ABSTRACT
This descriptive-qualitative study determined the extent of implementation of inclusive education on teaching preparation and competence and academic policy as a whole group, length of teaching experience for 2 years and below, and for BA with MA units and MA degree were high extent. As to those with teaching experience of 3 years and more and Bachelor’s degree were moderate extent. On physical plant and facilities as a whole group, those with teaching experience for 2 years and below, and for BA with MA units were high extent. The length of experience on 3 years and more and educational qualification on Bachelor’s and MA Degrees have moderate extent. There were no significant differences when classified according to length of experience and educational qualification. The challenges were Lack of training in teaching learners with special education needs, dealing with learning problems, inadequate knowledge in making learning materials, inadequate financial and parental support and heavy teaching workload. The coping strategies were employing contextualized activities and materials, exhibit patience and love, parental education and seek professional help.
Keywords: Implementation, Challenges, Coping Strategies, Non-SPED, Elementary Teachers, Inclusive Education, Enhancement Program
INTRODUCTION
Republic Act 11650, also known as the "Instituting a Policy and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act," was passed in March 2022. It reinforced the need for our nation's educational system to adapt to institutional change. As stipulated in section 2 of the Act, it acknowledged, safeguarded, and advanced the rights of all students with disabilities, including those who are members of linguistic, ethnic, or religious minorities or people of indigenous origin, to an education based on equal opportunity. It also made this education mandatory and accessible to all students with equal opportunities to receive an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education for lifelong learning.
In order to fulfil its commitment to provide comprehensive, superior, fair, and culturally-based primary education, the Department of Education offered inclusive education as part of its mission to advance every Filipino citizen's right to such educational services (Macabenta, 2023). It made it possible for students with special education needs to interact in regular classroom settings.
The Department of Education (DepEd) cooperated with the Philippines' commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2008) to change the country's special education (SPED) system to an inclusive one, with the primary goal of integrating students with special needs into regular classrooms to study alongside regular students (Dela Fuente, 2021).
Teachers must stay up to date on the latest developments in the field of education, be aware of the philosophical underpinnings of these changes, and be prepared to take on the challenge of shifting from the traditional way of teaching into an inclusive one.
Inclusive education was introduced as early as 2018 in the Schools District of Cabatuan II through the mainstreaming program of SPED education. Moreover, in 2020, Inclusive Education was pioneered in selected schools due to the introduction of Learners with Special Education Needs(LSENs) tagging system in the Learner Information System (LIS) and was given special allocation funds to support necessary activities such as Physician’s Diagnosis and procurement of suited learning materials to aid the teaching-learning process.
It is an honor for educators to welcome students with special education needs into a regular classroom. It has, however, raised a number of difficult questions and problems, including the reluctance of non-SPED teachers to accommodate Learners with Special Education Needs (LSENs), the lack of necessary training and expertise, and the substantial information regarding how to manage students with learning difficulty in a regular classroom setting.
This context provided motivation to conduct a mixture of quantitative and qualitative study detailing the extent of implementation of non-SPED elementary teachers on inclusive education and the challenges met and how do these challenges were responded.
Moreover, this study aimed to document experiences of regular elementary teachers, most of whom are new to teaching inclusive classes. It also gave a clearer picture of inclusive education in the Schools District of Cabatuan II. As a result, the study clarified inclusive education and add to the body of knowledge worldwide.
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