Attached herewith are the Department of Education (DepEd) most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Education of Learners with Disabilities for School Year 2021-2022 in time of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
DepEd Frequently Asked Questions on the Education of Learners With Disabilities
The child should be enrolled in the nearest school where his/her residence is located.
The birth certificate, assessment report if the child is already medically diagnosed. If the condition/disability is visible (visual impairment or blind, hearing impaired or deaf, physically handicapped), just the birth certificate but medical certificate or report is important.
The placement of the child in any learning environment shall depend on the severity or nature of his/her disability.
If the learner has a mild to moderate condition, he/she should be mainstreamed in a regular class.
If the learner has a severe to profound disability, he/she is recommended for a self-contained class or in a transition program.
In public schools, no tuition/payment is required for all learners with special needs or disabilities.
However, in a private school, tuition/payment is required. The amount of tuition fees varies from one school to another.
Per RA 9442 Amending RA 7277 or known as Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, Section 6.7, the learner with PWD ID shall be entitled to a discount of 20%.
RA 10754 provides educational benefits and privileges of PWDs in both public and private education at all levels.
The placement of the learner from a SPED center to a regular class shall depend on the severity and nature of his or her disability. The performance of the LWD in the class may also serve as the basis for making decisions about his or her placement.
Yes, but coordinate with the nearest SPED Center where there is an itinerant teacher or schools implementing the distance education program for children with disabilities.
The entry age is 5 years old while his or her exit age in basic education is 24 years old. However, if the learner with a disability is beyond the school-age of a typically developing learner in basic education, he/she can be recommended for other options like the ALS program. After which, he/she may take the A & E test or the PEPT.
Schools should not reject any learner based on his/her disability. There are existing legal mandates protecting the rights of the child to education at all levels. Hence, should this happen, seek the assistance of the District or Division Office for appropriate action.
An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child’s individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP.
The IEP has two general purposes:
1. to set reasonable learning goals for the child
2. to state the services that the school shall provide to the child
The purpose of the IEP meeting is to develop the child’s Individualized Education Plan. You can prepare for this meeting the following information/data:
list of the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
– talk to teachers and/or therapists and get their thoughts about the child.
– visit the child’s class and perhaps other classes that may be helpful to him or her.
– talk to your child about his or her feelings toward school.
– write down what you think your child can accomplish during the school year. It also helps to make notes about what you would like to say during the meeting.
The Special Education program is anchored on inclusion which is a core principle of the Enhanced Basic Education Program (DepEd Order No. 43, s. 2013) in promoting the deaf language and the Filipino Sign Language. Hence, the inclusion of Filipino Sign Language as the mother language of the deaf shall be considered as articulated in R.A. 10533.
READ MORE:
Parents’ Guide to DepEd Commons Online Learning
DepEd Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Frequently Asked Questions
DepEd Self-Learning Modules (SLM) for School Year 2020-2021
Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (ELLN) Goal and Objectives