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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

Inclusive education is about looking at the ways our schools, classrooms,

programs and lessons are designed so that all children can participate and learn.

Inclusion is also about finding different ways of teaching so that classrooms

actively involve all children. It also means finding ways to develop friendships,

relationships and mutual respect between all children, and between children and

teachers in the school. Inclusive education is not just for some children. Being

included is not something that a child must be ready for. All children are at all

times ready to attend regular schools and classrooms. Their participation is not

something that must be earned. Inclusive education is a way of thinking about

how to be creative to make our schools a place where all children can participate.

Creativity may mean teachers learning to teach in different ways or designing

their lessons so that all children can be involved. As a value, inclusive education

reflects the expectation that we want all of our children to be appreciated and

accepted throughout life. Inclusive education means that all children are

educated in regular classrooms. It does not, however, mean that individual

children cannot leave the classroom for specific reasons. For example, a child

may require one-on-one assistance in a particular subject. This may or may not

be happening during regular class time. Once schools are inclusive, serious

thought is given to how often a child may be out of regular classroom and the
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reasons that this may be happening It does not mean that children with certain

characteristics (for example, those who have disabilities) are grouped together in

separate classrooms for all or part of the school day.

Inclusive systems provide a better quality education for all children and

are instrumental in changing discriminatory attitudes. Schools provide the context

for a child’s first relationship with the world outside their families, enabling the

development of social relationships and interactions. Respect and understanding

grow when students of diverse abilities and backgrounds play, socialize, and

learn together. Education that excludes and segregates perpetuates

discrimination against traditionally marginalized groups. When education is more

inclusive, so are concepts of civic participation, employment, and community life.

Separate, special education provides no guarantee of success for children

who need special attention; inclusive schools that provide supportive, context-

appropriate conditions for learning demonstrate far better outcomes.

Extracurricular activities, peer support, or more specialized interventions involve

the entire school community working as a team.

The journey to becoming an Inclusive School may be long and challenging

at times, but ultimately this journey can strengthen a school community and

benefit all children.  "Inclusion" does not simply mean the placement of students

with disabilities in general education classes.  This process must incorporate

fundamental change in the way a school community supports and addresses the

individual needs of each child.  As such, effective models of inclusive education

not only benefit students with disabilities, but also create an environment in which
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every student, including those who do not have disabilities, has the opportunity to

flourish. There are ways in which inclusive educational practices build a school's

capacity to educate all learners effectively.

One of the most important principles of inclusive education is that no two

learners are alike, and so inclusive schools place great importance on creating

opportunities for students to learn and be assessed in a variety of ways. 

Teachers in inclusive schools therefore must consider a wide range of learning

modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) in designing instruction.  Certainly

this enhances the way in which educators provide supports and accommodations

for students with disabilities, but it also diversifies the educational experience of

all students.

In this age of accountability and high-stakes testing, it is important for

educators to ensure that every student is addressing the appropriate standards

and objectives across the curriculum.  As such, inclusive schools provide

academic supports (flexible pacing and grouping, reading and literacy specialists,

tutoring, etc.) that create a supportive environment for all learners.  It is

immediately clear how these supports help students with disabilities but inclusive

schools can also better challenge and engage gifted and talented learners by

building a more responsive learning environment.

Another important factor in effective inclusive education is the

implementation of consistent behavioral supports throughout the learning

environment.  This consistency is essential for the success of students with

emotional or behavioral disabilities in the general education environment, but

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school-wide behavioral supports also help to establish high expectations

throughout the school community as a whole.

Inclusive education for students with disabilities can only be successful

when those students feel that they are truly a part of the school community.  This

requires open and honest discussion about difference, and an institutional

respect for people of all backgrounds and abilities.  In inclusive schools, the

establishment of such a climate benefits everyone by fostering an environment

where students and their families are valued for who they are.

In the past, special education often involved the segregation of students

with disabilities for the purpose of specialized instruction.  Not only does that

model of special education in a separate setting deprive students with disabilities

of interaction with their peers and full access to the curriculum, it can also involve

duplicate systems and resources that are costly for schools to maintain. 

Inclusive education can make more efficient use of a school's resources by

maximizing the availability of staff and materials for all students

There are laws asserting the right to education on the basis of equality of

opportunity for every child. These laws also emphasizes that this must be

provided in inclusive systems at all levels. It explicitly requires that children with

disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of

disability. They are entitled to inclusive, free and quality education on an equal

basis with others in the communities in which they live. The Committee on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities has stressed that “...it is the entire process of

inclusive education that must be accessible, not just buildings, but all information
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and communication, including ambient or frequency modulation assistive

systems, support services and reasonable accommodation in schools. The whole

environment of students with disabilities must be designed in a way that fosters

inclusion and guarantees their equality in the entire process of their education.

Inclusion needs to be understood as integral to the whole of the education

system – not just an add-on. Inclusive education needs to be seen as one part of

the wider goal of making society more just and less discriminatory for all

marginalized populations through education delivery. It is not simply a technical

or organizational change, but involves a cultural and philosophical change of

approach based on a commitment to respect for every child, and recognition of

the obligations of the education system to adapt to accommodate and address

her or his needs and rights. Consequently, legislation across all public sectors

should lead to the provision of services that enhance developments and

processes working towards inclusion in education. In addition, the commitment to

inclusive education must be elaborated in detail in legislation so that obligations

and accountability are explicit. This will support government at the national and

local levels to work towards a common approach and be held accountable for

ensuring its implementation for every child. Thus, for example, provisions such

as special education laws that establish separation among students with and

without disabilities need to be reviewed. Similarly, day-care centres and other

settings created to provide rehabilitative services exclusively to children with

disabilities, and which place an inappropriate emphasis on ‘changing the child’

rather than creating an adaptive and inclusive education system, will need
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revision. Additional policy changes might be required to policies relating to, for

example, enrolment, curriculum, assessment, school governance human

resources quality assurance, self-evaluation, external evaluation, and inspection

regimes.

In this present study the researcher aimed to find out the level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools in Pozorrubio

I and II Districts, Pangasinan Division II.

Statement of the Problem

This study determined the level of implementation of inclusive education

in public elementary schools in Pozorrubio District I and II of Pangasinan Division

II for S.Y. 2019 - 2020.

Specifically, this study answered the following problems;

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

b. age;

c. sex;

d. civil status;

e. highest educational attainment;

f. number of years teaching; and

g. relevant trainings attended?

2. What is the level of implementation of inclusive education in public elementary

schools along;
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a. inclusive classroom management;

b. inclusive curriculum content and pedagogy;

c. inclusive instructional strategies and approaches;

d. behavior management; and

f. inclusive assessment of learning outcomes?

3. Are there significant differences in the level of implementation of inclusive

education in public elementary schools across the profile variable?

4. Are there significant relationships between the level of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools and the profile variables?

Research Hypotheses

This study tested the following hypothesis in their null form.

1 There is no significant difference in the level of implementation of inclusive

education in public elementary schools across the profile variable.

2. There is no significant relationship between the level of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools and the profile variable.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study focused on the level of implementation of inclusive education

in public elementary schools Pozorrubio I and II Districts of Pangasinan Division

II. Specially, inclusive teachers in public elementary school for S.Y 2019 - 2020
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along the following; inclusive classroom management, inclusive curriculum

content and pedagogy, inclusive instructional strategies and approaches,

behavior management and inclusive assessment of learning outcomes.

The profile of the respondents are in terms of age, sex, civil status, highest

educational attainment, number of years teaching, and relevant trainings

attended.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study would offer benefit to the following:

Learners. The ultimate beneficiaries of this study are the learners. They

are the focus in the teaching – learning process. All changes to improve the

delivery of basic education will endorsed to the upgrading of their academic

achievement and performance. This will also serve as a blue print for inclusive

teachers in improving their competence in teaching.

Teachers. The ideas gained from this study could help them in their

everyday instruction as inclusive teacher especially in the implementation of

inclusive education to improve the learners academic skills and competence,

social and emotional development.

School Administrators. The result of this study could provide necessary

information in the formulation of different plans and policies in the achievement of

its objectives and goals especially in the implementation of inclusive education.

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Research Enthusiasts. This research will be a great help for the future

researchers. It will serve as their reference and guide on their research towards a

wider perspective and more intensive research.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined lexically and operationally as they are

used in this study.

Inclusive Education.   Inclusive education means different and diverse

students learning side by side in the same classroom. They enjoy field trips and

after-school activities together. They participate in student government together.

And they attend the same sports meets and plays.

Inclusive education values diversity and the unique contributions each

student brings to the classroom. In a truly inclusive setting, every child feels safe

and has a sense of belonging. Students and their parents participate in setting

learning goals and take part in decisions that affect them. And school staff have

the training, support, flexibility, and resources to nurture, encourage, and

respond to the needs of all students.

Inclusive Classroom Management. Classroom Management in Inclusive

Settings refers to the overall quality of a classroom environment that allows

students to feel welcome, safe and supported. Classroom management is an

umbrella term which incorporates all the duties within a classroom that a teacher
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must enforce to keep the class running smoothly and with minimal disruptive

behaviors.

Inclusive Curriculum Content and Pedagogy. Refers s a method of

teaching in which instructors and classmates work together to create a

supportive environment that gives each student equal access to learning.

Inclusive curriculum is defined as an approach to course and unit design and to

teaching and learning practice which aims to improve access and successful

participation in education of groups.

Inclusive Instructional Strategies and Approaches. Refers to the

practices that support meaningful and accessible learning for all

students. Inclusive teaching and learning refers to modes of teaching and

learning that are designed to actively engage, include, and challenge all

students. The practice of inclusive teaching can also help teachers broaden and

expand their understanding of their own disciplines and of what they hope to

accomplish in teaching.

In this study Inclusive teaching strategies refer to any number of teaching

approaches that address the needs of students with a variety of backgrounds,

learning modalities, and abilities. These strategies contribute to an

overall inclusive learning environment in which students feel equally valued.

Behavior Management. Refers to classroom behavior management for

Inclusive class utilizes approaches to classroom behavior management to assist

teachers in avoiding behavior problems, managing those that cannot be avoided,

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and resolving those that cannot be managed. It enables teachers to

accommodate their management techniques to students' diverse developmental,

gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic class characteristics in today's inclusive

schools.

Inclusive Assessment of Learning Outcomes. Refers to strategies

designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have

met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to

certify proficiency and make decisions about students' future programs or

placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other

educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups.

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the summary of related literature and studies that

guided the researcher in this study. These will give insights in developing a clear

understanding of the research problems and in the in preparation of the findings.

RELATED LITERATURE

Inclusive Education

Inclusive education is when all students, regardless of any challenges they

may have, are placed in age-appropriate general education classes that are in

their own neighborhood schools to receive high quality instruction, interventions,

and supports that enable them to meet success in the core curriculum. The

school and classroom operate on the premise that students with disabilities are

as fundamentally competent as students without disabilities. Therefore, all

students can be full participants in their classrooms and in the local school

community. Much of the movement is related to legislation that students receive

their education in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This means they are

with their peers without disabilities to the maximum degree possible, with general

education the placement of first choice for all students.

