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Digital Inclusion

Public schools in the Philippines pilot software for special children

By Pia Rufino | 11 April 2011

Two public schools with special education (SPED) facilities in the Philippines are poised to pilot test a web-based interactive application aimed at providing visual learning for children with autism (CWA).

The Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP), a national non-profit organisation, will provide the schools with the software, dubbed VizZle, designed to allow SPED teachers to develop visual supports and lessons for children with disabilities (CWD).

The beneficiary schools — P. Gomez Elementary School and the P. Villanueva Elementary School—will also be granted with one year internet connection and ICT teaching skills training by the Globe telecoms.

The Vizzle training will start before June for implementation beginning school year 2011-2012.

Cristina Estampador, ASP ASP Board of Trustee and project chief told FutureGov Asia Pacific that the application allows teachers to easily create visual lessons and add audio and video to create a multi-sensorial learning experience “effortlessly”.

Using VizZle, a sofware created by Monarch Teaching Technologies, Estampador said teachers can deliver the lessons through an electronic whiteboard. It also has an online library and users can customize the sound or language of the application.

“Teachers and parents around the world can share lessons and ideas,” she added.

Estampador also said blogs and social networks have allowed CWAs to express themselves to a large audience.

Estampador said the challenges further down the line in project implementation includes the cost and resistance from teachers. “Some teachers are hesitant about using computers for varied reasons, either computer illiteracy on their part or for fear of being replaced by a computer.”

She added the fast movement of technology doesn’t help either.

“New hardware and software are being rolled out every few weeks or so. It would be great to get top-of-the-line hardware and software for these schools.We’re looking for more software and applications out there that can help address their needs.”

“If education is the equalizer, technology is your best bet to deliver that, ” said Estampador.

The pilot tests of VizZle would help evaluate the deployment of the software to other SPED schools in the Philippines.

According to Department of Education (DepEd) , out of 197,000 children with special needs enrolled in public and elementary schools, 95,000 are children with mental or physical disabilities.

Dr. Yolanda Quijano, DepEd Undersecretary for Programs and Projects estimated around five per cent of the Philippine population of approximately 94 million to be unaccounted CWDs.

There are 231 accredited SPED centres in the country.

Estampador said the ASP plans to work with government in terms of delivering ICT for SPED centres.

“We’re still planning out our approach and the budget to be able to roll out the project to all accredited SPED centres. It would be great to roll this out in 5 years,” she said.

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