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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

Special Education plays a pivotal role in providing children with special needs

appropriate services to develop their whole personhood to become independent and

productive members of the society towards a happy life.

According to Villamayor (2000), people are aware of the kind of service which is

geared toward educating children with disabilities and exceptionalities. This is due to the

unwavering support of many people who believe that the right of every child to access to

education is seen as a means of developing oneself, for the special child. Similarly, Ellito

(2000) states that special needs of children have certain rights to legislation, it includes that

all children must be provided with a free appropriate public education regardless of the

severity of their disabilities.

In a country like the Philippines which guarantees maximum self-realization to all its

citizens, children, and youth with special needs are provided with access to educational

opportunities that develop their potential and enable them to become productive members of

society and to live meaningful and fulfilling lives. The philosophy’s concepts and

commitments required to operationalize these aspirations are embodied in legislation,

educational planning, and allied services for all children and youth in general, and for those

with special needs in particular.

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As stated in Batas Pambansa Blg. 232, individual has the right to quality education,

regardless of sex, age, breed, socio status, physical and mental conditions, social and ethnic

origin, political and other qualifications. Thus, in a democratic country, like the Philippines,

the state is believed to exist for the welfare of the individual as practiced in all democratic

societies including the Philippines. The right of all children to education is inherent in a

democracy. This philosophy has led to special programs for exceptional children.

The provision was also supported by the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons also

known as RA 7277 (1997) that provides for the Rehabilitation for Self Development and

Self-Reliance of Disabled Persons and their integration into the mainstreaming of society

and for other purposes. In addition, the Child and Youth Welfare Code (PD 603) Article 3

(2007) has specific provisions intended for the welfare of exceptional children to be treated

with sympathy and understanding and be entitled to treatment and competent care and be

given the kind of education and care required by this particular condition.

The above mentioned provision mandates that attention should be given to children

with special needs regardless of their disabilities and should be given privileges in

developing themselves according to their capacity and abilities. It also implies on how

children with special needs be addressed not only on how to communicate or to express

themselves but on how they can develop their capabilities and potentials to the highest

possible.

Several nations in Asia have endorsed the many international and regional

instruments guaranteeing the rights of ALL children and young people. Yet sadly, the vast

majority of people with disability in developing countries are segregated and isolated
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deprived of even basic education. One hundred fifty million children under 15 years of age

are disabled; 93 million or 62% of them are in Asia Pacific Region; less than 5 % of them

received education or training. The number of children with disability is increasingly daily by

the hundreds (Inclusive Special Education Handbook).

Special education in the Philippines has so far provided for the needs of many

handicapped children. However, the number served is less than 2% of the estimated

exceptional population in need of special services. A recent nationwide survey identified 98,

200 exceptional children in various categories, out of the total school population of 850,000.

Of this number, some children do not receive SPED service while others are provided less

than marginal programs (Handbook on Inclusive Education, 1999).

Today, DepEd serves 11 types of children with special needs in public school. As of

the school year 2006-2007, 51% of whom are in the gifted program; the remaining 49% were

students with various disabilities such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, learning

disability, mental retardation, behavior problem, autism, and cerebral palsy. Students with

learning disabilities comprise 25% of students with special needs. However, up to this date,

many children with learning disabilities, mental retardation, and autism remain unidentified

in public schools (DepEd, 2006). National policies notwithstanding, programs, and services

for children with special needs are concentrated in the urban areas (Camara, 2003).

According to DepEd Secretary Luistro, the Department of Education has increased

the funding for its Special Education Program. The DepEd believed that a special learner

deserves special attention and specialized learning tools, thus, the increased in funding

support. Out of the fund each SPED Center will get P500, 000 subsidy for pupils’
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development activities including training, educational trips, camp activities, sports, and other.

The amount will also fund the procurement of instructional materials. DepEd also allotted

funds for training of more teachers, school heads and SPED Supervisors. Division and

regional offices were instructed to monitor the implementation of the SPED Program. Up to

date, there are 329 SPED Centers recognized for Elementary and 169 SPED Centers for

Secondary. DepEd. Order no. 26, series of 1997 required the organization of at least one

SPED Center in each division and implementation of SPED Program in all schools in the

districts where there are students with special needs.

Contrary to the mandate, in the division of Marinduque, for the school year 2012-

2013, there are only eleven schools offered special education program in the whole division.