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Successful inclusive education happens primarily through accepting,

understanding, and attending to student differences and diversity, which can

include the physical, cognitive, academic, social, and emotional. This is not to

say that students never need to spend time out of regular education classes,

because sometimes they do for a very particular purpose—for instance, for

speech or occupational therapy. But the goal is this should be the exception. The

driving principle is to make all students feel welcomed, appropriately challenged,

and supported in their efforts. It’s also critically important the adults are

supported, too. This includes the regular education teacher and the special

education teacher as well as all other staff and faculty who are key stakeholders;

and that also includes parents.

Basis for Inclusive Education

Inclusive education and inclusive classrooms are gaining steam because

there is so much research-based evidence around the benefits. Simply put, both

students with and without disabilities learn more. Many studies over the past

three decades have found that students with disabilities have higher achievement

and improved skills through inclusive education, and their peers without

challenges benefit, too. For learners with special needs, this includes academic

gains in literacy (reading and writing), math, and social studies—both in grades

and on standardized tests, better communication skills, and improved social skills

and more friendships. More time in the general classroom for learners with

special needs is also associated with fewer absences and referrals for disruptive
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behavior. This could be related to findings about attitude in that they have higher

self-concept, they like school and their teachers more, and are more motivated

around working and learning.

For their peers without disabilities, they also show more positive attitudes

in these same areas when in inclusive classrooms. They make greater academic

gains in reading and math. Research shows the presence of learners with special

needs gives non- learners with special needs new kinds of learning opportunities.

One of these is when they serve as peer-coaches. By attending to how to help

another student, their own performance improves. Another is that as teachers

take into greater consideration their diverse learners, they provide instruction in a

wider range of learning modalities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), which

benefits their regular education students as well. Researchers often explore

concerns and potential pitfalls that might make instruction less effective in

inclusion classrooms. But findings show this is not the case. Neither instructional

time nor how much time students are engaged differs between inclusive and non-

inclusive classrooms. In fact, in many instances regular education students report

little to no awareness that there even are students with disabilities in their

classes. When they are aware, they demonstrate more acceptance and tolerance

for SWD when they all experience an inclusive education together.

Inclusive Classroom Strategies

There is a definite need for teachers to be supported in implementing an

inclusive classroom. A rigorous literature review of studies found most teachers

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had either neutral of negative attitudes about inclusive. It turns out that much of

this is because they do not feel they are very knowledgeable, competent, or

confident about how to educate learners with special needs. However, similar to

parents, teachers with more experience—and in the case of teachers more

training with inclusive education—were significantly more positive about it.

Evidence supports that to be effective, teachers need an understanding of best

practices in teaching and of adapted instruction for learners with special needs;

but positive attitudes toward inclusion are also among the most important for

creating an inclusive classroom that works. Of course, a modest blog article like

this is only going to give the highlights of what have been found to be effective

inclusive strategies. For there to be true long-term success necessitates formal

training.

All students need the opportunity to have learning experiences in line with

the same learning goals. This will necessitate thinking about what supports

individual learners with special needs, but overall strategies are making sure all

students hear instructions, that they do indeed start activities, that all students

participate in large group instruction, and that students transition in and out of the

classroom at the same time. For this latter, not only will it keep students on track

with the lessons, their non- learners with special needs peers do not see them

leaving or entering in the middle of lessons to be pulled out, which can really

highlight their differences.

Apply universal design for learning. These are methods that are varied

and that support many learners’ needs. They include multiple ways of
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representing content to students and for students to represent learning back,

such as modeling, images, objectives and manipulatives, graphic organizers, oral

and written responses, and technology. These can also be adapted as

modifications for learners with special needs where they have large print, use

headphones, are allowed to have a peer write their dictated response, draw a

picture instead, use calculators, or just have extra time. Think too about the

power of project-based and inquiry learning where students individually or

collectively investigate an experience.

Inclusive Classroom Management.

Students with special and exceptional needs are placed in inclusive

learning environments more frequently than in the past. For general educators

with a limited special education background, this can often be anxiety provoking

and stressful. Every teacher wants to provide the best instruction and education

for her students. As a special education teacher for the past ten years, my job

has been to support general education teachers when we share responsibility of

students with special needs. I work with them to ensure that all students have the

necessary resources in order to be successful, and that they themselves can

grow and learn as an educator. There are strategies that have been successful

for working with students in the inclusive classroom.

Get to know your students’ Individual Educational Plans. Upon receiving

notice that a student with a specific plan is entering your class, it’s important to
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connect with that student’s case manager. For a student with a plan, that is

usually the school counselor; for a student with an IEP it’s either the Special

Education Teacher or Resource Specialist. You should receive a brief synopsis

of the IEP, often referred to as the “IEP at a Glance” form. This will detail the

specific services and minutes each student receives, as well

as any accommodations and modifications that are available for them.

One of the most common accommodations for students with special

needs is preferential seating. This doesn’t always mean in the front row of the

classroom right next to the teacher’s desk. There are many instances where

seating a student in the front row can be catastrophic. Most of the rooms are

grouped in clusters. Seats away from distractions such as windows or doors is

quite helpful for students with attention issues.

Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Universal Design is so

much more than one of the hottest buzzwords circulating around education

circles. It’s an approach to curriculum planning and mapping that makes learning

engaging and accessible to a wider range of learners with different strengths and

needs. UDL builds on Howard Gardner’s theories of multiple intelligences, in that

it calls for teaching to utilize multiple modalities, and for students to respond to

learning with a variety of assessment tools. Educators that recognize the

importance of UDL realize that we all learn and express ourselves in different

ways, and that in order to assess skills we need to be allowed to use our

strengths, while practicing our areas of need at the same time.

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Support Important Life Skills. As a seasoned educator, when you hear the

term “life skills”, often think of tasks that are performed by our more severely

disabled students, many of whom are not in a general education environment.

When you do this, many who lack very necessary skills they need in order to be

a productive and contributing member of society. Many general education

mainstream students cannot perform the following simple tasks: telling time from

an analog clock, writing a simple letter, signing their name in cursive, and note

taking and study skills.

Engage in Collaborative Planning and Teaching. No classroom is an

island, especially an inclusive classroom. Opening up your room to service

providers, paraprofessionals, special education teachers, and parents gives you

valuable opportunities to participate in collaborative teaching. Collaborative

teaching looks differently depending on what school, level, and setting you are

working. I am fortunate enough to work in a school where collaborative teaching

is encouraged and celebrated. Teachers have common planning times, and

professional development time is often set aside for teachers to plan together.

This often spans grade levels and subject areas.

Develop a strong Behavior Management Plan. Having a successful

inclusive classroom depends upon having control of your classroom. It is

essential to have clearly communicated expectations and goals, that are

accessible to all students. Your classroom environment should be tailored to

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better suit diverse students’ needs. With students’ and specialists’ input, create a

checklist or action plan for students.

Inclusion is a great thing. Children with special needs are no longer

isolated in “Special Education” classrooms and only seen on the playground or in

the lunchroom. Kids with special needs thrive in the presence of their peers.

There are so many lessons that children with special needs can learn from other

kids, and so many friendships to be formed. Children with autism spectrum

disorder and other learning disabilities, such as ADHD, perform better, both

academically and socially, if the classroom is set up to accommodate their

special needs.Teachers are called upon to be creative and innovative when

preparing classrooms. Managing an all-inclusive classroom is easier if simple,

personalized teaching strategies for the special needs student are implemented.

The following tips will help you create a learning environment that will help

students bloom where they are planted!

Tips for a Successful Inclusion Classroom

Children of all abilities seek the same things: to learn, have friends, feel

valued, and experience success. When the demands of a child’s environment are

misaligned with his or her social and emotional skills, frustrating and disruptive

behaviors occur. To help children succeed—whether they are on the spectrum,

have a learning disability, or simply don’t yet have the tools to control their

outbursts—the adults in their lives need to help children align their behaviors with

their aspirations.
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While building relationships and structuring a productive learning

environment are the foundation of all successful learning experiences, the

importance of classroom management is even greater in inclusion classrooms.

Classrooms in which students of all abilities work side-by-side can be supportive

settings for both students with challenges and their typically developing peers.

Inclusion is not just a change in location, however, and educators need to be

adequately prepared and must shift their practices to meet all students’ social

and emotional needs in order for any inclusion setting to be successful.

As educators work to reach students of all abilities, here are a few tools to

keep in mind that Ramapo for Children uses and teaches to facilitate an inclusive

environment: Build a “home base” or “retreat.” Sometimes the social and

emotional demands of the classroom environment are too much for a student. To

help remove students from an escalating situation and give them the space and

time to cool down, create a place where a student can go to escape the stress of

his or her current environment and regain control. This space may begin as a

refuge, but be sure to manage it strategically by establishing mutually acceptable

rules so the student does not overuse it.

Develop routines and procedures for transition times. Transitions can be

challenging for all students, especially those with lagging social and emotional

skills, and transitions are often the time when the most disruptive behavior

occurs. Be proactive: Engage students in an activity as they enter the class. Plan

carefully how to transition students from one activity to another. Be consistent,

and make sure that students know what to expect from transitions and when they
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will occur. Allow time for wrap-up and reflection at the conclusion of each class or

lesson.

Use non-verbal cues and signals to effectively communicate

directions. Many students with behavioral problems also have learning

difficulties, especially with processing receptive language. Since so much of

behavioral direction in a classroom is verbal, there are often students who thus

become frustrated or “turned off” in inclusion classrooms. Nonverbal cues help

students understand the sequence of activities, clarify expectations, and forecast

what is happening next. Use signs, gestures, picture cues, and visuals to

communicate directions to a wide range of learners.

Through its highly regarded adult training programs and direct service

youth programs, it can be seen that inclusion is achievable. Though working with

a range of students of widely varying abilities may seem daunting, the right

behavior management skills can help educators intervene with high-needs

students while still ensuring an effective learning environment.

Inclusive Learning Environment Strategies.

Educators refer to a classroom or a place where teaching and learning

takes place as a learning environment. They disagree about what type of

learning environment delivers the most effective teaching to students. An

inclusive learning environment is a school or classroom where students of every

ability level receive teaching in the same place. This means that particularly able

students learn alongside those who have special educational needs, such as
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dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities.

Teachers differentiate between students of different abilities by giving them tasks

of varying difficulty and complexity. A single activity may pose different levels of

challenge and have different outcomes depending on the student, or a teacher

may give a different task to each student, according to his ability.

Creating a culturally responsive and inclusive classroom environment for

all students is as important today than ever, perhaps even more so given that

classrooms are more diverse and multicultural than ever before. For teachers,

inclusion can be done by reflecting on what impact their own culture has on their

instruction and how they approach educating students with vastly different

backgrounds.

An inclusive classroom requires recognizing stereotypes and prejudice

and a focus on incorporation and integration. Putting emotional needs first is

paramount to success. To accomplish this, schools and teachers need to provide

a welcoming experience for all students, not just those who struggle, so that

effective classroom strategies can be successfully employed.

Students want to feel valued and they want to feel like they are a part of a

larger school community. By forming a bond with students teachers can provide

a sound educational framework for success. At this point real learning will occur.

