EDUCATING KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AMID THE HEALTH CRISIS

ALLEN IBE QUIAMBAO

One challenging thing that educators would have to face this school year is the education of children with special needs, amid the very extraordinary circumstances taking place because of COVID-19.

This has been challenging even before the country was struck with the pandemic.

The local government units play a big role in this, according to the DepEd, to ensure that the education of children with special needs will continue.

The education of children with special needs requires teachers with special training, and the LGUs must step up to be able to afford these teachers. Also, most schools handling this is are private, and there is a need to push for the expansion of the services they offer.

DepEd has included in the remote enrollment process learners with disability. As of June 12, data shows that there are already more than 32,000 nongraded learners with disabilities that registered.

According to the DepEd, there is also a need to identify the needs of these learners. This is because the learning resources will also be adjusted based on the needs of the learners, because of the implementation of various learning modalities this school year.

Among these are Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) in print and digital format (PDF Flat and Interactive) which will be converted to inclusive interactive ebooks where videos, audio and even sign language interpretation can be embedded to respond to the needs of the children with disabilities.

Teachers will also be trained to assist kids under vulnerable conditions, and in protecting them from harm in various contexts of the school, home as school, and the cyber world, DepEd said.

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The author is Teacher III at San Roque National High School, Bamban, Tarlac