Chapter 2

Historical, Philosophical, Theoretical, and Legal Foundations of Special and

Inclusive Education
This chapter provides an overview, on the historical, philosophical, theoretical,
and legal foundations of special and inclusive education. By having a perspective as
to the ideas that underpin special and inclusive education, the events that led to its
current state, and legislations that uphold the rights of learners with disabilities,
giftedness, talents, the student teacher can gain a better understanding and
appreciation of special and inclusive education. The historical, philosophical,
theoretical, and legal aspects of special and inclusive education are so intertwined
that it would be difficult to discuss one without mentioning the others. In this
discussion, we will look at the major developments in the history of special and
inclusive education in the global and local settings. As we do so, we will also tackle
how the perspectives and views about learners with disabilities, giftedness, and
talents changed through time, and along with these changes, how ways of
addressing their needs also developed.

Intended Learning Outcome (ILO)

Draw the implications of the historical, philosophical, theoretical, and legal
foundations of special and inclusive education.

ENGAGE
Special education, in which the unique needs and abilities of learners are
considered by designing specialized instructions; and inclusive education, in which
the educational system caters for all learners with diverse needs, abilities, and
characteristics can be considered relatively new. Nevertheless, its roots can be
traced back to how people view and respond to individuals whose conditions and
needs are different from the majority. This includes those with disabilities and who
are marginalized by society.
Era of Extermination
During the Greek and Roman Era, people held such negative views about
disability that it was regarded as a punishment from God, something that signifies
being bad or evil. Coupled with the need for military superiority, individuals with
disability were labelled as “defectives” that need to be eliminated from the society.
Thus, it was not surprising that there were calls for infanticide or that a father had the
right to terminate their child’s life if he or she happened to be born with a disability.
The same discriminatory treatment was also apparent during the early
Christian era. Since in the Old Testament, man is supposedly created by God in his
own image, disability was viewed as an impurity. Thus, a disabled person was
denied some rights (e.g., being prohibited to enter sacred places). Later, though, this
perspective changed as the New Testament presented Jesus being helpful to
persons with disability (e.g., blind persons). From viewing disability as a sign of evil,
people’s perspective changed to viewing a person with disability as needing help.
Era of Ridicule
During the Middle Ages, people lived in rigid caste systems that discrimination
of individuals who were different from the majority in the society became apparent.
Persons with disabilities were treated with ridicule in which they were used as
servants or fools; they were used as clowns; they were mocked for their deformities
and behavior; or may even be ordered to be put to death.
Era of Asylum
During the Renaissance Period, the Catholic Church began accepting
persons with disabilities as wards of state. This was the start of the humane
treatment given to them. They were taken cared for, albeit in isolation. However, the
belief that once disabled always disabled rendered these individuals as uneducable.
Perspectives on Educability in the Early Beginnings of Special Education
Whereas being taken cared for can be considered as humane treatment for a
person with disability, a different perspective stipulates that without education, there
is no humanity. Thus, to reinforce equal treatment among all humans, one should
have the right to education regardless of his or her disability. This led some
individuals to devise ways to deliver education to those with disabilities, and thus, the
start of the development of special and inclusive education. Among these individuals
were Pedro Ponce de Leon (1578), who provided education to deaf children from
nobility; Abbe Charles Michael de l’Epee (1960), who put up an institute for the deaf;
and Louis Braille (1829), who invented the Braille script to allow the blind to read.
The table below shows other events, persons, and Ideas that helped shape
the early history of special and inclusive education.
Table 2.1 A Timeline of Events, Persons, and ldeas that Shaped The Early History of
Special and Inclusive Education

