Parental Involvement in Special Education

Parent Education and Community Involvement

 Adopted from Article XII, Policies and Guidelines in Special Education.
 The constitution states the importance of parental involvement in the education of their children.
 Parents of children with special needs are the valuable members of the educational team in the program of rehabilitation
for independent living of their children. 
Basic Requirement under the Policies and Guidelines in Special Education
 Parent Education shall be a necessary component of the education program. As early as possible, parents shall be made
aware of their children handicaps and the intervention strategies needed to help facilitate each child’s academic, social –
emotional and communicative development.
 Parents shall be provided with information and a process of sharing experiences continuously with other parent
experiencing similar problems
 Parents of children with special needs shall be directly involved in the planning of educational and special services for their
children. They shall be helped to develop confidence in their abilities to cope with, care for and teach their disabled
children.
 The family of the child shall  be involved in the process of habilitation and rehabilitation. It shall be encouraged as the major
rehabilitation unit.
 The training of trainers from among community volunteers, including parents and family members of children with special
needs, in basic special education techniques as part of the community-based or home-based rehabilitation services shall be
conducted to promote programs on early identification and intervention and to enhance home-school relationships

Understanding Parents and Families of Children with Disabilities

 All parents and family members must adjust to the birth of child with disability or the discovery that a child has disability.
 A family member’s disability affects parents and siblings without disabilities in different ways during the different life-cycle
stages.
 Respire care- the temporary care of an individual with disabilities by nonfamily members- is a critical support for families
with children with severe disabilities.  
 Parent to parent group gives parents of children with disabilities support from veteran parents who are experiencing similar
circumstances and challenges.
 Parents can and should learn to help teach their child with disabilities.
 9 roles and responsibilities that parents of children with disabilities must fulfill: 
Caregiver, Provider, Teacher, Counselor, Behavior Management Specialist, Parent of Siblings without Disabilities, Marriage
Partner, Information Specialist, and Advocate for School and Community Services

Parental Rights
Parent’s Rights Meaning
Parents’ have the right to obtain independent educational you have the right to have your child evaluated by
evaluations. professionals from outside the school district if you disagree
with an evaluation that has been conducted by the school
district.
Parents have the right to receive prior written notice anytime The school is required to notify you before if they wish to:
the school district plans to evaluate the student, schedules a Evaluate your child
meeting where decisions will be made about the student’s Determine whether your child is eligible for special education
eligibility or educational placement or refuses to evaluate or services
change student’s plan or placement. Change your child’s evaluation or educational placement or
plan.
Parents’ have right to consent to evaluations and to the school The school must obtain your written, informed consent before
providing special education services they can evaluate your child or begin to provide special
education services to your child (following initial evaluation and
eligibility).
Parents’ have the right to have access to their child’s You have the right to see your child’s educational records, to
educational records have copies and to have the records explained to you by
school officials.
Parents’ have the right to present and resolve a complaint. Procedures for resolving parents’ complaint against the school
district include:
Mediation Resolution Meetings
Due process hearings Appeals to courts
Parents’ have the rights in due process hearings Both you and the school districts have the right to request a
due process hearing to resolve a dispute. A due process hearing
is a formal legal procedure before and impartial hearing officer
or administrative law judge.
Practices in Supporting Parental Involvement 
 Adequate Advance Notification- when parents are invited to a planning meeting, it is helpful if this invitation is extended at
least one week in advance of the proposal date. Advance planning can be particularly important where parents are working
or where they need to make child care arrangements.
 Encourage Practical Involvement of Parents- Parents often ask, “ What can I do to help my child?” and teachers and
professionals should give this question some prior consideration. Parents may volunteer to undertake a task, such as
listening to their child read every evening. Parents may also be involved in monitoring behavior, including supporting
interventions by giving rewards.
 Information in Writing- it may be helpful if parents are given written information about the process so that they can
understand their role, rights and responsibilities and know what to expect from the process.
 Parent- Teacher Communication- the use of different form of communication (in-service program, home-school notebook,
parent-teacher conferences). Continued communication with the family is critical to the success of the program.

Good Practice- Parental Involvement 

 In some situation, it may be better if the parents’ views are sought before the planning meeting, either by informal meeting,
questionnaire or by telephone interview. These mechanism need not be overly time-consuming and allow professionals to
be aware of parental issues in advance of the meeting. This also allows parents to have had structured framework to work
through in advance of the meeting and may help them to clarify their own thoughts and have some sense of what to
expect. 

