Inclusive Education: Lived Experiences of 21st century Teachers in the Philippines

Abstract

Abstract: This study provided a meta-synthesis of Filipino teachers' experiences with inclusive education. It used 15 of the 214 preliminary researches and was filtered using a set of selection and exclusion criteria. Furthermore, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) flow diagram was used to arrange the chosen research papers. In six steps by Clark and Braune, constant comparison and thematic analysis yielded eight (8) themes and two (2) meta-themes. According to the findings, 21st-century teachers are progressing in adhering to continuing professional education, adopting inclusion policies, and incorporating instructional innovations and activities to promote inclusivity. Teachers experienced recurring obstacles such as insufficient preparedness and expertise for special education, a lack of educational services, and general social contexts that substantially impact teacher teaching. However, professionalism and perseverance in adjusting inclusion justify the teacher's responsibility to sustain resilience and inventiveness for their students in a challenging educational environment. It concludes that inclusive education necessitates progressive teacher education and ongoing provision of instructional aids and services. It suggests that schools incorporate a variety of training modules and seminars for general education instructors to achieve the criteria for conducting inclusive education programs. In order to resolve the concerns about inclusive education, the local community education committee, parents, teachers, and school personnel should work together.