Mid-1700s Joseph Pereire showed interest in a

group of individuals called "deafmutes”
who were generally believed to be
unteachable. Using simple sign language
and a machine he invented, he
systematically taught them to do simple
arithmetic calculations. This was one of
the first attempts at demonstrating how
individuals with handicaps can be taught
through special education.
 Jean Marc Itard was known for his work
on intellectual disability. A case he is
well-known for is that of Victor, the wild
boy of Aveyron, a child reportedly found
wandering naked in the woods and
raised by animals. He managed to teach
Victor how to identify common objects,
letters of
the alphabet, and the meaning of some
words; thus demonstrating the possibility
of teaching individuals previously
deemed unteachable.
Early 1800s Special education programs in the
United States started to develop.
Samuel Gridiey Howe was known for his
work with blind individuals at the Perkins
School for the Blind in Boston, while
Thomas Gallaudet put up a school for
the deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.
Edouard Seguin, Itard's student, focused
on teaching individuals with intellectual
disability. Among the institutions he
became involved with were Hospice des
Incurables in France; Pennsylvania
Training School for idiots in the United
States; and Weak-minded and Weak-
bodied Children in New York, which he
was instrumental in putting up.
Early 20th Century Maria Montessori developed techniques
and materials that can be used to teach
learners with intellectual disability; while
Grace Fernald developed techniques for
providing remedial education in reading.
Despite the advances in special
education, in the United States, negative
attitudes toward individuals with
handicapped was still apparent.
Institutions for special education became
the dumping ground for unwanted
individuals.
1920s to 1940s Henry Goddard published a famous
study on the Kallikak family
(Feeblemindedness: its Causes and
 Consequences, (1914), about a man
who fathered an illegitimate child, whose
descendants became retarded; and a
legitimate child, whose descendants
were of average to above average
intelligence. While this was highly
criticized, it reinforced negative attitudes
toward individuals with special needs.
During 1920s to 1930s, social and
economic hardships took away much of
the interest about individuals with
handicaps. However, in the 1940s, Alfred
Strauss and Heinz Werner became
instrumental in special education,
especially in the field of learning
disabilities through their research on the
neurological basis of learning disabilities.
1950s to 1970s The improvement of economics and
politics at this time helped create a mon
1950s to 1970s positive attitude and
available funding for special education.
Among the programs during this time
was Head Start, which promoted early
intervention for children who were or at
risk of becoming handicapped. Other
important figures in special education
during this time were Samuel Kirk, who
coined the term "learning disabilities"
Marianne Frostig, Newell Kephart, and
Willan Cruickshank, who all contributed
in the progress of special education.
1970s and beyond Special education started to be
recognized as a formal and identifiable
profession; parents and advocates also
started to acknowledge the right of
individuals with special needs and
importance of special education; an
legislation regarding special education
were created. Indeed, the exclusion and
discrimination against handicapped
students became a focus of litigation
and legislation.
Developments in the Last Century (1900s)
Much has changed in how disability was viewed in the last century. The
biological perspective has gained emphasis, which led to the medical model that
suggests institutional care be given to individuals with disability. The period of 1900-
1950 had also seen the rise of compulsory education, leading to a major step toward
special and inclusive education. Classes suited for and schools are especially
designed to cater to individuals with intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness,
among others were created. At the end of the Second World War, the special
educational system was created and organized in parallel to regular education.
From Special Education to Inclusion
The classic view of special education deemed LSEN as being different from
other learners (ie., special children), and thus, specially designed instructions, along
with special settings (e.g., segregation), special teachers, specialists (e-g,
therapists), special ratio (low student to teacher ratio), special methods/tools (e-g.,
sign language, use Braille), and special program and goals (e.g., integration to
society) are needed to educate them. Although this has advantages such as
providing them with an environment that understands and accepts them; having staff
trained to attend to their needs; and giving them individual attention, it also has
disadvantages such as it reinforces their being “disabled;” less is expected of them;
segregates them from the community; and provides them with less chance to interact
with other children their age.
Alongside the developments in special education, the definition of disability
has also evolved. While the medical definition focuses on pathology, the social
definition considers the context and environment in the manifestation of disability.
Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO, 1996) differentiated among the
terms impairment, which refers to a physical or mental defect at the level of a body
system or organ; disability, which refers to person-level limitations in physical and
psycho-cognitive activities; and handicap, which refers to social abilities or relation
between the individual and society.
From a tradition of segregation, education of LSENs has moved to inclusion.
This was due to three kinds of pressures. First is the ethics and moral pressure,
which was reinforced by associations, laws, and increased awareness (e.g,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1989); World Declaration for Education for All (1990); Standard Rules on the
Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disability (1993); UNESCO
Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action (1994); and Dakar Framework for
Action (2000), among others). Second is the conceptual pressure, which comes from
the need to treat individuals as: (normalization); to educate children with disabilities
as normally as possible alongside those who do not have (Ieast restrictive
environment); to let them engage with others of the same age and other social
characteristics (social validation); to allow them to adapt only when necessary and to
increase their participation and success (principles of adaption); and to allow them to
integrate physically, socially, and pedagogically (mainstreaming, inclusion)
(integration). Finally, economic pressure puts scrutiny on the effectivity and cost
special education entails. This led to the move toward inclusion, which brings
support services to the child, rather than the child to the support services.
Additionally, by placing the child in class alongside other learners, the child can
benefit already, as opposed to the view that he or she will have difficulty keeping up
with other learners.
Special and Inclusive Education in the Philippines
Locally, the need for special and inclusive education has also been
recognized. When the recent history of the development of education in the
Philippines is examined, some noteworthy milestones can be identified as attempts
to provide equal access to education for all learners.
The table below shows the milestone developments in the practice of
inclusive education in the Philippines.
Table 2.2 Key Developments in the Practice of Inclusive Education in the
Philippines