How to Create an Inclusive Classroom

The most effective way to build an inclusive learning environment comes

from forming meaningful connections with students. So what is an inclusive

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classroom? Inclusion is a form of classroom management that requires taking

some extra time and effort to view each pupil as an individual. Teachers must

truly believe that each student can succeed. If they do that they become partners

in success. It’s as simple as learning to pronounce a student’s full name

correctly, as a first step. Students should not feel the need to shorten or change

their names in order to make it easier for a teacher to pronounce it. Putting a

student’s emotional needs first is important because without feeling safe and

understood, no instructional strategy will be effective. By building relationships in

the classroom, students will feel comfortable enough to come out and tell a

teacher what is on their minds without having to wait for an opportunity from to do

so. Students want to feel valued and feel like they are a part of a larger school

community. By forming a bond between you and your students and providing a

sound educational framework for success, real learning will occur.

Tactics to consider when creating an inclusive learning environment. For

starters it is important to keep in mind that everyone learns differently. A “one-

size-fits-all” approach to education is not the right approach. Instead, students

should be allowed to engage information from a variety of sources. This includes

websites, videos, books and other mediums such as podcasts. Whatever

medium one chooses, the key is to tailor content delivery to a student’s needs.

This can be accomplished through small group or even individual instruction.

Assessment choices represent an opportunity for students to showcase their

understanding in various ways. When a teacher customizes students’

experiences in an inclusion classroom setting, students can build upon their

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strengths and develop and improve their understanding of topics with which they

are struggling.

Maintaining an Inclusive and Welcoming Classroom

An inclusive classroom requires teachers to focus on equity for all

students, which can include race and gender. But it is important to think of them

all equally. Addressing bias in the classroom and course materials can help

students identify and analyze bias critically. Teachers can develop self-

awareness in students by not hiding from differences, but encouraging students

to embrace them. To do this teachers should use inclusive teaching strategies

and techniques to actively engage students in the classroom. These strategies

can include “flipping the classroom” and varying classroom discussions by size.

As faculty members and classroom leaders, teachers play a critical role in setting

the classroom climate and have the opportunity to set the educational tone. They

have the responsibility to balance the free exchange of ideas with maintaining a

safe and welcoming environment for all students regardless of their background.

An inclusive learning environment provides a welcoming classroom for all

learners that adapts to their specific needs in an equitable way.

Set Classroom Ground Rules. It can increase learner diversity and

student inclusion by asking the class to create ground rules for discussion. The

premise of classroom ground rules is to create a deeper understanding of the

value of respectful conversations. This is particularly critical if you’re going to

discuss topics that are likely to spark divided opinions. Rules should center on
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maintaining an open mind, active listening, equal time for all to share and a

concerted effort to maintain a supportive learning environment. It can offer these

root topics and ask the class to identify rules that will be supportive, or it can

open up the ground rules discussion and see what is generated. Consider

creating the ground rules in the class is too large to come to a consensus.

Prominently post the ground rules at the front of the classroom. Hold the class

accountable, but encourage them to hold each other to the rules too.

Intentional Course Design. Use a variety of diverse authors and examples

to create an inclusive educational experience. If you’re using case studies,

consider how you can incorporate various perspectives into the practical

examples. Intentionally weave diversity into the fabric of the course. For

example, if your course is about the history of science, be sure to include

contributions of racially diverse scientists. Add a statement on your syllabus that

expresses your commitment to an inclusive learning community and invite

feedback from your students. You can proactively plan for students who may

have dyslexia by using a font like Comic Sans or Arial that is easy to read.

Develop Relationships With Students. One of the key features of an

inclusive learning environment is to find ways for all students to share their

personal stories. If you strive to learn about each of your students and help the

class learn about one another, you will deepen mutual understanding. Ask each

student to write a cultural autobiography and share it with the class. Spend time

with each student to learn more about his personal learning style and individual

needs. If a student has a preferred name or pronoun, invite him to share that with
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you, but don’t require him to share that information with the class. You might

cause a student to prematurely disclose personal information that he's not ready

to share. Encourage students to acknowledge each other and show affirmation

when a positive thought is shared. If you strengthen the relationships within your

classroom, you’ll create a more inclusive learning environment.

Be Open to Change. An inclusive teacher is nimble and ready to adapt to

the individualized learning needs of each student. Use the information that you

learn about each student to consider changes that may need to be made to your

curriculum and pedagogical style. If you have students with learning

accommodations, consider how you can adjust your class so that all can benefit

rather than having one student feel singled out. For example, if one of your

students has difficulty following a standard lecture, provide the lecture notes in

writing for all students. A diverse class is likely to have varied needs. Students

with food allergies or religious constraints may have particular dietary constraints.

An inclusive learning environment provides alternatives that meet the needs of

each student in a respectful way.

Inclusive Instructional Strategies and Approaches

Inclusive teaching refers to pedagogy that strives to serve the needs of all

students, regardless of background or identity, and support their engagement

with subject material. Hearing diverse perspectives can enrich student learning

by exposing everyone to stimulating discussion, expanding approaches to

traditional and contemporary issues, and situating learning within students’ own
 27

contexts while exploring those contexts. Students are more motivated to take

control of their learning in classroom climates that recognize them, draw relevant

connections to their lives, and respond to their unique concerns.

Inclusive teaching builds upon an instructor’s basic instinct to ensure all

voices are heard and that all students have a chance to participate fully in the

learning process, by digging a little deeper into why participation imbalances

exist. To develop this complex climate, instructors must practice a mixture of

intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness, regular curriculum review, and

knowledge of inclusive practices. In particular, inclusive teaching begins by

considering a variety of concerns: why do some types of students seem to

participate more frequently and learn more easily than others? How might

cultural assumptions influence interaction with students? How might student

identities, ideologies, and backgrounds influence their level of engagement?

Finally, how might course and teaching redesign encourage full participation and

provide accessibility to all types of students? Instructors can consider a variety of

examples and strategies for mastering inclusive teaching pedagogy.

Inclusive learning provides all students with access to flexible learning

choices and effective paths for achieving educational goals in spaces where they

experience a sense of belonging. In an inclusive education environment, all

children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same, age-

appropriate, classroom. It is based on the understanding that all children and

families are valued equally and deserve access to the same opportunities.
 28

Inclusive learning goes hand in hand with Universal Design for Learning

(UDL), a set of principles for curriculum development that gives all students an

equal opportunity to learn. According to the National Center on Universal Design

for Learning, “UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods,

materials, and assessments that work for everyone — not a single, one-size-fits-

all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted

for individual needs.” UDL shares many commonalities with the Theory of

Multiple Intelligences espoused by Harvard Professor Howard Gardner, whose

work documented “the extent to which students possess different kinds of minds

and therefore learn, remember, perform and understand in different ways.

Inclusive teaching and learning refers to modes of teaching and learning

that are designed to actively engage, include, and challenge all students. The

practice of inclusive teaching can also help instructors broaden and expand their

understanding of their own disciplines and of what they hope to accomplish in

teaching and in research.

Include Diverse Content, Materials, and Ideas

When you are preparing lectures, questions for discussions, scenarios,

case studies, assignments, and exams include language, examples, socio-

cultural contexts, and images that reflect human diversity. Whenever possible,

select topics and materials that reflect contributions and perspectives from

groups that have been historically underrepresented in the field. Model openness

to the new ideas and questions your students bring into the course, which can
 29

broaden and deepen your own knowledge of your discipline and its relevance.

Help students understand that knowledge is often produced through

conversation and collaboration among disparate points of view. Be aware of how

your professional training and background may have shaped the selection of

content and materials in your course. If relevant to your course, encourage

students to think critically about how historical, literary, and art-historical canons–

as well as the criteria for defining these canons–are defined and have evolved

over time.

Create an Inclusive Environment

When talking with students during class, communicate clearly—starting on

the first day of the school year—about what you expect to happen in the

classroom, including your expectations for respectful and inclusive interactions.

Set and enforce ground rules for respectful interaction in the classroom, such as

guidelines for contributing ideas and questions and for responding respectfully to

the ideas and questions of others. If a student’s conduct could be silencing or

denigrating others (intentionally or not), remind the entire class of the ground

rules, then talk with the student individually outside of class about the potential

effects of their conduct. Remember that silence is often read as endorsement.

Therefore, it is important to take action to try to improve the learning environment

for all. To the extent that is possible (depending on the size of the class), get to

know your students and the individual perspectives, skills, experiences, and

ideas that they bring into your course. Consult the electronic roster for your

course or ask students directly to learn about any preferred names that students
 30

would like to be called. Communicate high standards for student learning and

achievement in your course and express confidence that every student can

achieve these standards. In addition, include structured support within your

course that is designed to help students achieve those standards.

Show respect for all questions and comments. Use verbal and non-verbal

cues to encourage participation and to challenge students to think deeply and

critically. Encourage students to “think out loud,” to ask questions, and to actively

consider perspectives that are different from their own. If you are teaching about

topics that are likely to generate disagreement or controversy, identify clear

objectives and design a class structure informed by those objectives. In addition,

communicate the objectives and the structure to the students, so that they know

what to expect. If a tense interaction occurs, it is important to address the issue

in the moment. In some cases, pausing for a short time to ask students to

discuss in small groups or to reflect in writing individually can allow them to

discover what they might learn from the interaction. In other cases, conversations

with individual students outside of class (but before the next class session) will

be more appropriate.

Encourage a Growth Mindset. Foster a “growth mindset” by conveying the

idea that intelligence is not a reflection of fixed, natural abilities, but can change

and grow over time. When talking with students about their performance in class

or on exams or assignments, avoid describing such performance as a sign of

natural ability (or lack of ability). Doing so may activate stereotype threat, a

phenomenon in which students’ awareness of negative stereotypes that link

 31

identity and ability can lead to depressed academic performance. Help students

develop a growth mindset by speaking with them about the extent to

which experiences of academic faltering can provide opportunities to grow and

improve. For example, if a student comes to your office hours to discuss a

disappointing grade on an exam or an assignment, work with the student to

identify specific areas where the student is struggling, and to identify 2-3 new

strategies the student can use to improve in those areas.

Create an environment in the classroom or laboratory in which it is okay to

make mistakes and where faltering can lead to deeper learning. If a student

contributes an answer that is incorrect, for example, ask questions to help the

student identify how he or she arrived at that answer and to help the entire class

to understand at least one method to derive the correct answer. At the same

time, be open to the possibility that what seems to be an incorrect answer initially

may lead to shared understanding of an alternative way to answer the question.

Visual Aides.

Visual aides are, undoubtedly, very important items in the inclusive

classroom. They attract student interest, explain an idea or help a student

understand a lesson. Visual aides come in many forms and there should be a

variety available in a classroom to facilitate inclusion. Some examples include:

schedules, posters, number lines, charts, diagrams, graphic organizers and

different types of paper such as lined, plain or graph. A visual aide can also be a
 32

SMART Board, television or iPad. Inclusive classrooms always have numerous

types of visual aides handy to help deliver, accommodate or modify a lesson.

Education is necessary for everybody. Education is very vital, deprived of

education no can lead a good life. Teaching and learning are the important

element in education. The teacher use different approaches and substantial to

teach their students and their active learning. With the passage of time, altered

methods and techniques are entered in the field of education and teacher use

different kind of aids to make effective learning. Visual aids arouse the interest of

learners and help the teachers to explain the concepts easily. Visual aids are

those instructional aids which are used in the classroom to encourage students

learning process. According to Burton “Visual aids are those sensory objects or

images which initiate or stimulate and support learning”. Kinder, S. James;

describe visual aids as “Visual aids are any devices which can be used to make

the learning experience more real, more accurate and more active”.

