. According to principals of mainstream schools, some of the main challenges to inclusive quality
education, is educators coping with learners with special needs who are included in mainstream
schooling, managing behaviourally challenged learners and behaviors and emotions of children who fail
to progress, perceived lack of support (including parental support) and training for teachers and
management. Large class sizes and considerable workloads for educators were some additional barriers
reported for educators (Materechera, 2014). Issues with learner progression and skill recognition,
nutrition, transport, and discrimination were also listed. There were also challenges in terms of the lack
of LSEN schools in rural areas and closure of several LSEN schools (Amollo, 2008;Materechera, 2014).
 Further, principals of LSEN schools perceive lack of funding, adequately trained staff and specialists,
parental support, resources, and support services, as well as stigmatization of special needs school
learners by mainstream school learners and acceptance by peers, diversity in disabilities and closure of
special needs schools to be the main barriers to inclusive education (Materechera, 2014).
There were also challenges in terms of the lack of LSEN schools in rural areas and closure of several
LSEN schools (Amollo, 2008;Materechera, 2014). Further, principals of LSEN schools perceive lack of
funding, adequately trained staff and specialists, parental support, resources, and support services, as
well as stigmatization of special needs school learners by mainstream school learners and acceptance by
peers, diversity in disabilities and closure of special needs schools to be the main barriers to inclusive
education (Materechera, 2014).

3. The Philippines is making strides towards inclusive education, but more work still needs to be done.
Here are some things that need to happen in order for inclusive education to become a reality in the
Philippines:
First, all schools must be properly equipped to accommodate students with disabilities. This includes
having ramps and elevators for students who use wheelchairs, Braille textbooks for students who are
blind or have low vision, and sign language interpreters for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Second, all teachers must be properly trained to teach students with disabilities. This training should
cover everything from accommodations and modifications to behavior management. Third, there needs
to be more support from the government. The government needs to provide funding for inclusive
education initiatives and ensure that all schools comply with the law. Fourth, there needs to be more
awareness about inclusive education. This includes educating parents, teachers, and students about what
inclusive education is and why it is important.

4. The main challenge to inclusive quality education, is educators coping with learners with special needs
who are included in mainstream schooling, managing behaviourally challenged learners and behaviors
and emotions of children who fail to progress, perceived lack of support (including parental support) and
training for teachers and management.

5. Learners with disability did not receive all the necessary support and services for accessing the
curriculum facilities; and stakeholders’ supports is minimal to support the needs of the students enrolled
in SPED classes.

PART II.
1. Characteristics of :
 Visual impairment - the inability to see or a lack of vision.
 Hearing impairment - is a person partially or entirely loses their ability to hear sound.
 Language disorder - is a communication disorder in which a person has persistent difficulties
in learning and using various forms of language such as spoken, written, or signed.
 Autism Spectrum Disorder - is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a
person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and
communication.
2. Challenges face with students:
  The loss of vision imposes limitations upon students. Learners with visual impairments are
the heterogeneous group with varied nature of problems and difficulties that require
appropriate attention in the implementation of curriculum and instructional systems in order
to perform well academically. The academic performance of the visually impaired students is
in a deprived state, they experience problems in not only understanding of academic
concepts, but also in the performance of assignments and in taking exams.
 Most schools that enroll them in the majority of cases do not cater for their special needs.
Some of their challenges are not dictated until too late as a result the hearing losses in these
pupils become a hindrance to their learning process.
 Students with ASD may struggle with sensory processing and may avoid or seek out sensory
input. Some students will have difficulty completing tasks or planning, while others may find
it difficult to break a pattern of thinking to approach a problem in a new way, as executive
functioning may be a challenge. Motor skills can be impaired in students with ASD, and may
require a great deal of concentration or effort that interferes with a student’s ability to
concentrate on the material being presented.
3. Accessible Education[i] is the process of designing courses and developing a teaching style to meet
the needs of people who have a variety of backgrounds, abilities and learning styles. Just as there is
no single way to teach, people learn in a variety of ways; using different instructional methods will
help meet the needs of the greatest number of learners [ii].
PART III.
1. Due to Matthew’s condition, he has limited strength and movement in his hands and fingers, which
makes it difficult for him to hold the mouse, or keyboard.
2. It is hard for him to socialize and has limited access on things.
3. If I were Matthew’s teacher, I could guide him in doing his tasks.
4. (1) Embed inclusive teaching practices. (2) Promote use of assistive technology to all. (3) Ensure key
learning materials are accessible: accessible documents and presentations. (4) Consider how to deliver
content in alternative formats.
PART IV.
CASE OF JOY
1. Joy has difficulty in reading and writing as she could not match the letters to their sounds or combine
letters in order to create words.
2. She feels frustrated in class and has trouble in completing her schoolwork.
3. First, I recommend that teachers spend just 10 minutes per day — 45 to 50 minutes a week — reading
and learning about specific learning differences. I have seen this practice contribute to a significant
change in teachers’ awareness and perception of their students. Next, implementing meaningful change
for students with learning differences can be quite simple. Changing the background color of boards and
handouts, for example, greatly benefits students with dyslexia, who sometimes experience vision
changes when looking at black writing on a white background. This practice has now become a
permanent change at my school. The delivery of verbal information is another common and crucial area
of potential improvement. A common thread among students with learning differences is poor verbal
working memory. This means that their brains are only able to take in so much verbal information
 before they lose track, and words effectively begin to lose meaning. The more often teachers adopt these
changes as a permanent part of their practice, the more all students will benefit.
CASE OF TIM
1. Tim easily gets upset when he does not get recognized or when he feels ignored.
2. With his disability, Tim is described as attention seeking. He has been involved in a number of incidents
of hitting, crying, and other disruptive behaviors.
3. First, I recommend that teachers spend just 10 minutes per day — 45 to 50 minutes a week — reading
and learning about specific learning differences. I have seen this practice contribute to a significant
change in teachers’ awareness and perception of their students. Next, implementing meaningful change
for students with learning differences can be quite simple. Changing the background color of boards and
handouts, for example, greatly benefits students with dyslexia, who sometimes experience vision
changes when looking at black writing on a white background. This practice has now become a
permanent change at my school. The delivery of verbal information is another common and crucial area
of potential improvement. A common thread among students with learning differences is poor verbal
working memory. This means that their brains are only able to take in so much verbal information
before they lose track, and words effectively begin to lose meaning. The more often teachers adopt these
changes as a permanent part of their practice, the more all students will benefit.