Instructional Program for Special Education (Educational Services for Children with Special Needs)
Resource Room Plan
 The child is enrolled in the regular school program but goes to a resource room to use the specialized equipment either in a
tutorial situation or in a small group.
 Teacher in the resource room functions both as an instructor and as a consultant.
Pull-out
 A student is enrolled in a regular classrooms, reports to the resource room for a period of time for special instructions by
the SPED teacher.
Itinerant Teacher Plan
 An itinerant or travelling teacher serves one or more regular schools depending on how many pupils need special help.
 They give direct and consultative services to children.
 They also observe, diagnose, make referrals, requisition textbooks and equipment, prepare instructional materials and
evaluate performance. 
Special Class Plan (Self-Contained/ Segregated Plan)
 In this plan, pupils with only one type of exceptionality label are enrolled in the special class.
 This plan is needed for those with more severe problems which makes it impossible for them to learn in a regular classroom
setting.
Special Day School
 This types serves specific type of children with moderate to severe disabilities. 
 Offers a range of trained special educators and a comprehensive array of medical, psychological and social services.
Integration/Mainstreaming
 Refers to the enrollment of a child with special needs in regular class with support services.
*Partial Integration- a child with special need is enrolled in a special class is integrated with regular children in non-academic
activities like work education, physical education, arts, school programs, etc. then gradually integrated in the academic subjects
when qualified. 
*Full integration- a child with special needs sits in the regular class in all academic and non-academic subjects.
Inclusion 
 All children with disabilities, regardless of the nature and severity of their disability and need for related services, receive
their total education within the regular education classroom.
Residential School 
 Reason for placing a child in residential school is based on the premise that he can make greater progress in such setting
than in any other.
 Provides special education services that are qualitatively and quantitatively superior to those available in local communities.
 Also offers comprehensive diagnostic and counseling services and vocational and recreational services.
Hospital Instruction
 Provision of children confined to hospitals, sanatoria, and convalescent homes is a service of special education.
 The types of children in need of hospital instruction are the severely emotionally disturbed, the profoundly retarded who
are bedbound, the crippled, those with chronic and/or serious health disabilities, and recovering patients.
 Both bedside tutoring and group instruction are made available to the above.
Homebound Instruction
  This plan is provided by the local school system to serve the chronically ill, usually the bedridden, the convalescents from
operation, accident or temporary illness, the disturbed, and the retarded pupils.
 Services are provided by either a full-time itinerant teacher who instructs each pupil in his own home about 3x a week, or
the regular class teacher who instructs her temporarily homebound pupils.

Accommodation & Curricular Modifications

Accommodations 
 Are supports and services provided to help a student access the general education curriculum and validly demonstrate
learning (Ferry, 2011).
 Refers to changes that remove barriers and provide your child with equal access to learning
 Allows students to complete the same task as their regular peers but with some variation in time, format setting, and
presentation. (Kessler & Shneider, 2020).  
Types of Accommodation
1. Presentation
-allows student to access information in ways that do not require them to visually read standard print. 
-these alternate modes of access are auditory, multi-sensory, tactile and visual.
(e.g: Large Prints, Braille, Audiotape, Tactile Graphics, Magnifier) 
2. Response 
-allow student to complete activities, assignments and assessment in different ways or to solve or organize problems using some
type of assistive device organizer.
(e.g: Scribe, Calculators, Word Processor, Spelling Devices)
3. Setting
-a change in the environment  where a child learns.
(e.g: Reduce distractions  to students, change setting to permit physical access, change setting to allow use of special equipment)
4. Timing and Scheduling Accommodations
- Increase allowable length of time to complete an assessment or assignment and perhaps change the way the time is organized.
(e.g: extended time, frequent breaks, change of activities)

Modifications
 Individualized changes made to the content and performance expectations for students. (Ferry, 2011).
 Refers to changes in what students are expected to  learn, based on their individual abilities. (Kessler & Shneider, 2020). 

Curriculum Modifications in Special Education in the Philippines

1. Regular Curriculum- prescribed for regular children.
2. Modified Curriculum- regular curriculum with certain adaptations to meet the needs of special children, such as inclusion of
orientation and mobility for children with visual impairment.
3. Special Curriculum- designed for children with special needs and aimed primarily at developing adaptive skills and their
potential.