Visual aids are tools that help to make an issue or lesson clearer or easier

to understand and know (pictures, models, charts, maps, videos, slides, real

objects etc.). There are many visual aids available these days. We may classify

these aids as follows, visual aids are which use sense of vision are called Visual

aids. For example :- models, actual objects, charts, pictures, maps, flannel board,

flash cards, bulletin board, chalkboard, slides, overhead projector etc. Out of

these black board and chalk are the commonest ones. The challenges of

classroom instruction increases when prescribed a course to the class while

 33

course books (textbooks) are constituted with too many interactive expertise

activities. Most significantly, it has convert a common phenomenon to integrate

textbooks with audio visual aids as additional or supplementary resource for

classroom course learning activities.

Visual aids are important in education system. Visual aids are those

devices which are used in classrooms to encourage students learning process

and make it easier and interesting. Visual aids are the best tool for making

teaching effective and the best dissemination of knowledge. Visual aids are the

devices that help the teacher to clarify, establish, and correlate and co-ordinate

precise conceptions, understandings and appreciations and support him to make

learning more actual, active, motivating, encouraging, significant and glowing

Learning is a complex process. It can be defined as a change in

disposition; a relatively permanent change in behavior over time and this is

brought about partly by knowledge. Learning can happen as an outcome of

afresh attained skills, principles, perception, knowledge, facts, and new

information at hand. Learning can be reinforced with different teaching/learning

resources because they stimulate, motivate as well as focus learners’ attention

for a while during the instructional process. Visual aids arouse the interest of

learners and help the teachers to explain the concepts easily. Visual aids are

those instructional aids which are used in the classroom to encourage teaching

learning process. As Singh (2010) defines: “Any device which by sight and sound

increase the individual s' practice, outside that attained through read labeled as
 34

an audio visual aids”. Visual aids are those instructional devices which are used

in the classroom to encourage learning and make it easier and motivating. The

material like models, charts, film strip, projectors, radio, television, maps etc

called instructional aids. Visual aids are effective tool that “invest the past with an

air of actuality.” Visual aids distribute the learners with true knowledge, which

detention their devotion and help in the understanding of the ancient marvels.

They demand to the mind through the visual auditory senses. When we use

visual aids as teaching aid, it is one of the aspects which root participation of

students in the lesson because when students look at visual model or aid, it is

measured as a kind of contribution

Visual supports serve as communication and teaching aids that provide

students with information allowing them to process a message, task, or

expectation as well as provide them with stimuli to help with focus and

completing tasks with decreased assistance from staff or peers. Additionally,

visual supports can be used to enhance social skill development and to address

behavior that impedes students’ learning and the learning of others.

Visual aids such as schedules, calendars, choice boards, and menus

serve the primary functions of giving information in a structured, orderly format

(Carson et al., 2008; Hodgdon, 2011). Aids for providing effective directions can

include any classroom management tool that allows the teacher to communicate

more effectively with the students and can include visual supports that give

directions, depict rules, and provide students with task organization (Hodgdon,
 35

2011). Visual supports in the form of objects, pictures, line drawings, or words

can be used to build schedules and organize tasks, bringing structure to a child’s

day. Visual schedules can be used to organize specific activities and tasks by

portraying the activities that will occur as well as detailing the small steps

involved in a single activity such as the steps necessary to complete a specific

activity within the larger daily routine. Research suggests that picture schedules

that offer support both between and within an activity can benefit students with

severe disabilities. Picture schedules, used as a strategy for increasing

predictability of classroom routines, can be an alternative to verbal and written

instruction.

Bryan and Gast (2010) used graduated guidance combined with a picture

activity schedule to increase independent on-task and on-schedule behaviors of

students with autism. Their activity schedules used line-drawings of academic

activities and replaced verbal prompts while maintaining student attention and

engagement in academic tasks. The picture activity schedules were reported as

a useful management tool, feasible to implement in the general education

classroom, and beneficial to all children in the class setting (Bryan & Gast, 2000).

Photographs can be combined to create schedule activity books that

depict individual activities in a sequence in which they are to occur. Although this

study was conducted outside of the general education classroom, it

demonstrated the benefit of activity schedules on increasing students’

independence in work environments thereby decreasing their prompt

 36

dependency and the need for teacher support. The success of the activity

schedules is suggestive of their ability as a non-invasive support strategy that

can increase student independence across multiple environments, including the

classroom.

Activity schedules were demonstrated to be very effective in teaching

participants with autism and other developmental disabilities to complete a

variety of recreational and home living tasks. The activity schedules comprised of

photographs and line drawings were successful in decreasing the participants’

dependency on verbal prompts to remain engaged in appropriate activities. The

photographic activity schedules, taught with graduated guidance, promoted

sustained engagement and lead the participant to respond to new activity

sequences and novel leisure activities with a greater level of independence.

Behavior Management.

Effective behavior management is based on the teacher‘s ability to

successfully create a well-managed, structured classroom environment so that

learning can occur. Teaching a number of children with different needs,

behaviors and attention spans can be challenging. However, when a positive

learning culture is created, the children will learn better because they will know

what is expected of them.

Behavioral management is an important element of classroom

effectiveness. The lack of calm and control in the educational setting can

interrupt the effective learning for all students, including students with and without
 37

special needs. A teacher’s use of an effective behavioral management style for

inclusion classrooms is critical for the success of students with special needs in

that environment (Sarason & Sarason, 2015). Harvey and Allard (2016)

concluded in their study, that the educators, who regularly used the behavioral

management plans that included social contracts and small group settings, were

more successful in preventing behavioral incidents. Thus, the prevention of these

incidents averted the negative impact on students’ learning, providing a more

solid educational foundation for all students in the inclusion classroom. Further,

the researchers working in specific areas of psychology concerned with

behavioral management, and specifically the issue of maladaptive behavior, have

often referred to various techniques that could be used in self-contained special

education classrooms. Shimoni, Barrington, Wilde, and Henwood (2013) stress

the significance of establishing specific techniques in inclusion classrooms, which

the general education teachers have successfully used to manage and instruct

students with and without special needs, in a highly diverse environment. The

researchers studied several techniques for associated effectiveness, and they

concluded that some techniques are much more effective than the others. The

results revealed, the techniques that involved smaller groups, social contracts,

and reinforced positive behavior are usually among the best performing types of

classroom behavioral management systems; these techniques witnessed fewer

discipline referrals, leading to an improved overall classroom performance

(Parsonson, 2012).
 38

The frequency of challenges in classroom management has increased

with the acceptance of the idea of inclusion, rather than the isolation of students

with special needs. Several teachers have marked the increase in inclusion

assignments as a causal factor that affects the discipline of classroom, resulting

in increased levels of stress (Oral, 2012). The teachers have also referred to the

inclusion arrangement as a factor responsible for the reduced overall academic

performance. The classroom management techniques are beneficial for the

teachers also, as the teachers who are able to manage classrooms more

successfully tend to remain in the teaching profession longer, which is further

desirable for the continuity of student education (Sass, Flores, Claeys, & Perez,

2012)

A positive behavior management system can support and maintain a safe,

optimal learning environment. It allows the teacher to highlight and reinforce the

strengths of individual learners. In addition, it provides students with cues to good

behavior. Supporting student behavior, maintaining a calm learning environment

and providing predictable routines assist in giving all learners optimal learning

conditions

For students to be successful in inclusive settings, their classroom

behavior must be consistent with teachers’ demands and academic expectations

and must promote their learning and socialization with peers. Appropriate

academic, social, and behavioral skills allow students to become part of the

class, the school, and the community. Unfortunately, for reasons both inside and

outside the classroom, the behavior of some students like Matthew may interfere
 39

with their learning and socialization as well as that of their classmates. Therefore,

you may need to have a comprehensive and balanced classroom management

plan. This involves using many of the different strategies and physical design

changes discussed in this chapter to help your students engage in behaviors that

support their learning and socializing with others. A good classroom

management system recognizes the close relationship between positive behavior

and effective instruction. Therefore, an integral part of a classroom management

system includes your use of such effective instructional practices as

understanding students’ learning and social needs; providing students with

access to an engaging and appropriate curriculum; and using innovative,

motivating, differentiated teaching practices and instructional accommodations,

Inclusion classrooms have become more common, placing a larger

number of students with special needs in classrooms with typically developing

students (Toprakci, 2012). Often, the general education teachers do not have

sufficient training in proven inclusion practices to cope with the increase in

diverse learning needs, which may lead to disruptive behavior. This causes more

stress in the classroom, both for the educator and the students (Cleve, 2012). An

essential element for effective classroom management is thus, behavioral

management (Rhoades, 2013).

The adoption of successful behavioral management styles and techniques

is critical for the success of special needs students in inclusion classrooms, as

 40

the success of the entire learning community is directly related to the success or

failure of the management strategy.

The researchers who have addressed behavioral management and

specifically the issue of maladaptive behavior, have often referred to various

techniques that can be applied successfully in self-contained special education

classrooms. Several researchers though have previously worked towards

designing specific programs for certain groups of students with similar

disabilities, they avoided a broader approach which is necessary in public

education inclusion classrooms. Also, these specific methods generally

addressed specific learning disabilities and were employed in environments

where the teacher-student ratio was usually much lower in comparison to the

inclusion classrooms; this makes it significant to understand whether the

previously designed specific techniques are applicable to classrooms where,

general education teachers are managing and instructing students with and

without special needs in a highly diverse environment.

However, the particular styles of classroom management, or techniques

and strategies used by teachers on a daily basis, which they found useful with a

diverse and mixed student population in inclusion classrooms are unknown

(Chafouleas, Sanetti, Jaffery, & Fallon, 2012; Oral, 2012). My goal in this study

was thus to observe the strategies and techniques designed by teachers to

successfully manage the inclusion classrooms and also, to examine the ways

teachers mitigate stress.

 41

Inclusive Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Making assessment an integral part of daily instruction is a challenge. It

requires planning specific ways to use assignments and discussions to discover

what students do and do not understand. It also requires teachers to be prepared

to deal with students' responses. Merely spotting when students are incorrect is

relatively easy compared with understanding the reasons behind their errors. The

latter demands careful attention and a deep knowledge of the mathematics

concepts and principles that students are learning… The insights we gain by

making assessment a regular part of instruction enable us to meet the needs of

the students who are eager for more challenges and to provide intervention for

those who are struggling. Assessment is integral to the teaching–learning

process, facilitating student learning and improving instruction, and can take a

variety of forms. Classroom assessment is generally divided into three types:

assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning.

The philosophy behind assessment for learning is that assessment and

teaching should be integrated into a whole. The power of such an assessment

doesn't come from intricate technology or from using a specific assessment

instrument. It comes from recognizing how much learning is taking place in the

common tasks of the school day – and how much insight into student learning

teachers can mine from this material.