It caters a total of 182 special children with different exceptionalities. The division has 22

teachers under the Special Education Program, 16 have SPED plantilla item and 15 are

receiving teachers.

The statistics implied that the very low number of schools with Special Education

program show that program in the division is not fully implemented. There are children with

special needs in some barangay who have not yet experienced the program because schools

in their barangay do not offer the program, thus, some parents have to travel to the adjacent

school to bring their children and avail the SPED Program.

On the other hand, schools which already offered the program also encountered

problems in the implementation. Some teachers usually seek assistance from non-

government organization whenever they need to attend trainings and seminars because of

insufficient funds, some instructional materials were not also available, and in some schools,
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teachers who teach the program as well as the administrators have insufficient training in

Special Education Program.

This study was then undertaken to assess the status of implementation of Special

Education Program in the division of Marinduque since the researcher believed that like any

education program, the implementation of such program should be regularly evaluated in

different aspects. Results of the study would serve as baseline data in enhancing the

implementation of Special Education Program.

Statement of the Problem

The main focus of this study was to assess the status of the Special Education (SPED)

Program in the division of Marinduque and how it may be enhanced.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1. What is the status of the Special Education Program in the division of

Marinduque in terms of:

1.1 Program institutionalization

1.1.1 year when SPED Program was offered;

1.1.2 reasons why the program was offered only after its

institutionalization;

1.1.3 changes or innovation introduced by elementary schools;

1.1.4 types of SPED services offered;

1.1.5 types of child’s exceptionalities;

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1.2 Curriculum

1.2.1 Types of curriculum;

1.2.2 Teaching Approaches;

1.2.3 Instructional Materials;

1.3 Teachers

1.3.1 Level of Teaching Competencies;

1.3.2 Personal Attributes;

1.4 Adequacy of support provided

1.4.1 administrative support;

1.4.2 parents’ support?

2. What were the problems encountered by the school administrators and teachers to

implement the SPED program and what solutions were undertaken to solve the

problems?

3. What are the recommendations of the SPED teachers and the school

administrators as input to enhance the implementation of the SPED program?

Significance of the Study

Assessment is a management tool. It is an indispensable function of national

management. Assessing the Special Education Program in the division of Marinduque is

deemed significant in obtaining and providing useful information for judging decision in the

implementation of the program.

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As a consequence of the study, this may give significance to the following:

This study may give ideas to the key persons and Special Education Program

implementers in the division of Marinduque for the improvement of planning and

implementation of the Special Education Program.

Through this study, the difficulties encountered by the program implementers may be

identified and then remedial measures can be applied.

This study may give light to the reactions or attitudes of the School administrators

and SPED Teachers towards the implementation of the Special Education Program as one of

the government and DepEd thrusts.

For the teachers the SPED teachers and receiving teachers, results of this study may

determine their strength and weaknesses to which may lead for planning towards

professionalism and enhancing teaching competences for teaching children with special

needs.

For the parents, they may continue to cooperate and support their children especially

those with special needs for their guidance.

For the stakeholders, the result of this study may broaden their mind, to give heart

with helping hands and open opportunities for Children with special needs.

This may benefit for all the children with special needs in the division of Marinduque

to access equal opportunities in Education.

For other schools without the Special Education Program but have clienteles, this

study may inspire them to open the program in their respective schools.
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For the future researchers, this may serve as future references as they conduct related

studies treated hereto.

Since evaluation is an essential component for improving a program, it is therefore

essential to assess the implementation of Special Education Program in the division of

Marinduque to determine its worth and to provide services to prospective clienteles.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study aimed to determine the status of the implementation of Special Education

Program in the division of Marinduque. This was conducted school year 2013-2014 in

selected public elementary schools with SPED program in the division.

This study covered the eleven elementary schools from the six districts in the division

of Marinduque that offer only SPED Program. It includes Don Luis Hidalgo Memorial

School from Boac North, Gasan Central from Gasan District, Gabaldon Elementary School

from Santa Cruz South District, Santa Cruz East Central School from Santa Cruz East

District, Santa Cruz North Central School, Lamesa Elementary School, Kamandugan

Elementary School, Balogo Elementary School, Botilao Elementary School, and Ipil

Elementary School, from Santa Cruz North District, and Torrijos Central School from

Torrijos District.

The respondents of the study were the 37 teachers handling SPED and the 11 school

administrators.

To generate the needed data for the study, the researcher made use of a questionnaire

–checklist supported with an interview to gather more information from the respondents.