Abstract
Of the more than 50 school divisions in the country, only Manila is recognized as having the most organized delivery system for special education. It is thus expected that any change in special education had to start here. The organization of Special Education Centers in 1975 was thought of as a facilitative factor in initiating change from special education classes to mainstream classrooms. A number of special children were placed in the regular classrooms with conditions for mainstreaming jointly set by both special and regular teachers. Among these factors is the academic readiness of the special child such as the ability to read. In many instances, those who were integrated in the regular classrooms were much older chronologically than the regular children.
The paper analyses the readiness and preparation of regular teachers for yet another movement in special education. Inclusive education is accepted in principle by the public school system. How teachers perceived inclusion and the processes and support system they need to implement the "education for all" mandate will be discussed. Issues in implementation and recommendations for the shift from special classes to a more democratic system of public education will be raised.
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