Assessment for learning is ongoing assessment that allows teachers to

monitor students on a day-to-day basis and modify their teaching based on what

the students need to be successful. This assessment provides students with the
 42

timely, specific feedback that they need to make adjustments to their learning.

After teaching a lesson, we need to determine whether the lesson was

accessible to all students while still challenging to the more capable; what the

students learned and still need to know; how we can improve the lesson to make

it more effective; and, if necessary, what other lesson we might offer as a better

alternative. This continual evaluation of instructional choices is at the heart of

improving our teaching practice. Assessment of learning is the snapshot in time

that lets the teacher, students and their parents know how well each student has

completed the learning tasks and activities. It provides information about student

achievement. While it provides useful reporting information, it often has little

effect on learning.

Despite the very different starting points and issues facing countries, all

are working towards using assessment as a facilitator rather than a barrier to

inclusion. Furthermore, all countries are debating ways of making their systems

of assessment genuinely more inclusive for pupils with different special

educational needs.

In some countries - for example the German Bundesländer and Austria -

this means considering the entitlements pupils with special educational needs

have to be included in mainstream assessment procedures. For countries with

policies that include national assessment procedures, moves towards making

assessment more inclusive focus on adapting or modifying mainstream

assessment procedures so they can be accessible for pupils with different

special educational needs.

 43

Adapting mainstream assessment procedures is the focus of a lot of

attention and there is a move in countries towards ‘universal assessment’, where

assessment materials are planned and designed to be accessible to the widest

possible range of pupils without the need for further modification at later stages

of their use. The principles underpinning inclusive assessment - All assessment

procedures should be used to inform and promote learning for all pupils; - All

pupils should be entitled to be part of all assessment procedures; - The needs of

pupils with special educational needs should be considered and accounted for

within all general as well as special educational needs specific assessment

policies; - All assessment procedures should be complementary and inform each

other; - All assessment procedures should aim to ‘celebrate’ diversity by

identifying and valuing all pupils’ individual learning progress and achievements;

- Inclusive assessment explicitly aims to prevent segregation by avoiding - as far

as possible - forms of labelling and by focussing on learning and teaching

practice that promotes inclusion in a mainstream setting.

The focus of inclusive assessment and the purpose of inclusive

assessment should be to improve learning for all pupils in mainstream settings; -

All assessment procedures, methods and tools should inform teaching and

learning and support teachers in their work; - Inclusive assessment may include

a range of assessment procedures that fulfil other purposes in addition to

informing teaching and learning. These purposes may be related to summative

assessment, initial identification of special educational needs, or monitoring of

educational standards. All these procedures should aim to inform learning, but
 44

the procedures should also be ‘fit for purpose’. That is the methods and

procedures should only be used for the reason they were designed for and not

used for others purposes.

The methods used in inclusive assessment - Inclusive assessment

involves a range of possible methods and strategies to assessing pupils. The key

point about all these possible approaches is that they all work to gather clear

evidence about pupils’ learning; - Inclusive assessment methods report on the

product or outcomes of learning, but also provide teachers with information on

how to develop and improve the process of learning for an individual pupil or

groups of pupils in the future; - Decision-making based upon inclusive

assessment draws upon a range of sources that are action based and presents

evidence of learning collected over a period of time (and not snapshot, one off

assessment information); - A wide range of assessment methods are necessary

in inclusive assessment in order to make sure that there is a wide coverage of

areas (non-academic as well as academic subjects) assessed; - Assessment

methods should aim to provide ‘value added information’ on pupil’s learning

progress and development, not just snapshot information; - Any assessment

information should be contextualized and the educational environment as well as

any home-based or environmental factors that influence a pupil’s learning should

be taken into account; - Inclusive assessment should extend to assessing the

factors that support inclusion for an individual pupil in order that wider school,

class management and support decisions can be effectively made

 45

The people involved in inclusive assessment - Inclusive assessment

involves the active involvement of class teachers, pupils, parents, class peers

and others as potential assessors, or participants in the assessment process; -

The procedures used in inclusive assessment should be developed based upon

shared concepts and values for assessment and inclusion as well as the

principles of participation and collaboration between the different stakeholders in

assessment; - Any assessment should aim to be empowering for the pupil

concerned by providing them with insights into their own learning as well as a

source of motivation to encourage their future learning; - All pupils are entitled to

be part of inclusive assessment - pupils with SEN as well as their classmates and

peers. Inclusive assessment can be considered to be an important aim for all

educational policy makers and practitioners. However, inclusive assessment can

only be realized within an appropriate policy framework and with the appropriate

organization of schools and support to teachers who themselves need to have a

positive attitude towards inclusion.

RELATED STUDIES

This section shows the different local and foreign studies that are related

to the present study. These studies provided deep insights on the level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools that has

some bearing on the problem under study.

 46

Foreign Studies

The study of Polirstok (2015) said that classrooms in the 21st century

have by law become inclusive, typically comprised of general education and

special needs students. Included students are those who present with mild to

moderate learning and behavioral challenges. They add another layer of

complexity to classroom management, requiring teachers to be highly structured,

consistent and reinforcing. Teacher fidelity to behavioral expectations that have

been established for the classroom is essential. Classroom management

strategies discussed include changing the teacher approval to disapproval ratio,

using selective ignoring, focusing on structure and routine, increasing student

locus of control, de-escalating student aggression and hostility, and limiting the

use of punishment. Hands-on strategies are highlighted.

This research study of Yamani (2014) is a qualitative study focused on

classroom management practices for creating an inclusive classroom

environment guided by the following question: How do teachers use classroom

management practices and/or strategies to create inclusive learning

environments for all students, including those who have been identified with

exceptionalities? A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine

research that currently exists on classroom management practices and inclusive

classrooms. A series of questions are comprised for face to-face interviews with

two consenting participants, which was used as a means to gain insight on how

teachers adapt their classroom management practices to meet the needs for

students with exceptionalities within classrooms. Data collected from the

 47

interviews was used to provide depth and analysis to the literature previously

reviewed. There were five emerging themes found from the data: 1) effective

classroom management strategies to establish within the first few weeks of

school, 2) benefits and challenges in an inclusive classroom, 3) managing

behaviour in an inclusive classroom, 4) prior experience and additional education

play a role in managing inclusive classrooms, 5) take advantage of resources in

the environment around you. This study concludes with the implications of the

findings, limitations and further study opportunities.

Soodak (2016) said that inclusive education involves educating students

with disabilities in age-appropriate general education classes in which they are

perceived as valued members of the class and receive the supports and services

they need to succeed. The goals of inclusive education are to facilitate

acceptance, belonging, and tolerance among students with and without

disabilities and to enable all students to have access to a high-quality, standards-

based education. The purposes of this review are (a) to identify research-based

practices that promote positive academic, social, and behavioral outcomes for

students in inclusive classrooms; (b) to analyze trends and issues in the

research; and (c) to identify teacher, school, social, and political factors that

influence the use and study of management practices in inclusive classrooms.

Classroom management practices are defined as the actions teachers take to

create an environment that supports and facilitates both academic and social-

emotional learning.
 48

According to Scott (2017) teaching in a public school is a demanding job

as the multiple dynamics of a classroom can be a challenge. In addition to

addressing the challenging behaviors that many students without disabilities

exhibit, more and more students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD)

are being included in the general education classroom. Effective instruction and

the development of effective instructional environments have been demonstrated

to decrease problem behaviors in students with histories of failure in school.

Positive behavior support (PBS) provides a framework for considering

development of instructional environments that increase the teacher's ability to

deliver effective instruction to all students, thereby increasing success rates and

reducing negative behavior across the school. The same PBS features:

prediction, prevention, consistency, and evaluation apply in the classroom to

decrease the number of problem behaviors and increase academic and social

success. This paper presents a description of the key features of effective

classroom PBS and demonstrates each via the use of case examples. The

premise of PBS is that the more effectively the environment is designed, more

effective it can be in facilitating classrooms that run smoothly and efficiently,

allowing teachers to recognize, assess, and plan for students with special needs.

Ioannou (2016) said that during the last decade, the number of children

diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased and more and

more children with ASD are educated in inclusive classrooms. Although their

inclusion can have several benefits, teachers face some challenges. The main

reason is these students’ problem behavior or lack of a desirable behavior. The

 49

aim of this systematic literature review was to analyze interventions for behavior

management of students with ASD, since the ratification of Salamanca

Statement and Framework for Action (UNESCO, 1994), in inclusive preschool

and primary school classrooms. The aim was also to examine the outcomes of

these interventions. Four databases were searched and nine articles were

included for data extraction. Results indicated the implementation of different

interventions such as function-based interventions, peer support, visual cue

cards, structured teaching with graduated guidance, social stories and social

scripts. The target behavior was principally assessed through Functional

Behavioral Assessment (FBA) or it was not assessed at all. Some interventions

were provided by the researcher or the teacher only, some were provided by

different people in different phases and some were provided by two or more

people together. Interventions’ goals were to decrease problem behavior, to

increase desirable behavior and both to decrease problem behavior and to

increase desirable behavior. It was observed that all interventions reached their

goals, even though at a low level in some cases. In conclusion, this literature

review provided a summary of interventions and their outcomes for behavior

management of students with ASD in inclusive classrooms with a further purpose

to help the teachers identify the strategies most useful for their classroom.

The study of Ron (2018) said that the increasing popularity of inclusion

classrooms has placed a large number of students with special needs with the

ones without disabilities. Often, general education teachers lack sufficient training

in proven inclusion practices that is necessary to cope with the increase in

 50

diverse learning needs. The absence of sufficient training can lead to disruptive

behavior and also, induce more stress in the classroom for the educator and the

students. The qualitative case study aimed to explore the strategies and

techniques used by elementary school teachers to successfully manage inclusion

classrooms and to learn how the teachers handled stress. Vygotsky’s

sociocultural theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. The data

collection methods involved observing school classrooms and interviewing

teachers. A total of 6 teachers were interviewed and 3 observations were made

in the classroom settings of these teachers. All the participants were teachers

located in a small rural district of South Central Texas. The collected data were

analyzed using cross-case analysis. The findings of this study indicate the most

common methods of classroom management, that include the centers formed by

small groups of students, and the tailoring of activities based on students’ needs.

Further, it was learnt that the teachers used a variety of techniques to mitigate

their stress levels and to manage their classrooms in a calm manner. Also, using

appropriate classroom management techniques can help the students with

special needs to learn ways in which they can adapt their own behavior through

self-regulation, to function more effectively with others.

Walsh (2017) said that inclusion of students with special needs in the

general education classroom has been a major topic of discussion for many

years. Inclusion education means that all students are part of the school

community, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. These students

deserve to have full access to all resources and social interactions that are
 51

present in the general education classroom. The ultimate goal of many schools is

to create a classroom that has the least restrictive environment to meet the

needs of all students, including those with special needs. However, many

teachers were not taught how to teach students with special needs. Despite this

lack of education, students with special needs are still placed in the general

education classrooms. Studies show that teachers do want students with special

needs in their classroom; however they do not feel prepared to fully address the

educational needs of these students. Teachers should be given the opportunity

to learn more about how to create successful inclusion classrooms.