1907 The Insular School for the Deaf and

Blind was established

1960 Programs for the Gifted were developed

1977 The position for Undersecretary for

Education and Culture for Non-Formal
Education (PD 1139) was created

1983 BP 344 or The Law to Enhance Mobility

of Disabled Persons

1987 The Phlippine Constitution (Aricde XIN,

sections 1 and 2)

1989 Proclamation 480 declares the Period

1990-1999 as the “Decade of Education
for All

1990 World Declaration on Education for All

1992 RA 7277 Magna Carta for the Disabled

Persons

1992 RA 7610 Special Protection Against

Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination
 Act

1994 Salamanca Statement on the Education

of Children with Disabilities

1996 Four Pillars of Learning (Learning the

Treasure Within -report to UNESCO of
the International Commission on
Education for the 21" Century

1997 RA 8371 The indigenous People’s

Rights Act

2000 The Dakar Framework for Action –

Education for All

2001 RA 9155 Governance of Baslc

Education Act

2004 EO 356 Renaming the Bureau of Non-

Formal Education to Bureau of
Alternative Learning System

2004 DepEd Order 51, series of 2004

Standard Curriculum for Elementary
Public Schools and Private Madaris

2006 UN Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabiltles

2006 The Philippine Education for All (EFA)

2015 National Action Plan

2006 RA 9344 The Juvenile Justice and

Welfare Act

2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples

2007 RA 9442 An Act Amending RA 7277

Magna Carta for Disabled Persons

2008 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

(4Ps)

2009 DepEd Order 72, series of 2009

Inclusive Education as a Strategy for
Increasing Participation Rate of Children

2009 DepEd Order 74, series of 2009

Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based
 Multilingual Education (MLE)

2009 RA 9710 The Magna Carta of Women

2010 DepEd Order 22, series of 2010

Mainstreaming and Institutionalization
on Madrasah Education Program by
Transferring its Developed Components
to the Bureau of Elementary Education
and Regional and Division Offices

2011 DepEd Order 62, series of 2011

Adopting the National Indigenous
Peoples’ (IP) Education Policy
Framework

2011 DepEd Order 103--, series of 2011

Creating of Indigenous Peoples’
Education Office

2012 RA 10157 Kindergarten Education Act

2012 DepEd Order 83, series of 2012

Implementing Guidelines on the
Revised School-Based Management
(SBM) Framework, Assessment
Process and Tool (APAT)

2013 RA 10533 Enhanced Basic Education

Act

2013 RA 10361 Domestic Workers Act or

Batas Kasambahay

2016 Senate Bill 1298 The Individuals with

Disabilities' Education Act (1DEA)

2016 Senate BilI 996 Inclusive Education for

Children and Youth with Special Needs
Act

2017 DepEd Order 42, series of 2017

Philippine Professional Standards for
Teachers

2017 CHED Memo 74-77, series of 2017

Policies, Standards, and Guidelines for
Bachelor of Elementary Education
 (BEEd), Bachelor of Secondary
Education (8SEd), Bachelor of Early
Childhood Education (BECEd), and
Bachelor of Special Needs Education
(BSNEd); all with a required
Professional Education course of
Foundation of Special and Inclusive
Education

