EDUCATING THE CHILD WITH EDUCATING THE CHILD WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN THE REGULAR NEEDS IN THE REGULAR SCHOOL:SCHOOL:

CURRENT CURRENT PERSPECTIVES, PERSPECTIVES, SUPPORT SERVICES AND SUPPORT SERVICES AND

BEST PRACTICESBEST PRACTICESEdilberto I. Dizon, Ed.D.Edilberto I. Dizon, Ed.D.

Normalization and InclusionNormalization and Inclusion

NormalizationNormalization

• is an ideology that adheres to the is an ideology that adheres to the belief that individuals with belief that individuals with disabilities/special needs must be disabilities/special needs must be provided with the same training provided with the same training and opportunities given their and opportunities given their normal counterparts.normal counterparts.

NormalizationNormalization• enables them to maximize their enables them to maximize their

potentials, achieve some potentials, achieve some degree of independence in degree of independence in leading their lives, and access leading their lives, and access and participate in the benefits and participate in the benefits provided by/available provided by/available

in their communities. in their communities.

NormalizationNormalization• advocates that “educational, advocates that “educational,

housing, employment, social and housing, employment, social and leisure opportunities for leisure opportunities for individuals should resemble as individuals should resemble as closely as possible the patterns, closely as possible the patterns, opportunities and activities opportunities and activities enjoyed by their peers who are not enjoyed by their peers who are not disabled.”disabled.”

Normalization• is now anchored on legal mandates and is now anchored on legal mandates and

international covenants:international covenants:a)a)The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA #7277) in The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA #7277) in

the Philippines, the Philippines,

b)b)Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2007) in the United States and 2007) in the United States and

c)c)Salamanca Statement and Framework of Action in Salamanca Statement and Framework of Action in 1994, Spain, collectively done by participants from 25 1994, Spain, collectively done by participants from 25 international international

organizations and 92 organizations and 92

governments.governments.

The IDEA Act mandates:The IDEA Act mandates:

a) zero reject,

b) non-discriminatory testing,

c) free and appropriate education in a least restrictive environment,

d) due process especially along d) due process especially along placement decision-making, and placement decision-making, and

e) parent participation, among e) parent participation, among others.others.

Advocacy statements related to Advocacy statements related to normalization found in the normalization found in the

UN Convention on theUN Convention on theRights of the Child (1989):Rights of the Child (1989):

“… “… the right to survival, an the right to survival, an opportunity to develop to the opportunity to develop to the

fullest, protection from harmful fullest, protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation, influences, abuse and exploitation, full participation in family, cultural full participation in family, cultural

and social life…”and social life…”

The UN Convention on the Rights of The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(2006)Persons with Disabilities(2006)

• encourages the enactment of laws encourages the enactment of laws and policies upon all its member and policies upon all its member

states in favor of disabled persons states in favor of disabled persons with the “aim of including them in with the “aim of including them in

everyday life, and at the same time everyday life, and at the same time providing equal access to providing equal access to

educational services for educational services for everyone…”everyone…”

The Salamanca The Salamanca Framework of ActionFramework of Action

• defines inclusive education as defines inclusive education as the “education in the mainstream the “education in the mainstream

of regular education regardless of of regular education regardless of race, linguistic ability, economic race, linguistic ability, economic

status, gender, age, ability, status, gender, age, ability, ethnicity, religious and sexual ethnicity, religious and sexual

orientation.”orientation.”

Let’s remember…Let’s remember…

The move towards inclusion was The move towards inclusion was initially founded in the logic and initially founded in the logic and

principles of social and civil rights.principles of social and civil rights.

• Inclusion does not aim to make the Inclusion does not aim to make the special – needs child normal! special – needs child normal!

• It is focused on supporting the child to It is focused on supporting the child to achieve his best given all opportunities achieve his best given all opportunities open to his peers who are not disabled. open to his peers who are not disabled.

Thus, inclusive education as the Thus, inclusive education as the educational expression of educational expression of

normalization is anchored on the normalization is anchored on the following tenets:following tenets:

• Acceptance of the child whoever he is and Acceptance of the child whoever he is and whatever his disability is.whatever his disability is.

• Respect for the dignity of the child.Respect for the dignity of the child.•   Recognition of the child’s potential for Recognition of the child’s potential for

learning in varied contexts.learning in varied contexts.•   •   • 2001).2001).

• Strong confidence in the ability of the Strong confidence in the ability of the child to become.child to become.

• Respect for the child’s unique/atypical Respect for the child’s unique/atypical developmental patterns.developmental patterns.

• Strong conviction that the child learns Strong conviction that the child learns in a milieu of options/alternatives and in a milieu of options/alternatives and

practical-life situations.practical-life situations.

  

• Firm belief that living and learning Firm belief that living and learning with the child draw forth joy and with the child draw forth joy and goodness among all those who goodness among all those who serve and relate with the child.serve and relate with the child.

• Adherence to the value of loving Adherence to the value of loving the child that strengthens the child that strengthens

commitment to his welfare. commitment to his welfare.