Modified Curriculum
 For visually impaired: shall include sensory training, special instruction in braille reading and writing, mathematics,
orientation and mobility, braille music and typing.
 For hearing impaired: shall emphasize communication and language development based on the philosophy of total
communication which is tailored to meet the individual child’s communication and educational needs. The curriculum shall
include special instruction in speech and speech reading, auditory training and rhythm. Multi-sensory approach shall be
maximized and speech/speech reading and sign language shall be encouraged starting in Grade 1. 
 For children with behavior problems: shall include special activities and instructional techniques for 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.

Special Curriculum
 For physically handicapped: shall include functional exercises.
 For mentally retarded: shall emphasize training in self-care, socialization, motor and prevocational and vocational skills.
 For more severely retarded child: emphasis shall be more on development of self-care skills. 
 Special Schools shall strengthen their vocational and technical training programs. Arrangements shall be made to enable the
child with special need to attend special courses offered in the regular vocational schools whenever practical.
 A Community-based, home-based or any useful alternatives special education delivery system shall be established to reach
those who cannot avail regular institution-based programs.

Educational Placement for Students with Special Needs

Placement in Special Education
 Refers to the amount of time in each school day that a student spends in the resource or in general education classroom.
 Placement need ARDC (Admission, Review and Dismissal Committee), a specific meeting where teacher and other support
staff bring their expertise on your child- their needs, abilities, desires and your expectations.

Special Education Placement Options

 ARDC makes sure that the child spends as much of their school day with children who do not have disabilities.
 This includes academic, non-academic and after school activities. 

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)

 LRE for children with disabilities depends on each child’s unique needs.
 It is a principle that guides a child’s educational program.  
 The keyword for LRE is appropriate, it refers to what’s suitable or right for your child.
2 Important Things about LRE
 Child should be with kids in general education to the “maximum extent that is appropriate.”
 Special classes, separates schools or removal from the general education class should only happen when your child’s
learning or thinking difference or “disability” is severe that supplementary aids and services can’t provide your child with an
appropriate education.

Educational Setting
 Some common placements in which a student might get specific services.
 Teams of  trained teachers and aids are in all types of placements.

1. Mainstream 
 Also referred as General Education and Inclusion
 Student receives special education and related services in a general education classroom where peers without disabilities
also spend their days.
 Some services that a student might receive in mainstream setting are the following:
 Direct instructions
 Helping teacher
 Team teaching and co-teaching
 Interpreter 
 Education aids
 Modification
 Accommodations in lesson or instruction
 More teacher per student
2. Resource 
 A class for student who receive special education services and need intensive help to keep up with grade-level work.
 This class may have 1-2 or more students
 Students receive instruction or support based on their unique needs. The number of minutes your child spends in a
resource class must be written into the IEP.
3. Self-Contained Programs
 General term for placements for which the students needs to receive services outside of the general education classroom
for half of the school day or more.
 Placement in a self contained classroom has to be based on a student’s unique needs, not on the disability alone.

Assessment in Special Education

Importance of Assessment
 In special education, you will be working with professional from different fields.
 The team is referred as “multidisciplinary team”
 This team is  crucial because you’ll help determining what disability is present in a student.

Components in Assessment:
Collection 
 Process of tracing and gathering information from the many sources of background information on a child such as school
records, observation, parent intakes and teacher’s report.
Analysis 
 Processing and understanding of patterns in a child’s educational, social, developmental, environmental, medical and
emotional history.
Evaluation 
 The child’s academic, intellectual, psychological, emotional, perceptual, language, cognitive and medical development to
determine areas of strength and weakness.
Determination 
 Determination of the presence of a suspected disability and knowledge of the criteria that constitute each category.
Recommendation 
 Concern for the educational placement and program that need to be made to the school, teachers, and parents.