Recent Legislations in the Philippines Supporting Inclusive Education

Section 8, DepEd Order No. 43, series of 2013: IRR of RA 10533 or The
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 is a policy that recognizes the inclusiveness
of the enhanced basic education, and thus, stipulates the implementation of
programs aiming to address the needs of all learners, including the physical,
intellectual, psychological and cultural needs of the learners, including the following
special groups: (1) gifted and talented learners; (2) learners with disabilities; (3)
Muslim learners; (4) indigenous peoples; and (5) learners under difficult
circumstances.
Senate Bill 1414: Bill of the Inclusive Education for Children and Youth with
Special Needs, has been put forth in the Philippine Congress. This is in response to
the growing number of students with disabilities, giftedness, and talents in the
Philippines whereas there is a lack of access to centers and institutions that provide
them with special education and cater to their different needs. The main goal of the
bill is to provide every Filipino child and youth with access to inclusive education, as
well as the appropriate resources, materials, and equipment they need.
Senate Bill 1298, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2016
(IDEA), is an act that intends to provide free appropriate public education to children
with disabilities. This act ensures that free appropriate public education that
emphasizes education and other related services will be available for all children with
disabilities. It also guarantees that there will be qualified teachers and professionals
available to meet the needs of these children. Moreover, it intends to make the public
aware about the issue of learning disabilities in order to help in early detection and to
make sure that appropriate measures will be taken for children with special needs to
receive quality education.
Senate Bill 996, Inclusive Education for Children and Youth with Special
Needs Act of 2016, is an act instituting inclusive education and establishing special
education centers (SPED Centers) for children and youth with special needs in all
public school divisions. It ensures that such SPED Centers will be equipped with
resources such as facilities and personnel, especially special education teachers and
specialists, necessary to provide care and instruction to children and youth with
disabilities, giftedness, and talent. It also intends to promote inclusive education and
capacitate regular schools to effectively handle children and youth with disabilities,
giftedness, and talents.
DepEd Order No. 42, series of 2017, National Adoption and Implementation of
the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST), intends to set out clear
expectations of teachers along the different stages of their careers; encourage
teachers to actively partake in continuing effort to attain proficiency; and to provide a
standard measure to assess teacher performance, identify their needs, and provide
support to their professional development. The PPST shall serve as a basis in
developing learning; programs for teachers in order to capacitate them for the
effective implementation of the K to 12 Program, as well as in the selection and
promotion of teachers.
CHED Memo 74-77, series of 2017 Policies, Standards, and Guidelines for
Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd), Bachelor of Secondary Education
(BSEd), Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECEd), and Bachelor of Special
Needs Education (BSNEd) require that a Professional Education course of
Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education be taken by all teacher education
students in order to ensure that all teachers have the basic knowledge in handling
learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents.
The DepEd Order 21, series of 2019 or the Policy Guidelines on the K to 12
Basic Education Program, embedded inclusive education in the K-12 curriculum.
Inclusion in this policy is the core principle, the key standard and the principle of the
curriculum, where the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based and
complete education is promoted through existing programs such as Special
Education, Indigenous Peoples Education, Madrasah Education, and Flexible
Learning Options (FLOs) including Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMS) and the
Alternative Learning Systems (ALS). The DO also presented an Inclusive Education
Policy Framework for Basic Education that provides an overall framework of
implementation for programs that directly promote support inclusive education. This
ensures that every aspect of the K to 12 curriculum system, across the governance
levels of the department, is responsive to the needs and demands of diverse
learners.

EXPLORE
Activity 1: Different Perspectives, Different Responses
Here is an excerpt about the case of Victor of Aveyron, the feral child that Jean Marc
Itard worked with. Read the excerpt carefully and answer the questions below.
Victor of Aveyron
“…He is unusual to our food, selecting his nourishment by smell but at the same time
indifferent to fragrant or foul odors: lying flat on the ground to drink; tearing garments
placed upon him and trying to constantly escape; walking often on all fours; fighting
with his teeth; giving few marks having no articulate language even devoid of
speech. It was later discovered that the boy’s hearing was insensitive to loud noises
and to music; yet he readily heard the fall of a nut. His sense of touch was likewise
deficient. As to sight, his eyes constantly wandered and could not be fixed on object.”
Bonaterre (1798)
 APPLY

Name:________________________________________
Date:________________
A. Comprehensive Inclusive Program for Learners with Disabilities
Go over the DO 72, s. 2009 on the Inclusive Education as Strategy for
Increasing Participation Rate of Children and familiarize yourselves with the
components of comprehensive inclusive program for learners with disabilities,
giftedness, and talent.
Research bow it was implemented in the country
1. Child Find
2. Assessment
3. Program Options
4. Curriculum Modifications
5. Parental Involvement

B. Inclusive Basic Education Curriculum

Go over the DO 21, s. 2019 on the Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic
Education Program, specifically on the pages suggested below. Explain how this
policy shape the Basic Education Curriculum of the country.
Page 5, number 14
Page 6, number 16
Page 96, annex 3
Page 141, annex 5
 ASSESS
Name:_________________________
Date:_______________
Special and Inclusive Education through Time
Complete the timeline below and be ready to present your findings using a
visual aid written in cursive on manila paper or cartolina during our next meeting.
You will be randomly called to present.

