1. OVERVIEW AND LEGAL BASES OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION AT THE
SECONDARY LEVEL
Jayson S. Hernandez
Guidance Counselor I
San Miguel National
High School

2. Definition
 Special Education refers to the education of
persons who are gifted or talented and those who
have physical, mental, social or sensory impairment
and cultural differences that require modification of
the school curricula, programs and special services
and physical facilities to enable them to develop
themselves to their maximum capacity. These
persons include those with cognitive deficits, visually
impaired, hearing impaired, with behavior problems,
orthopedically handicapped, with special health
problems, learning disabled, speech impaired or
multiple handicapped.

3. Scope
• Policies and guidelines shall apply to all
schools, centers and classes (national or
local, public or private, formal or non-
formal) established under the educational
system of the Philippines for the education
of the learners with special needs.

4. Philosophy
• The state shall promote the right of every
individual to relevant quality education
regardless of sex, age, creed, socio-
economic status, physical and mental
condition, social or ethnic origin, political
and other affiliation. The state shall
therefore promote and maintain equality of
access to education as well as the
enjoyment of the benefits of education by
all its citizens (BP Blg.232).

5. Philosophy
 Every learner with special needs has
a right to an education 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.

6. Goal
The ultimate goal of special
education shall be the
integration or mainstreaming of
learners with special needs into
the regular school system and
eventually into the community

7. Objectives
 provide equal opportunities for all learners
with special needs to acquire the
knowledge, skills and values necessary for
them to adapt to a changing world;
 develop life skills in all learners to ensure
their active and sustained participation in
the learning process through relevant
programs, projects and enabling policies;

8. Objectives
 promote the optimal use of information
technology to increase the capability of
learners to pursue their own learning;
 develop learners who actively participate
in the economic growth and development
of the country; and
 safeguard the rights of all types of special
learners

9. Identification, Screening,
Assessment and
Evaluation
 Pre-assessment and post assessment
shall be conducted to every learner with
special needs.
 Appropriate assessment instruments shall
be developed or adopted in order to
identify handicapping conditions as early
as possible.
 The synthesis of identification and
diagnostic information shall be the basis
for the appropriate educational placement
of the learner with special needs.

10. Responsible Persons
 Parents/guardians/extended families,
neighbors & friends
 Regular teachers
 Special Education teachers
 Guidance counselors
 School administrators
 Health workers
 Social workers
 Psychologists
 Speech & physical therapists
 Law enforcement officers

11. Physical
 Height & weight
 Physical development
 Gross & fine motor coordination
 Hearing status
 Visual status
 Oral hygiene & dental development
 Health condition

12. Psycho-Social
 Family history
 Intelligence & cognition
 Personality
 Behavior
 Adaptive skills

13. Educational
School history
Learning disabilities
Learning styles/preferences
Language & speech
Problem solving

14. Medical
 Seek professional help

15. Administration and
Organization of Classes
 Learners with special needs shall enjoy
equality of access to formal and non-
formal education.
• Promotion of learners except for
gifted/talented/fast learners and for those
with cognitive deficit/mental retardation
and multiple handicapped with special
needs shall follow the promotion policy for
the regular year level.

16. For maximum efficiency, class sizes at
any given time
Exceptionality One Year Level
Gifted/Fast Learner 30-35
Mentally Retarded 8-15
Visually Impaired 5-10 (self-contained)
Hearing Impaired 7-12 (mainstreaming)
Behavior Problems 15-20
Orthopedically
Handicapped
10-15
Multiple Handicapped 5-8
Speech Defective 10-15
Learning Disabled 7-10

17. Curriculum Content,
Instructional Strategies &
Materials
 The curriculum of the secondary level for Special
Education shall be based on the curriculum
prescribed for the regular schools by the
Department of Education with scheme modification
for particular case/type of exceptionalities.
Regular Curriculum – the curriculum prescribed for
regular students.
Modified Curriculum – the curriculum prescribed
for regular students with certain adaptations to
meet the needs of special students.
Special Curriculum – the curriculum for learners
with special needs aimed primarily at developing
special adaptive skills to maximize their
potentials.

18. Curriculum Content,
Instructional Strategies &
Materials
 Curriculum plans shall be research- based,
tested successfully on a pilot basis before
their implementation on a bigger scale and
evaluated periodically. These plans shall
be accompanied by a variety of
instructional materials.
 The modified curriculum for the visually
impaired shall include sensory training,
special instruction in Braille music, typing,
computer and sports, mathematics, Braille
reading and writing, orientation and
mobility.

