Inclusive Education Practices at General Santos City SPED Integrated School

Abstract

Two of the most important determinants of the success of the inclusion or structured placement of children with disabilities in inclusive classrooms are teachers' attitudes toward students with special educational needs and their understanding of how to educate them appropriately. The perspective of educators on the difficulty of educating students with special educational needs has been cited as a crucial factor in deciding whether or not schools are inclusive settings. If inclusion teachers do not view the teaching of these pupils as an essential part of their work, they will attempt to have someone else (often the special education teacher) assume responsibility for these students, which will create covert segregation inside the school. In other words, they will not embrace the education of these youngsters as part of their work responsibilities (e.g., the special class). This study examines the inclusive education practices of teachers in the General Santos City SPED Integrated School of the Philippines during the 2022-2023 school year. This inquiry employs the descriptive-correlational methodology. The Modified Opinions Relative to the Integration of Children with Disabilities (MORID) survey was completed by 115 female and 38 male full-time general education and special education instructors from one regional school. These educators were questioned regarding their views on the inclusion of students with impairments. Respondents were well-informed about inclusive education and held favorable opinions concerning inclusion. Schools must provide sufficient learning support providers and educational resources, as well as in-depth specialization courses that provide specialized practices for implementing the special education strategies in their classrooms and teaching strategies for bridging theory and practice. Individualized education plan (IEP) provisions, curriculum adjustments, and classroom adaptations that are suitable for learners with special educational needs should be incorporated into the design and actual implementation of learning support programs.