Consequently, the purpose of this study is to address the different teaching

strategies that teachers can use in order to have a successful inclusion

classroom. This study answered one research question: How do teachers create

and maintain successful inclusion classrooms? Data to answer this research

question was collected through a review of scholarly literature and observations

in two elementary classrooms. The researcher results showed that teachers can

set students with special needs up for success if they are knowledgable of a

variety teaching strategies to do so.

The study of Mcwell (2012) intends to contribute to successful

implementation of Inclusive Education in South African Schools, by exploring

learners’ experiences within the classroom and teachers views about the

classroom environment. A combination of these two factors will indicate the

extent how far inclusive education is being implemented in the classrooms. The

school that was selected to participate in this study is located in the semi-rural
 52

area in Pinetown district. Learners participated in three focus group sessions.

These sessions aimed at gathering data on learners’ experiences within

classroom environment. Each group consisted of eight learners; that is, four

males and four females. Focus group one was selected from grade seven; the

second focus group from grade eight and the third group from grade nine. The

class teachers of the selected classes were requested to take part in the

interview sessions. The sessions intended to gather information on teachers’

views about classroom environment and how it impacts on their implementation

of Inclusive education. The study reveals that in South Africa the problem of

inclusive curriculum implementation still exists and need special attention from all

stake holders involved in education. What learners experience in the classroom

result from how teachers conduct their practice. It is also evident that teachers

have not been properly prepared for a paradigm shift and implementation of

inclusive curriculum. As a result teaching practice has not change to

accommodate the requirements of inclusive education. Consequently, the losers

in the process are the learners, as they continuously have negative experiences

within the classroom which causes barriers to learning.

The study of Torombe (2013) said that Papua New Guinea (PNG)

endorsed its inclusive education policy entitled ‘National Special Education

Policy, Plans and Guidelines’ (NSEPPG) in 1993. It is one of the essential

documents that PNG formulated in connection to international trends such as the

1990 World Declaration on Education for All and the 1994 Salamanca Statement

that advocate that regular schools should accommodate all children regardless of
 53

their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions to

receive education along with their able bodied peers (Smith-Davis, 2002). The

NSEPPG provides the cornerstone of how inclusive education is to be achieved

across all levels of education in PNG. The PNG government began with initial

plans to merge special education practices to inclusive education since 1993

when the inclusive education policy was enacted. This landmark document

warranted that all children with disability that have remained excluded in regular

schools are to access education in their nearby schools without any forms of

discrimination. The policy proclaims that teachers’ are responsible to provide the

inclusion education for all children through the regular teaching and learning

process and the government promised to support the implementation processes.

This study was set out to capture this moment in history in two urban primary

schools in PNG and to determine the factors that have influenced the

implementation of inclusive education policy. The research gazed through Pierre

Bourdieu’s three conceptual tools of habitus, field and capital as a theoretical

framework to examine twelve experienced teachers’ to story their experiences

via focus group and follow-up individual interviews on how they implement

inclusive education policy. In correlation to Bourdieu’s concepts habits, field and

capital, what teachers experienced during their teaching in the school identified

key factors that least facilitated policy implementation processes. The study has

recognized a disconnection between the knowledge on inclusive education and

the practices of implementation in the field. The study found that despite

teachers’ having positive nurturing instinct to support children’s education in view

 54

of the Education for All agenda, they are confronted with numerous challenges

and complexities as they work to embrace practices of integration and inclusion

within their capacities as teachers. The study found that the challenges imposed

on teachers were lack of knowledge and skills in inclusive education, large class

size, lack of collaborative support system within the school and the education

system along with lack of incentives. The recommendations and the reflections

put forth in this thesis offer insight into, roles of primary school teachers, school

Principals, school inspectors, teacher educators and educational policy makers in

general to look again into how this government innovation can better facilitated at

the primary school level where vast majority of school aged children cannot be

absent from education. The study suggest what teachers and policy makers can

learn from the current study to look into the future of inclusive education in PNG

to create a connectedness between policy and practice is no rhetoric policy

proclamation to actual practice

According to Mingo (2017) said that the opinions of general education

secondary school teachers in seven select schools involved in a pilot inclusive

education program in the Northwest Region of Cameroon were sought. The

findings reveal that most teachers in Cameroon still prefer separate special

education institutions to inclusive ones. These conclusions contradict earlier

research which showed that resistance to integrated classrooms was emanating

from beliefs and customs. Teachers with some training on teaching students with

disabilities and more experienced and highly educated teachers were more

supportive of inclusive education indicating that resistance to the practice is

 55

linked to inadequate or complete lack of teachers’ preparedness. Younger, less

experienced teachers with no training in special education indicated less

enthusiasm regarding the benefits of inclusion, their ability to manage integrated

classrooms, and teach students with disabilities. The implication of these findings

for future research, institutional support systems, institutional policies, and overall

instructional leadership is discussed in this article.

Salovita (2017) said that positive teacher attitudes are essential for

success when children with special educational needs (SEN) are placed into

mainstream classrooms. The present study surveyed teachers’ attitudes towards

inclusion by using a large national sample and Teachers’ Attitudes towards

Inclusion Scale (TAIS). A total of 1,764 Finnish basic-school teachers

participated in the e-mail survey. They included 824 classroom teachers, 575

subject teachers and 365 special-education teachers. The classroom teachers

scored below and the subject teachers significantly below, the neutral midpoint of

the scale. The special-education teachers’ mean scores were above the

midpoint. About 20% of teachers were strong opponents of inclusion, and 8%

were strong advocates. The attitudes towards inclusion had only weak

associations with variables other than the teacher category. Teachers’ work

orientation and self-efficacy had low associations with their attitudes towards

inclusion. The results illustrate the attitudinal climate of teachers towards

inclusion and indicate the existing potential for policy change.

According to Dalton (2012) said that South Africa has adopted an inclusive

education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education system.

 56

However, the implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of teachers’

skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide range of

learning needs. In this paper we provided a background to inclusive education

policy in South Africa and a brief exposition of an instructional design approach,

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that addresses a wide range of learning

needs in a single classroom. We reported on a workshop conducted with

teachers and therapists in South Africa as a first attempt to introduce UDL in this

context. Knowledge of UDL was judged to be appropriate and useful by the

course participants in the South African context as a strategy for curriculum

differentiation in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, knowledge of the UDL

framework facilitates dialogue between teachers and therapists and provides a

relatively simple and comprehensive approach for curriculum differentiation. We

therefore conclude that there is potential for this approach that can be expanded

through further teacher training.

Kohama (2012) said that ten percent (10%) of the world’s population lives

with a disability, and 80% of these people with disabilities live in developing

countries.i The services available for people with disabilities differ widely

between developed and developing countries. One of these services is

education. The International Community, especially since the UN Convention on

People with Disabilities, is becoming increasingly aware of the different models of

special education. The three basic models, segregated, integrated and inclusive

special education, have been differentiated between by international and

governmental agencies, and overwhelming support is being shown by human

 57

rights activists, nonprofits, governmental organizations, governments and

international agencies, all in favor of inclusive special education as the most

beneficial type of education for people of all ability levels. The Government of

India has created numerous policies around special education since the country’s

independence in 1947. Although the Government of India has attempted to

create policies that are inclusive for people with disabilities, their implementation

efforts have not resulted in an inclusive system of education, nor have they

reached their goal of “education for all” across the country. The Government of

India needs to bridge the gaps in their education system to build a strong system

of inclusive education in India.

Nassir (2017) said that co-teaching has become more prevalent in

schools. The purpose of this study is to explore how general and special

education teachers build successful co-teaching relationships to provide special

education services to students with disabilities. This case study specifically

described how two pairs of co-teachers including one special education teacher

and two general education teachers interact, collaborate, and build and promote

their co-teaching relationships. The observation and interviews with two first

grade co-teaching pairs provided data that told the story of how their co-teaching

relationships developed and were promoted through working together in an

inclusive classroom. Research data for this qualitative study were collected from

teacher interviews, observational field notes, and review of related documents.

Findings from this study revealed that teachers’ strategies of interacting and

collaborating with each other affect how they build their co-teaching relationships.
 58

The three teachers realized the benefits of collective responsibilities included

learning from each other and supporting one another. Teachers also experienced

some challenges that impeded the improvement of the relationship. Such

challenges included lack of shared knowledge, lack of clarity in roles and

responsibilities, lack of planning time, and lack of administrative support. Several

co-teaching strategies were identified as important factors when starting and

building co-teaching relationships. Such strategies included respecting one

another, trying new ideas, and keeping communication alive.

The study of Akoto (2018) said that drawing on data from previous

research, this article focuses on the challenges and opportunities of Inclusive

education using Ghana as a case study. The purpose is to explore the situation

of Inclusive education in Ghana and examine factors affecting the effective

implementation and the opportunities of practicing inclusive education. The

concept of inclusive education is an idea or process that involves both disabled

and abled children together in an environment that is free and safe. The concept

furthermore includes teaching methods, positive attitudes, buildings, and

facilities. The conclusion shows that Ghana has initiated a policy to embark on

the implementation and practice of inclusive education, that is, including disabled

children in the regular schools. However, there are some challenges that affect

the inclusion of disabled children in mainstream schools. The research

considered the negative attitudes of families and people towards disabled

children. In addition to that, the importance of the teacher´s attitude towards

inclusive education is accentuated because if teachers are not trained to handle

 59

the disabled children in the classroom they can develop a negative attitude

towards them. Lack of facilities is another of the challenges for the

implementation and practice of inclusive education. The article argues that

families and communities need to change. They have to accept disabled children

to be part of the system rather than expecting them to adjust and conform to

second class standards. Developing the education system for disabled children

to take part calls for school development, training and providing necessary

equipment to meet their participation in the regular school environment

The study of Mongwaketse (2011) said that mainstream education was

declared by the government of Botswana as a priority for educating learners with

special educational needs especially those with Learning Difficulties - LD since

1984. The Revised National Policy on Education (1994) articulates governments‟

commitment to the education of all children, advocating for an inclusive education

as much as is feasible. This study is an exploration of what teachers do in their

schools and/or classrooms to implement inclusive education particularly looking

at how they understand curriculum, curriculum adaptations and what they do to

differentiate for learners who have LD through their teaching. Six primary schools

in urban, semi-urban and rural areas were purposively selected and data were

collected through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis.

Seventeen participants participated in the study. The findings reveal that

teachers‟ conceptualization and understanding of inclusive education seemed

not to fit within the national requirements of using learner centered approaches.

The findings also reveal that the teachers‟ conceptualization and understanding
 60

of inclusive education seem embedded within the cultural concept of „botho‟

(respect for humanity), a discourse which takes into account accepting all

individuals. Although participants embrace the concept of inclusive education,

this seems to be on a theoretical basis since in practice it seems that learners

who have LD were not given learning opportunities which allow them to

participate in the teaching and learning process. Finally, participants identify

some barriers such as an examination oriented curriculum, class sizes and lack

of teachers‟ skills and knowledge as areas which hinder the implementation of

inclusive education. The study challenges the traditional use of authoritarian

approaches of teaching as one way of perpetuating exclusionary circumstances

within Botswana schools as it leaves learners who have LD with little chance of

accessing the curriculum. A dynamic constructive relationship between

curriculum, teachers and learners is suggested, moving from „teaching the

curriculum‟ to „understanding and developing inclusive curricula‟ within a social

constructivist discourse.