19. Curriculum Content,
Instructional Strategies &
Materials
 Modified curriculum for learners with
behavior problems shall include special
activities and instructional techniques for
the normalization of behavior with
emphasis on moral, civic and spiritual
values as well as training in livelihood,
and technical and academic skills to
prepare them for the world of work.
 Low cost and indigenous instructional
materials shall be developed for the use of
learners with special needs

20. Organization Patterns
 Learners with special needs shall be provided with
a variety of educational programs and services.
Integration/Mainstreaming
Resource Room Plan
Itinerant Teacher Plan
Cooperative Class Plan (Part-Time Special Class Plan)
Special Education Center
Residential School
Hospital Instruction
Homebound Instruction
Community-Based Delivery System

21. Organization Patterns
• Special Guidance Programs for the learners with
special needs shall be established and
maintained. Individual conferences,
community-sponsored programs,
scholarship societies, career and
vocational counseling, peer coaching,
family support program, parent education
program, reading and guiding program,
sign language training program, reading
and guiding program for the visually
impaired shall be made available in the
school.

22. Personnel Recruitment,
Welfare and Development
 For the effective implementation of the special
education program, the education, welfare and
training of personnel shall be given high priority.
Education and work experience – BSE major in SPED; BSE
plus 18 units in SPED in the graduate level; BSE plus 15
units in SPED with 2 years of VS and willing to be trained
within a year; BSE plus 9 units in SPED with 6 years of VS
and to train within a year; BSE plus 2 years of VS as a
SPED teacher.

23. Personnel Recruitment,
Welfare and Development
 In the absence of qualified teachers, equivalent
experience or training in handling learners with
special needs and demonstrated commitment shall
be considered for appointment.
 The hiring rate of SPED teachers shall be at least 3
grades higher than that of regular teachers.
 SPED personnel shall be given incentives such as
the following:
MT positions when they meet requirements
Awards for consistent outstanding performance for the last 3 years
Priority in recommendations related scholarships and fellowships
Attendance to international conferences or observations of SPED
programs

24. Administration and
Supervision
 Teacher responsibilities
Regular Classroom Teacher
View the learner as a total person
Assess the behavioral signs of disorders/difficulties
Provide varied activities for a wide range of individual
differences
Provide a setting for, and expect achievement of the learner
Provide strategies that help the learner develop concepts
meaningful to himself and provide first-hand experiences
Obtain assistance in the form of constructive consultation
and specialized materials and equipment
Confer regularly with the SPED teacher

25. Administration and
Supervision
SPED Classroom Teacher
Teach the basic academic subjects with minimum
integration with the non-handicapped in PE for
socialization purposes
Interpret the learners’ needs and abilities to the
regular classroom teacher and other school
personnel
Work closely with all personnel in the school in
planning a program which will be beneficial to
the special learners

26. Administration and
Supervision
SPED Coordinator
Maintain all school records for SPED learners
Assist in the recruitment of prospective learners and SPED
teachers
Assist/initiate/organize training programs for SPED
Innovate programs and projects for both learners and
teachers
Monitor/evaluate classroom instruction and related activities
in SPED
Integrate and implement new and existing policies and
guidelines of the SPED Program
Demonstrate leadership in resourcing appropriate
educational facilities/instructional aids

27. Legal Bases
 DepED Order No. 6, s. 2006 Policies and Guidelines
for Special Education at the Secondary Level
 Batas Pambansa Blg. 344 An Act to enhance the
mobility of disabled persons by requiring certain
buildings, institutions, establishments and public
utilities to install facilities and other devices
 PD 603 The child and youth welfare code as
amended
 RA 9155 Governance of Basic Education Act of
2001
 RA 7277 Magna Carta for Disabled Persons
 DECS Order No. 26, s. 1997 Institutionalization of
SPED Programs in all schools

28. Legal Bases
 DECS Order no. 14, s. 1993 Regional Special
Education Council
 DepED Order no. 37, s. 2003 Revised implementing
guidelines of the 2002 SEC Curriculum effective
school year 2003-2004
 DepED Order No. 33, s. 2004 Implementing
Guidelines on the performance-based grading
system for SY 2004-2005
 DepED Order No. 35, s. 2005 Policy guidelines in
the implementation of the Secondary Education
Program of the 2002 BEC for SY 2005-2006
 DepEd Order No. 6, s. 2005 Selection of honor
pupils/students in public elementary and secondary
schools

29. Legal Bases
 DECS Order No. 5, s. 1998 Reclassification of
regular teacher and principal items to SPED
teacher and special school principal items
 DepED Order No. 63, s. 2008 Guidelines in the
utilization of the PhP 500 000 allocation to the pilot
schools of the SPS and SPA and schools offering
SPED

30. Thank
You and
God
Bless…