- END -

Inclusive Education: Surveying Its Parameter

Inclusive education Inclusive education

• helps children with special helps children with special educational needs develop educational needs develop relationships, cultivate potentials, relationships, cultivate potentials, build up skills/competencies, and build up skills/competencies, and achieve psychosocial maturation, achieve psychosocial maturation, andand

• prepare them for life in the prepare them for life in the mainstream. It believes that “there mainstream. It believes that “there is no specific teaching or care in a is no specific teaching or care in a segregated school which cannot segregated school which cannot take place in an ordinary school.” take place in an ordinary school.” (Salamanca Report)(Salamanca Report)

Who is the child with SEN?Who is the child with SEN?

A child has special educational needs A child has special educational needs (SEN) if he/she has a learning difficulty (SEN) if he/she has a learning difficulty which calls for special which calls for special

education provisioneducation provision

to be made for him/to be made for him/

her. her.

Needs may fall into at least one of Needs may fall into at least one of these four areas: these four areas:

a) communication and interaction, a) communication and interaction,

b) cognition and learning, b) cognition and learning,

c) behavior, emotional and social c) behavior, emotional and social development, and development, and

d) sensory and/or physical d) sensory and/or physical (Warnock).(Warnock).

Inclusive educationInclusive education

• believes that the array of services for children with special educational needs (CSEN) could be available in the general education classroom.

Remember…

The earmark of education for CSEN The earmark of education for CSEN is individualization which could be is individualization which could be provided in varied placement provided in varied placement programs including regular programs including regular classes. classes.

Such individualization in any type of Such individualization in any type of placement program suitable to/best placement program suitable to/best for the child with SEN is a provision for the child with SEN is a provision of special education. Thus a child of special education. Thus a child with SEN who is provided an with SEN who is provided an individualized curricular and individualized curricular and instructional program in a regular instructional program in a regular school is provided SPED. school is provided SPED.

The relationship of special The relationship of special education and general education and general education is now seen as a education is now seen as a continuum of placement continuum of placement schemes – from segregation to schemes – from segregation to integration. integration.

This now re-confirms that the This now re-confirms that the end-goal of special education is end-goal of special education is

the inclusion of CSEN in the the inclusion of CSEN in the mainstream of mainstream of

general education.general education.

We do not, therefore, define We do not, therefore, define special education as a separate special education as a separate system detached from general system detached from general

education anymore! education anymore!

Special education, viewed as Special education, viewed as an array of services rather than an array of services rather than a separate, segregated system a separate, segregated system – could be present in any – could be present in any school or non-school program school or non-school program as long as individualization is as long as individualization is provided. provided.

Such perspective enables the Such perspective enables the child to learn and grow with his child to learn and grow with his regular peers in the regular regular peers in the regular class while at the same time class while at the same time

avail of special avail of special supportsupport education services.education services.

Placement of CSEN in regular Placement of CSEN in regular classes enables them to go classes enables them to go through the ladder of schooling through the ladder of schooling and even pursue a career. Many and even pursue a career. Many high-functioning – CSEN have high-functioning – CSEN have enormous potential for tertiary enormous potential for tertiary education and competitive jobs. education and competitive jobs.

Placement in non-graded special classes Placement in non-graded special classes does not permit an upward movement does not permit an upward movement toward higher education and moreso, toward higher education and moreso,

competitive employment.competitive employment.

The fact, however, remains that The fact, however, remains that many CSEN – considering the many CSEN – considering the severity of their disabilities – severity of their disabilities – will have to be placed in will have to be placed in segregated programs which segregated programs which include special classes. include special classes.

Placement decision-making is a Placement decision-making is a function primarily of SPED function primarily of SPED specialists but the parents of specialists but the parents of the child – in the end – still the child – in the end – still have the final say (Dizon, 2004).have the final say (Dizon, 2004).

Inclusive educationInclusive education

• being the educational being the educational expression of normalization, is expression of normalization, is not contextualized in the not contextualized in the school setting only. school setting only.

Inclusive educationInclusive education• utilizes home, neighborhood and

community contexts and resources through planned curricular provisions rendered by school administrators, teachers and support services in collaboration with the family and community manpower resources.

From the classroomFrom the classroom

• through direct classroom instruction, class/school programs, co-curricular

activities/clubs/organizations, sports activities, etc.

To the homeTo the home

cookingpraying

reading

playing

To the neighborhood To the neighborhood and the communityand the community

church

park

wet market

work places

zoomall

supermarket

hospitalPublic transport

• including exposure to/interaction with community helpers.

These are the venues/spheres for These are the venues/spheres for learning, socializing, working, learning, socializing, working, spending leisure, and traveling spending leisure, and traveling with all others! In short, inclusive with all others! In short, inclusive educations aims to make a child educations aims to make a child with SEN a part of humanity with SEN a part of humanity without discrimination, bias, without discrimination, bias, oppression, and even labels! oppression, and even labels!