Regmi (2017) said that inclusive education is globally accepted as a

movement of educational reform in order to establish universally accessible and

quality education system that supports to address the problems of exclusion in

education. Along with global community, The Government of Nepal also

committed to ensure universal quality education and adopted principles of

inclusion in education to promote overall education system. Despite the various

provisions of inclusive education at policy level, many children in Nepal still

remained out of school, among those who come to school, many children leave
 61

school before completing primary education and many children suffers from

lower learning achievement as well as class repetition. Keeping these concerns

in background, this study has aimed to explore the actual situation of inclusive

education in Nepal. The intent of this study was to dig out the problems

perceived by school teachers to translate the ideals and values of inclusive

education in classroom. The convergence parallel design was used as a

research method and information were collected through multiple tools namely

documents, questionnaires, observation and interview. Seventy five school

teachers from fifteen schools were participated and filled questionnaire forms,

four classroom teaching were observed, and four children with hard of hearing

problem were interviewed in order to obtain desired information. The field data

were analyzed, presented and discussed in a descriptive way on the basis of

different dimensions of inclusive education. The findings of this study clears that

theoretically inclusive education in Nepal is grounded on the human right

perspective. Although the Government has made different provisions of inclusive

education at policy level, the practice of inclusive pedagogy in classroom was

found less effective. The practice of inclusive education is affected by multiple

factors such as lack of effective teachers, less inclusive culture in the school,

weak coordination between community and school, and limited financial

resources of the schools. Among those factors which are responsible in less

effective practice of inclusive education, the negative attitude ofthe teachers and

parents towards disability was found very critical that demands the change of

attitude that respect disability and diversity. Similarly, other social factors such as
 62

social values and the belief system, resource constraints, ignorance of children

with disabilities are equally responsible in least effective practice of inclusive

education in classroom. Additionally, the findings of this study has showed that

the general schools in Nepal have lack of culture of inclusion as they have

traditionally oriented school organization, lack of dynamic leadership and weak

resource mobilization. The situation of children with disability in general school

was also found very critical as they are ignored by school teachers, peers and

other school’s staff as well as disadvantaged from assistive services. On the

basis of findings from multiple data sources used in this study, this study has

concluded that there is clear and visible gap between policy provisions and its

practice as well as between knowledge of teachers on inclusive education and

the application of this knowledge in classroom teaching. In other word, the study

has clearly demonstrated the ‘implementation gaps’ regarding inclusive

education in Nepalese context. As most of the teachers in general school

perceived the various problems that are originated from the social structure and

negative attitude to practice of inclusive education, this study has recommended

‘cultural transformation of school’ in collaboration with the local community as key

strategy to steer the culture of inclusion in schools that ultimately supports to

promote the effective practice of inclusive education in Nepal.

According to Buchoiz (2015) said that the type of classroom environment

that a teacher creates and encourages can either increase or decrease a

student's ability to learn and feel comfortable as a member of the class. The

classroom environment should do as much to foster cooperation and acceptance

 63

as the teaching methods that the teacher uses. This article describes a number

of methods to help teachers plan for and create a classroom that welcomes and

supports all children. At the beginning of the year teachers have the goal of

establishing a classroom environment that is favorable for helping all students

work cooperatively in order to learn.

The classroom environment can either improve or impede a student's

ability to learn and feel safe and comfortable as a member of the class.

Classrooms that encourage emotional well-being create an atmosphere for both

learning and emotional development. Educational research supports creating an

atmosphere of mutual respect, where students feel relaxed in asking questions

and expressing their thoughts and feelings (Stronge, 2002).

Some areas to consider when creating an atmosphere of mutual respect

are classroom design, classroom procedures, and classroom strategies.

Implementing a few strategies that address these areas can help develop a

strong sense of community and encourage positive interactions and cooperative

learning for students with and without disabilities. A warm classroom environment

can lead to increased academic achievement and a sense of pride and belonging

in the school.

Local Studies

The paper of Domagas (2015) investigates the possibilities of the

application of learning as a criterion for the evaluation of inclusive education of

students with intellectual disabilities. Inclusive education is a specific approach to

 64

the inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in formal education, and is

thus based on human rights. Learning outcomes are recently becoming an

important instrument of educational policy, especially as a criterion for education

evaluation. The analysis of the possibility to apply learning outcomes as a

criterion for the evaluation of inclusive education has shown that difficulties arise

as a result of the inconsistency between the value argumentation of inclusive

education on one hand, and the argumentation directed towards the outcomes

on the other; the difficulties connected with the measurement and comparison of

learning outcomes of students with intellectual disabilities; and the infeasibility of

learning outcomes to include social effects of inclusive education. Due to these

problems, the application of learning outcomes as a criterion of inclusive

education leads to the downsizing of resources intended to the implementation of

inclusive education, and reduces the inclusion of students with intellectual

disabilities in regular schools.

The study of Dapudong (2014) said that the success of inclusion or

organised placement of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms

largely depends on teachers’ attitudes towards students with special educational

needs (SEN) and their knowledge on how to properly educate them. In quite a

number of studies, the attitude of teachers towards educating students with SEN

has been put forward as a decisive factor in making schools more inclusive.

If mainstream teachers do not accept the education of these students as

an integral part of their job, they will try to ensure that someone else (often the

special educational needs teacher) takes responsibility for these students and
 65

will organize covert segregation in the school (e.g. the special class). This study

uses descriptive survey method to investigate international school teachers’

knowledge and attitude towards inclusive education of SEN students in the

Eastern Seaboard region of Thailand in the school year 2013-2014. Fifty-two

male and female general education and special educational needs teachers who

work full time in four international schools in the region completed the Modified

Opinions Relative to the Integration of Children with Disabilities (MORID) survey.

The respondents had moderate knowledge on inclusive education and revealed

neutral attitude towards inclusion.

There is a need for schools to provide more special educational needs

training, sufficient learning support providers and educational resources as well

as in-depth specialization courses that provide specialized practices for

implementing the SEN strategies in their classrooms as well as offering teaching

strategies on how to bridge theory and practice. Learning Support Programs and

the actual delivery of these programs should be developed in terms of individual

education plan (IEP) provision, curriculum modifications and classroom

adaptations that are appropriate for students with special educational needs.

Synthesis of the Reviewed Literature and Studies

All studies reviewed by the researcher as hereby presented are

considered relevant to this study.

 66

The study of Polirstok (2015), Yamani (2014), Soodak (2016), Scott

(2017), Ron (2018), Mcwell (2012), Torombe (2013), Mingo (2017), Kohama

(2012), Regmi (2017), and the present study are similar in terms of some

variables used in their studies and they differ also in some cases.

The study of Polirstok (2015) said that classrooms in the 21st century

have by law become inclusive, typically comprised of general education and

special needs students. Classroom management strategies discussed include

changing the teacher approval to disapproval ratio, using selective ignoring,

focusing on structure and routine, increasing student locus of control, de-

escalating student aggression and hostility, and limiting the use of punishment.

Hands-on strategies are highlighted. This research study of Yamani (2014) is a

qualitative study focused on classroom management practices for creating an

inclusive classroom environment guided by the following question: How do

teachers use classroom management practices and/or strategies to create

inclusive learning environments for all students, including those who have been

identified with exceptionalities. Soodak (2016) said that inclusive education

involves educating students with disabilities in age-appropriate general education

classes in which they are perceived as valued members of the class and receive

the supports and services they need to succeed. The goals of inclusive education

are to facilitate acceptance, belonging, and tolerance among students with and

without disabilities and to enable all students to have access to a high-quality,

standards-based education. According to Scott (2017) teaching in a public school

is a demanding job as the multiple dynamics of a classroom can be a challenge.

 67

In addition to addressing the challenging behaviors that many students without

disabilities exhibit, more and more students with emotional and behavioral

disorders (EBD) are being included in the general education classroom. The

study of Ron (2018) said that the increasing popularity of inclusion classrooms

has placed a large number of students with special needs with the ones without

disabilities. Often, general education teachers lack sufficient training in proven

inclusion practices that is necessary to cope with the increase in diverse learning

needs. The absence of sufficient training can lead to disruptive behavior and

also, induce more stress in the classroom for the educator and the students.

Walsh (2017) said that inclusion of students with special needs in the general

education classroom has been a major topic of discussion for many years.

Inclusion education means that all students are part of the school community,

regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. The researcher results showed

that teachers can set students with special needs up for success if they are

knowledgable of a variety teaching strategies to do so. The study of Mcwell

(2012) intends to contribute to successful implementation of Inclusive Education

in South African Schools, by exploring learners’ experiences within the classroom

and teachers views about the classroom environment. A combination of these

two factors will indicate the extent how far inclusive education is being

implemented in the classrooms. The study of Torombe (2013) found that despite

teachers’ having positive nurturing instinct to support children’s education in view

of the Education for All agenda, they are confronted with numerous challenges

and complexities as they work to embrace practices of integration and inclusion

 68

within their capacities as teachers. The study found that the challenges imposed

on teachers were lack of knowledge and skills in inclusive education, large class

size, lack of collaborative support system within the school and the education

system along with lack of incentives. According to Mingo (2017) Teachers with

some training on teaching students with disabilities and more experienced and

highly educated teachers were more supportive of inclusive education indicating

that resistance to the practice is linked to inadequate or complete lack of

teachers’ preparedness. Younger, less experienced teachers with no training in

special education indicated less enthusiasm regarding the benefits of inclusion,

their ability to manage integrated classrooms, and teach students with

disabilities. According to Dalton (2012) said that South Africa has adopted an

inclusive education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education

system. However, the implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of

teachers’ skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide

range of learning needs.

Regmi (2017) said that inclusive education is globally accepted as a

movement of educational reform in order to establish universally accessible and

quality education system that supports to address the problems of exclusion in

education. Along with global community, The Government of Nepal also

committed to ensure universal quality education and adopted principles of

inclusion in education to promote overall education system.

 69

Theoretical Framework

  The Intergroup Contact Theory for Inclusive Education of Gordon Allport

was used in this study. He states that our stereotypical associations and biases

will decrease as we get to know and understand the experiences of others

through meaningful, equal status, and collaborative contact. Intergroup Contact

theory is particularly relevant to inclusive education settings and adapted

physical activity, as it supports an equitable school culture, and forms the basis

of awareness and education programs. Inclusive Education is a new direction of

theoretical and practical research more and more established at an international

and national level. Nowadays, in the educational and social contexts, the deeply

felt problem is how to turn our attention to the presence of those who have

special needs in non-excluding forms, in particular when such needs are referred

to the conditions of disabled people. Getting involved on inclusion means to

change our approach towards the educational systems preparing them fit for

answering to the different typologies of special needs that now characterize the

normality of educational contexts. The ever-growing attention to universal rights

and to the fulfillment of the ambition of any people, even if they are disabled,

forces the specialist and the professional staff to carry out their researches

according to an inclusive logic considering both school contexts and working

conditions. Researchers and teachers must study a series of ordinary

interventions and devise plans in order to grow the specially to such an extent to

become inclusive Only in such a way the differences cannot be seen as

interferences , but chances of improving the quality of educational systems.

