Lesson 2.

Special Education
Programs and Services
Pre-Test
Directions: Encircle the letter of the best answer.
1. It refers to the total number of cases of a particular condition, those with exceptionality
(giftedness and talented) and developmental disabilities and impairments
A. Prevalence B. Coincidence
2. It refers to the cases that have come in contact with some systems. The number of children and
youth with special needs is derived from census data.
A. Identified Prevalence
B. True Prevalence
3. This assumes that there are a larger number of children and youth with special needs who are
in school or in the community who have not been identified as such and who are not in the
special education programs of the Department of Education
A. Identified Prevalence B. True Prevalence
4. Incidence refers to the number of new cases identified within a population over a specific
period of time.
A. Incidence B. Coincidence
5. It is when the term is no longer unusual to find blind, deaf and even mentally retarded students
participating in a regular class activities at certain periods of the school day.
A. Mainstreaming B. Integration
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
A. define the following terms: prevalence, identifiable prevalence, true prevalence and incidence;
B. compare the prevalence estimate of children with special needs done by UNICEF and World
Health Organization
C. describe the different special education programs and services offered by the Philippine
Public and Private Schools or institutions
D. discuss the definition of Inclusive Education and its salient features and;
E. enumerate the support services extended to children with special needs.

Prevalence of Children and Youth

with Special Needs
 Prevalence refers to the total number of cases of a particular condition, those with
exceptionality (giftedness and talented) and developmental disabilities and impairments.
Prevalence is viewed in two ways.
Identifiable Prevalence refers to the cases that have come in contact with some systems.
The number of children and youth with special needs is derived from census data.
True Prevalence assumes that there are a larger number of children and youth with
special needs who are in school or in the community who have not been identified as such and
who are not in the special education programs of the Department of Education.
Incidence refers to the number of new cases identified within a population over a specific
period of time.

The 1997 UNICEF report on the Situation Analysis of Children and Women in the
Philippines indicates that the mean percentage of persons with some types of disabilities is 13.4
per one thousand population. This means that 134 out of 1000 persons have certain disabilities.
For every million of the population of eighty (80 million), more than 8 and a half million have
disabilities. The distribution of the different categories of exceptionalities and disabilities among
children is as follows:
1. 43.3 % have speech defects
2. 40.0% are mute
3. 33.3 % have mental retardation
4. 25.9% are those with one or both arms or hands
5. 16.4% are those without one or both legs or feet
6. 16.3% have mental illness
7. 11.5% are totally deaf
8. 11.4 are totally blind
The universal estimate of the prevalence of children with special needs stands at 10%
with disabilities. (World Health Organization) and 2% with giftedness and talented.
It shows that approximately half of the total population of 80 Million belongs to the
category of children and youth whose chronological ages range from zero to twenty-four. Based
on these statistics and using universal estimate of 12%, it may be assumed that at least 4.8
million Filipino children and youth need special education services. The TRUE Prevalence of
those with disabilities is estimated to be four (4) Million. Those who are gifted and talented are
estimated to number 800, 000.
 Of the estimated number of exceptional children and youth, how may are enrolled in
special education classes? At present, only a small number of these children are in the special
education classes. Many of them remain unidentified in regular classes and communities. Current
figures show that there are seven hundred ninety-four (794) special education programs in all
regions, six hundred sixteen (616) of which are in the Public Schools. One hundred forty-four
(144) programs utilize the Special Education Center delivery mode for the full or partial
mainstreaming of children with special needs in regular classes. Likewise, there are thirty-four
(34) state and private special and residential schools.
The Special Education Division report on Statistics for the School Year 2004-2005
Table 1. Special Education Enrolment Data in Public and Private Schools
Categories No. of Children
1. Gifted and Fast Learners 77,152
2. with learning disabilities 40, 260
3. with mental retardation 12, 456
4. with hearing impairment 11, 597
5. with autism 5,172
6. with behaviour problems 5,112
7. with visual impairments 2,670
8. with speech defects 917
9. with orthopaedic impairments 760
10. with special health problems 142
11. with cerebral palsy 32
With disabilities 79,118
Grand Total 156, 270

Tabulated Enrolment Data in Public and Private Schools show that only 3% of the
estimated 4, 800, 000 children and youth with special needs are receiving special education
services. The Majority of these exceptional children are unidentified either in the schools or in
their homes and communities. A small number may be in community-based programs provided
by nongovernment entities, church groups, and civic organizations.

Range of Special Education Programs and Services

An array of SPED Programs and services are available in the country. These are offered
by the Public Schools and private institutions.
1. The Special Education Center is a service delivery system which operates on the “school
within a school” concept. The SPED Center functions as the base for the special education
programs in a school. A SPED Principal administers the Center following the rules and
regulations for a regular school.
2. The Special Class or Self-contained Class is the most popular type among the Special
Education Programs. A special class is composed of pupils with the same exceptionality or
disability. The Special Education Teacher handles the special class in the Special Education
Center or Resource Room.
3. Integration and mainstreaming programs have allowed children and youth with disability to
study in regular classes and learn side by side with their peers for the last forty years.
Integration was the term used earlier. At present, when it is no longer unusual to find blind, deaf
and even mentally retarded students participating in a regular class activities at certain periods of
the school day, the perfect term is mainstreaming.
TWO TYPES OF MAINSTREAMING
A. Partial Mainstreaming children who have moderate or severe forms of disabilities
are mainstreamed in regular classes in subjects like Physical Education, Home Technology,
Music and Arts.
B. Full Mainstreaming, children with disabilities are enrolled in regular classes and
recite in all the subjects. A special education Teacher assists the regular teacher in teaching the
children with special needs. Likewise, the SPED Teacher gives tutorial lessons at the SPED
Center or Resource Room.

