The classroom setting invariably involves students with diversified characteristics, needs, interests, capabilities, and background knowledge. Even the modalities through which they acquire and process information, their behaviour and interaction/communications vary from student to student. The gaps between and among the learners continue to widen as the differences continue to be unattended.

Such situations paved the way for the conception of the Special Education Allied Services ( SEAS ) of Amazing Grace School, a Christian school which is dedicated to the unfolding of  well- rounded individuals. In response to the current needs of the students and the provisions of the Educational Act of 1982, the Amazing Grace School Special Education Allied Services designed its two-pronged Program for students with exceptionalities.

The Program aims to:

• assist students to develop their potentials to the maximum by providing doable, developmentally- appropriate educational interventions to children with special needs according to their characteristics, abilities and needs  
• work collaboratively with the school community in the assessment and identification, design and implementation of educational interventions and continued evaluation of students with special needs

The Program specifically gives educational and behavioural assistance and accommodations  to a) children with mild Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder         ( ADD ) , autism, learning problems, mild mental retardation, and b) students with high academic ability. The academic and behavior needs are addressed through the Pull Out, Inclusion and Mainstreaming Schemes for the former ( A ) and Enrichment with Ability Grouping for the latter ( B ).

Classroom	Occupational Therapy Room	Prevocational Room	Resource Room
Work Station - Office	Work Station - Bedroom	Work Station - Manipulatives	Work Station - Mini Library

The AGS Special Education Allied Services ( SEAS ) are anchored on the following :

Philosophy

AGS community believes that all children are capable of learning within their capabilities and at their own rate and speed without losing the elements of acceptance of one’s worth and challenge. The community further believes in providing children with special needs the education commensurate to their abilities, characteristics, interests, and needs to assist them in developing their God-given potentials to the maximum, in gaining responsible independence of thought and actions and in becoming well adjusted and concerned individuals.

Vision

AGS, is a regular educational institution with provisions for children with special needs. It is an institution which produces graduates who are competent in their areas of interest , independent and are able to integrate themselves and become productive members of the society.

The Vision of the Special Education Allied Services ( SEAS ) is spelled out by its name Learning in Strides, where Strides implies gradual , steady steps towards growth and development. Specifically, it stands for:

• S-piritual Dynamism
• T-rustworthiness
• R-esponsibility
• I-ndependence and confidence developed through
• D-evelopmentally-appropriate
• E-ducational
• S-ervices

Mission

AGS is a team of qualified, competent, and caring educators, administrators and staff providing assistance to students identified with special needs with maximum exposure to the core curriculum to attain full potentials. It utilizes values-laden curricular programs and multiple intelligences approach in an environment where the development of healthy self-esteem, respect and appreciation for one another and the gratitude for the gift of self is nurtured. The community crosses the SEAS as they, the learners, faculty and the entire AGS community, journey together.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The two-pronged Program has the following objectives:

• assist students to develop their potentials to the maximum through educational interventions based on the learners’ characteristics, abilities and needs

• ensure services for learners with special needs which are developmentally appropriate, interdisciplinary,  values-laden and community-based

• provide individual/group educational accommodations which are developmental in a less restrictive school milieu

 
These general objectives are capsulized in four phases which are a) personal and spiritual development, b) interpersonal relationships, interactions, social integration, c) physical and emotional and d) academic development.

The Special Education Allied Services Program

The following diagram illustrates the design of the Program.
 
The Special Education Allied Services ( SEAS ) has two main services ; for students with high mental ability and the Specific Area Needs Services ( SANS ). Students under the SANS are grouped into the Learning in Strides group (which further divides into the academic stream and pre-voc stream) and the Jabez Individual Instructions group.