Purpose of Assessment 
 Screening and Identification
 Eligibility and Diagnosis
 IEP(Individualized Education Program) Development and Placement
 Instructional Planning
 Evaluation

Common Assessments in Special Education:

Individual Intelligence Tests
 Administered to a student one on one.
Group Intelligence Tests
 These are administered in the general education classroom. 
 It is through these type that teachers might first suspect that a student has a learning disability.
 Two Functions: measuring academic ability and the child’s cognitive level.
Skill Evaluation
 Experts and Specialists use certain diagnostic measures for determining a child’s gross motor and fine manipulative skills
and hearing, sight speech and language abilities. 
Developmental and Social History
 It is a narrative assessment formulated either by the child’s teacher, parents, pediatrician, and school specialists.
 The focus of these are the issues in child’s health, history, developmental milestones, genetic factors, friendships, family,
relationships, hobbies, behavioral issues and academic performance. 
Observational Records
 In this type of test, anyone who works with the child can provide information about the child’s academic performance and
behavioral issues.
 Child has an observational record daily, weekly and monthly.
Samples of Student Work
 In these type of tests, the general classroom teacher provides most of the evidence in this domain.
 It is a folder of assignments, test and projects that can provide a snapshot of a child’s abilities and challenges in performing
grade-level work.

Who and What is Involved in Assessment

1. Anyone Involved in the Child’s Life
 They might suspect a learning disability or similar issue and ask specialists to explore it further.
2. Classroom Teacher
 The first person to conduct informal assessment.
 Teacher should review student work and conduct more formal observations of students behavior and performance to note
any issues. At this point the guardian or pediatrician might start the assessment process.
3. Medical Specialist, Therapist, Psychologist and other Experts
 These individuals keeps written records of findings, and writes descriptions of any discussions concerning the child.  
4. School’s Special Education Department
 Also referred as student study team
 They will request the classroom teacher and other individuals working with the child to submit any evidence gathered. 
Assessment and Federal Law
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Public Law 105-476
 List 13 separates categories of disabilities under which children may be eligible for special education and related services. 

1. Autism
 Developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally
evident before 3 years of age.
2. Deafness 
 A hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information with or without
amplification.
3. Deaf-Blindness
 Simultaneous hearing and visual impairments.
4. Hearing Impairment
 An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating.
5. Mental Retardation
 Significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior.
6. Multiple Disabilities
 The manifestation of two or more disabilities (such as mental retardation-blindness), the combination of which requires
special accommodation of maximal learning.
7. Orthopedic Impairment
 Physical disabilities, including congenital impairments, impairments caused by disease, and impairments from other causes.
8. Other Health Impairment
 Having limited strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems.
9. Serious Emotional Disturbance
 A disability where a child of typical intelligence has difficulty, over time and to a marked degree, building satisfactory
interpersonal relationships
 Responds inappropriately behaviorally or emotionally under normal circumstances
 Demonstrates a pervasive mood of unhappiness
 Tendency to develop physical symptoms of fear.
10. Specific Learning Disability
 A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or
written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical
calculations.
11. Speech or Language Impairment
 A communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment.
12. Traumatic Brain Injury
 An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or
psychosocial impairment, or both. 
13. Visual Impairment
 A visual difficulty (including blindness) that, even with correction, adversely affects a child educational performance. 

Components of Special and Inclusive Education

What is Child Find?

  A continuous network of public awareness events, infant screening and assessment programs
 It is designed to find, identify and compare all young children with disabilities and their families seeking special pre-school
care as possible.
 Covers every child from birth through age 21. 

Clues that Child might have a Disability

 Parent’s tell a teacher, a special education teacher or principal that they suspect child to have a disability
 When student is observed to be struggling academically, functionally, socially and emotionally.

7 Major Elements of Child Find System:

Definition of Target Population
 Define the criteria that determine which children are eligible for help. 
 Target population are at risk children, children with developmental delays and children with disabilities. 
Public Awareness
 The state raises public awareness about children who need help and service available to them.
Referral and Intake
 A child is referred for services; specific procedure varies depending on the specific place
Screening and Identification
 The child is screened for possible disabilities or developmental delays.
Eligibility Determination
 It is where the results of the screening are compared to the state’s eligibility guidelines, which must be consistent with
federal regulation.
Tracking
 The state tracks and follow ups with children who are receiving services.
Interagency Coordination
 Multiple agencies share responsibilities mandated by IDEA. 
 Resources must be coordinated to ensure availability of services.

How to find babies and toddlers?

 Informed hospitals, local physician
 Interagency agreement with public health and early intervention
 Public announcements
 Newspapers
 Posters 
 Flyers 
 Church organization
 grapevine