Period Views about Ways of Responding Implications for

Disability to It Special and
Inclusive
Education

Era of
Extermination

Era of
Ridicule

Era of Asylum

Early
Beginnings of
Special
Education

Since 1900s
to Present
 S E C T I O N 1 SUMMATIVE
ASSESSMENT

Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer to the following questions.

1. What is the practice of enrolling learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents in a regular school,
where students could participate in a mainstreamed classroom with nondisabled peers?
A. Normalization
B. Mainstreaming
C. Integration
D. Inclusion
2. Which refers to the practice of educating learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents in regular
classes during specific time-periods based on their skills?
A. Normalization
B. Mainstreaming
C. Integration
D. Inclusion
3. What is the concept that refers to the reduced function or loss of a specific part of the body or organ?
A Impairment
B. Disability
C. Handicap
D. None of these
4. What does it mean by IEP?
A. Individually Educated Pupil
B. Individualized Education Plan
C. Independent Education Proposal
D. Interim Educational Plan
5. Kagitingan SpEd Center is a division of Rizal Elementary School in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz that offers
opportunity for learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents to learn side by side with their peers. What
type of school service is described in the situation?
A. Inclusive Education
B. Special Education
6. A 9-year old girl is diagnosed with Down syndrome. She is currently enrolled at John Mark
Academy where her teacher teaches regular pupils in her
classes. What type of school service is described in the situation?
A. Inclusive Education
B. Special Education
C. A&B
D. None of these
7. Which does not refer to learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents?
A Hearing lmpairment
B. Gifted and Talented
C Emotional Disability
D. None of these
8. What model defines disability as caused by the barriers in the society, such as negative
attitudes of people who discriminate those with disabilities?
A. Medical Model
B. Social Model
C Biopsychosocial Model
D. Environmental Model
9. Aside from impairment and activity limitations, what completes the definition of disability
based on the biopsychosocial model?
A. Handicapping Situations
B. Participation Restrictions
C Hazardous Environment
D. All of these
10. When referring to learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents, which does not adhere to
the People First Policy?
A. Special Child
B. Person with Disability
C Person with Autism
D. Person with ADHD
11. During this period, persons with disabilities were considered useless to
society and thus, must be eliminated.
A Era of Ridicule
B. Era of Extermination
C. Early Beginnings of Special Education
D. Era of Asylum
12. Who published a study on the Kallikak family which reinforced negative
attitudes toward individuals with special needs?
A Edouard Seguin
B. Jean Marc Itard
C. Henry Goddard
D. Joseph Pereire
13. Which kind of pressure facilitated the movement from a tradition of
segregation to inclusion in the education of learners with disabilities, giftedness
and talents through the need to educate them in least restrictive environment?
A. Ethics Pressure
B. Moral Pressure
C. Conceptual Pressure
D. Economic Pressure
14. Which Philippine Law recognizes the need for inclusiveness of education, and
stipulates the Implementation of programs aiming to address the needs of all
learners?
A. 4Ps
B. Kindergarten Education Act
C Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education
D. Enhanced Base Education Act of 2013
15. Which refers to the person-level limitations in physical and psycho-cognitive
activities?
A. Disability
B. Handicap
C Impairment
16. Which model highlights individual strengths and needs instead of diagnosis?
A Biological
B. Psychological
C. Medical
D. Social
17. During this period, individuals with disabilities were made fun of and mock for
their deformities and behaviors.
A Era of Asylum
B. Era of Extermination
C Era of Ridicule
D. Early Beginnings of Special Education
18. Which among the following policies state that the core principle of the K-12
curriculum is inclusion?
A DepEd Order 21, s. 2019
B. DepEd Order 72, s 2009
C. CHED Memo 77, series of 2017
D. Senate Bill 996
19. Which provides free appropriate public education to children with disabilities?
A Section 8, DepEd Order No. 43
B. RA 10533
C. Senate Bill 1414
D. Senate Bill 1298
20. Which intends to address the lack of access to centers and institutions that
provide children with special needs, special education, and cater to their
different needs?
A Senate Bill 1414
B. Senate Bill 996
C. Senate Bill 1298
D. CHED Memo 74-77, series of 2017