The best model of mainstream special education programs is exemplified at the Division of
Manila City Schools. Built around the Silahis Concept of Special Education or “rays of the sun”,
fifteen (15) Elementary Schools have developed mainstream programs that are supplemented
with resource rooms and activities.
Table 2. “Silahis” Special Education Centers-Manila City Schools Division
SPED Center School Address
1. Kagitingan SPED Center Rizal Elementary School Tayuman, Sta. Cruz
2. Diwa SPED Center Hizon Elementary School Abad Santos
3. Pag-Asa SPED Center Obrero Elementary School Obrero, Tondo
4. Kaunlaran SPED Center P. Gomez Elementary School P. Guevarra
5 Kagandahan SPED Center Albert Elementary School Dapitan
6. Kapayapaan SPED Center Legarda Elementary School Lealtad
7. Pag Ibig SPED Center Burgos Elementary School Altura, Sta. Mesa
8. Kabutihan SPED Center A. Quezon Elementary San Andres
School
9. Ligaya SPED Center Lucban Elementary School Paco
10. Kalinisan SPED Center R. Palma Elementary School Vito Cruz
11. Tagumpay SPED Center Sta. Ana Elementary School M. Roxas, Sta. Ana
12. Liwwanag SPED Center Magsaysay High School Espana
13. Pagkakaisa SPED Center Manila High School Intramuros
14. Kalusugan SPED Center PGH Pediatric Unit PGH, Taft Avenue
 *chronically ill and abused
PGH Rehabilitation
*developmental disabilities
15. Sikay/Gabay SPED Manila Youth and Reception Paco
Center Center

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Inclusion describes the process by which a school accepts children with special needs for
enrolment in regular classes where they can learn side by side with their peers. The school
organizes its special education programs and includes a Special Education Teacher in its Faculty.
The school provides the mainstream where regular teachers and SPED Teachers organize and
implement appropriate programs for both special and regular students.

Salient Features
Inclusion means implementing and maintaining warm and accepting classroom
communities that embrace and respect diversity or differences. Teachers and students take active
steps to understand individual differences and create an atmosphere of respect.
Inclusion implements a multilevel, multimodality curriculum. This means that special
needs students follow an adapted curriculum and use special devices and materials to learn at a
suitable pace.
Inclusion prepares regular teachers and special education teachers to teach interactively.
Inclusion provides continuous support for teachers to break down barriers of professional
isolation. The hall marks of Inclusive Education are co-teaching, team teaching, collaboration
and consultation and other ways of assessing skills and knowledge learned by all students.

Support Services for Children with Special Needs

At least two types of support services are extended to children with special needs:
1. Referral services are solicited from Medical and Clinical Specialists.
2. Assistive Devices

Post Test
Directions: Encircle the letter of the best answer.
1. It refers to the total number of cases of a particular condition, those with exceptionality
(giftedness and talented) and developmental disabilities and impairments
A. Prevalence B. Coincidence
2. It refers to the cases that have come in contact with some systems. The number of children and
youth with special needs is derived from census data.
A. Identified Prevalence
B. True Prevalence
3. This assumes that there are a larger number of children and youth with special needs who are
in school or in the community who have not been identified as such and who are not in the
special education programs of the Department of Education
A. Identified Prevalence B. True Prevalence
4. Incidence refers to the number of new cases identified within a population over a specific
period of time.
A. Incidence B. Coincidence
5. It is when the term is no longer unusual to find blind, deaf and even mentally retarded students
participating in a regular class activities at certain periods of the school day.
A. Mainstreaming B. Integration

Test II. DATA UPDATE

Data filled in below was dated year 2004-2005. Update the table through research of the
ENROLLED SPED Students in Public and Private Basic Education. Fill in the table with
gathered updated Data from the Department of Education.
A. Table 1. Special Education Division Report on Enrolment Data in Public and Private Schools
Categories No. of Children 2006-2010 2011-2015 2016-2019
1. Gifted and Fast 77,152
Learners
2. with learning 40, 260
disabilities
3. with mental 12, 456
retardation
4. with hearing 11, 597
impairment
5. with autism 5,172
6. with behaviour 5,112
problems
 7. with visual 2,670
impairments
8. with speech defects 917
9. with orthopaedic 760
impairments
10. with special health 142
problems
11. with cerebral palsy 32
With disabilities 79,118
Grand Total 156, 270

HOMEWORK

Reflection and Application

Directions: Respond to the following statements succinctly.

1. Based on the Number of the Filipino Children with Special Needs who are in Special
Education programs, how many are out of school? What do the numbers mean to you?

2. Recall and write a short vignettes about persons with disabilities you know, have met or have
heard about. How did they overcome their disabilities?