Support for the Handicapped and Their Rehabilitation Through Education (SHARE) is a special program of the Elementary Department of Wesleyan University-Philippines. The program caters to the needs for the education of children and youth with disability. This program is the first of its kind in the Central Luzon region.
The program was started on April 18, 1983, completing initial training for teachers and auxiliary/support staff in preparation for the establishment of a formal instructional program for the deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Initial training was in long special communication skills, and basic sign language, with the following trainers: three (3) special teachers, two (2) social workers, two (2) nurses, one (1) agency/head, and a practicing student teacher. Mr.. Rafaelito Abat, a member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Association of the Deaf, Inc. (PAD) Makati, was the trainer who supported the initial training with instructional manuals, books, and curriculum contents for the initial sign language course. Its curriculum was developed and accredited by the PAD, Inc., a special school for Hearing Impaired in Makati.
The SHARE special education program was initiated by the former University President, the late Dr. Gloria D. Lacson, as early as 1980. It was envisioned as part of the mission of the University, its love and concern for the less fortunate Filipino children. It started as a short-term course offered under the Communications and Language Study Center during the school year 1984-1985.
There were five (5) deaf and hard-of-hearing learners with ages ranging from 5 to 22 who first attended the Basic Sign Language course which was integrated with lessons in the elementary grades. Mrs. Mildred T. Ancheta was the first special education teacher.
After a year, the core contents of the special education curriculum were fully accredited by PAD, Inc., a special school, and by DECS under the PRODED Program in 1985.
The SHARE Program was an offshoot of a study on deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Cabanatuan City. Formerly, it operated under the Wesleyan Community Outreach Program (WESCOP) but now it is under the umbrella of the Elementary Department.