 70

Conceptual Framework

Blackboard's Inclusive Thinking Framework is based on the theories

of Universal Design for Learning. It provides a strategy for building educational

experiences that are intentionally designed to meet the needs of students with

diverse needs first. This results in more engaging learning experiences for all.

The National Center for Educational Restructuring and Inclusion (NCERI),

defines inclusivity as the following. Providing to all students, including those with

significant disabilities, equitable opportunities to receive effectual educational

services, with the needed supplementary aids and support services, in age

appropriate classrooms in their neighborhood schools, in order to prepare

students for productive lives as full members of society. Many classrooms today,

both physical and digital, are integrated. Students with diverse needs are

included in general education methods, they are physically in the same place, but

they are expected to complete exactly the same work in exactly the same

manner.

Building an inclusive classroom doesn't mean getting all students in the

same space, doing the same things, in the same ways. It means enabling

everyone in the classroom to achieve the same goals, even if the method of

doing so is different. Inclusive classrooms put the focus on the learning objective

instead of the activity to measure it. They require all students to meet the same

learning objectives using assessments that are built to target the needs of the

individual student.
 71

As with Universal Design for Learning, inclusive classrooms benefit all

students. But learners with diverse needs are more engaged and more social in

inclusive classrooms. They, along with their typically developing peers, benefit

more from collaborative learning and positive environments where everyone has

an equal opportunity to be successful. Many teachers feel they lack the

knowledge, awareness, or time to build inclusive experiences into their

classroom. We've created this framework to give you the foundations for building

inclusive classrooms. There are three key things you need to consider to build a

truly inclusive classroom. The pedagogy you've developed, the content you're

building or providing and the tools and technology you're using in the classroom.

Thinking inclusively about your pedagogy means potentially rethinking

how learning is achieved and providing the means to help students succeed. 

Thinking inclusively means revisiting content and ensuring it's set up for universal

consumption. It also means choosing not to use content that doesn't meet

expectations. Thinking inclusively means understanding how people need to

interact with different tools you are using and adjusting or accommodating as

necessary. When selecting tools and technology to use in your classroom

consider how it may impact people with diverse needs. Building inclusive

classrooms seems like a lot of extra work. The value is not in the completion but

in the thinking. Remember there is no one size fits all solution. Thinking

inclusively is about setting up all your students for success. Start off the right way

with your next course. It's easier to build things inclusively from the beginning

rather than trying to fix them later on.

 72

In this study the independent variables used are age, sex, civil status,

highest educational attainment, number of years teaching and relevant trainings

attended. The dependent variables are inclusive classroom management,

inclusive curriculum content and pedagogy, inclusive instructional strategies and

approaches, inclusive assessment of learning outcomes and behavior

management.
 73

Independent

Figure 1. A paradigm showing the independent variables and dependent

variables.

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter will discuss the methods and procedures utilize in the present

study that includes the research design, respondents of the study, data gathering

instruments, validation of instrument, data gathering procedures and statistical

treatment of data.

Research Design

The researcher used the descriptive method of research that is concerned

with the description of data and characteristics about a population. The goal was

the acquisition of factual, accurate and systematic data that can be used in

averages, frequencies and similar statistical calculations and to answer the

problems in this study.

This study determine the level of implementation of inclusive education in

the public elementary schools. The researcher employed this research method to

gain more realistic and valid information regarding the level of implementation of

inclusive education in the public elementary schools.

 74

Descriptive survey method is a method of which surveys, describes and

interprets what is; and reveals a condition of relationship that exists or do not

exist, practices that prevail or do not prevail, beliefs or points of view. The word

survey indicates the gathering of data from place to place and from group to

group. Information is sought on current conditions, communities, agencies and

institutions. It refers also to the characteristics, status, or practices of individuals

or a particular group, Calmorin (1995).

The descriptive method of research used in the study. Good and Scates

(1991) defined the descriptive method of research as a method for gathering

evidence relating the current or present conditions concerning the nature of a

group of persons, a number of subjects, or class of events and may involve the

procedure of introduction analysis, clarification, enumeration of measurement.

Gay (1976) defined descriptive research as involving collection of data in order to

answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study.

Data Gathering Instrument

The researcher used questionnaire checklist instrument specifically made

for the study based on the constructed problems, writer’s experiences and

observations as a teacher and reinforced by readings, informal interviews, and

conversations of people.

The questionnaire-checklist was evaluated by her adviser and other

experts like School Principals and Supervisors. The suggestions was

 75

incorporated in the final draft. The questionnaires was finalized after its approval

by the examination committee.

Respondents of the Study

The subjects of the study are the inclusive teachers in public elementary

schools in Pozorrubio Districts I and II of Pangasinan Division II for S.Y. 2019 -

2020.

Table I

Distribution of Respondents

Administration of Questionnaire

After having refined and finalized the research instrument, developed for

the study, permission was secured from the Division Superintendent and Public

Schools District Supervisor. The researcher administered and distributed the

questionnaire checklist personally. Likewise the research retrieved the same

questionnaire. The responses and data were confidential to ensure the highest

degree of objectivity of the responses.

Statistical Treatment of Data

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The following statistical tools was used to answer the specific problems of

the study.

To determine the profile of the public elementary school teachers namely,

age, sex, civil status, highest educational attainment, number of years teaching ,

and number of relevant trainings and seminars attended, frequency counts and

percentages will be used.

To determine the Level of Implementation of Inclusive Education, the

weighted mean will be used. The responses will be categorized into five-point

scale with corresponding numerical categories. The choices are classified as

“Highly Implemented”, “Implemented”, “Moderately Implemented”, “Slightly

Implemented”, and “Not Implemented”. Literal value A, B, C, D, and E will be

assigned respectively.

The weighted mean (WM) interpreted the corresponding equivalent as

follows;

Weighted Mean Descriptive Rating Transmuted Rating

4.50 – 5.00 Always Highly Implemented

3.50 – 4.49 Often Implemented

2.50 – 3.49 Sometimes Moderately Implemented

1.50 – 2.49 Seldom Slightly Implemented

1.00 – 1.49 Never Not Implemented

 77

To answer specific problem number 3, determining the differences

between the level of Implementation of Inclusive education in public elementary

schools across their profile variables, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was

utilized.

To answer the specific problem number 4, determining the relationship

between the level of Implementation of Inclusive education in public elementary

schools and their profile variables, the Coded Pearson Product correlation

coefficient will be used.

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Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the data generated in this study including their

analysis and interpretations in order to arrive at and clarify the results and

findings of this research endeavor.

The following discussions, therefore involves the description and analysis

of the respondents’ profile variables; the level of implementation of inclusive

education in public elementary schools,

the differences in the level of implementation of inclusive education in public

elementary schools, across their profile variables and relationship in level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools, and their

profile variables.

Profile of the Respondents

The presentation of the respondents’ profile is to provide and describe the

background information about them as participants in this study.

Table 2 presents the distribution of the teacher respondents’ profile.

Age. Looking into their age in Table 2, out of 75 respondents, there are 36

or 48 percent of them belongs to 21 – 30 years old bracket. There are also 21 or

 79

28 percent under age range 31 – 40, 11 or 15 percent, age 41 – 50 and 7 or 9

percent belongs to 51 – 60 years old.

Table 2
Profile of Respondents
N= 75
Findings indicates that most of the teachers in the venue of study are

relatively young. Their age, level gives an impression that they are in their early

age of their life. As such, they are expected to be performing well in helping

children become self-aware individuals and instill them with a life-long love of

learning, Young teachers are passionate about the content they teach. Young

teachers teach their content with enthusiasm and passion that motivates their

students. They engage students in creative lessons that spark self-interest and

the desire to learn more about a particular topic

Sex. The next variable is sex, classified as male or female. The same

table shows that there are more female respondents, 55 or 73 percent while 20

or 27 percent are males.

Findings means that the male group of respondents is outnumbered by

the female group. That is there are more females considering that teaching is a

female dominated profession as observed in the different public schools in the

country.

Paradoxically, introducing a greater gender balance into the teaching

profession depends on the extent to which and the speed with which other

sectors reduce gender gaps in earnings. But the education sector could do much
 80

more to ensure that women are promoted into leadership positions, and to end

the stereotyping that prevents women from breaking the glass ceiling in specific

subject areas in the school. It could also do more to attract young men into

teaching by offering them better career prospects and labour conditions that can

make teaching a more competitive career choice, even if teachers’ salaries still

lag behind those of other professionals.

Civil Status. Table 2 shows that majority of the respondents are married,

51 or 68 percent of them are married and 24 or 32 percent of them are single.

Married teachers are patient. They can listen carefully for hours.

Sometimes, they are explaining something for the tenth time without getting

annoyed. They are the most patient and understanding people around for sure.

And they will always offer people the support if they need. Married teachers are

passionate. They aren’t just teaching a subject, they are teaching kids and young

adults who they can be what they can amount to and shape future generations

simply by believing in them. When it comes to their marriage, they are giving their

best. They are always trying to make the right decision. They are always trying to

find a solution to any problem. Teachers will always try to challenge people to be

the best type they can be.

Highest Educational Attainment. Regarding the teachers’ educational

attainment, the table shows that a greater number of them have gone beyond the

bachelors degree. These are 34 or 45 percent with M.A. units, and 23 or 31

percent are M.A. degree holder. It could be inferred that these respondents are
 81

those aiming to be promoted to a higher position, either Master Teacher or

Administrative position.

Another reasons why teachers embark on a Master's in Education

Program are; Greater Job Opportunities, To Seek Other Education Related

Positions, Improved Teaching Skills, More Classroom and Hands-on Experience

and Greater Income Potential

Number of Years Teaching. As to length of service, a great number of

them has 2 - 7 years which is 33 or 44 percent of them. On the other hand, there

are 24 or 32 percent with 8 – 13 years in teaching profession. The table shows

that most of the teacher respondents are new in the teaching profession.

Being new in the teaching profession, becoming a better teacher is

something all educators should be concerned with. Good teachers are effective

classroom managers and communicators who can adapt to a variety of learning

styles and effectively instruct a large percentage of the class. Improvement of

teaching in the classroom can be obtained by putting together a plan of action

and following it through. Teachers who make the extra effort to improve their

teaching can make a significant impact on the lives of students

Relevant Trainings Attended. Looking into their attendance to trainings,

it is surprising to note that they have attended trainings at various level. A

number of them have division trainings which is 70 or 93 percent. There are 27 or

36 percent with international level, 15 or 11 percent attended national trainings

and regional level 39 or 52 percent. Basically, in line with the 21 st century

 82

education, all teachers are required to attend trainings geared to the

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools.

Professional development refers to many types of educational

experiences like seminars and trainings related to an individual’s work. Doctors,

lawyers, educators, accountants, engineers, and people in a wide variety of

professions and businesses participate in professional development to learn and

apply new knowledge and skills that will improve their performance on the job.

Many fields require members to participate in ongoing learning approved by the

profession, sometimes as a requirement for keeping their jobs. Professionals

often also voluntarily seek new learning. In education, research has shown that

teaching quality and school leadership are the most important factors in raising

student achievement. For teachers and school and district leaders to be as

effective as possible, they continually expand their knowledge and skills to

implement the best educational practices. Educators learn to help students learn

at the highest levels.

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

The major concern of this study was to determine the level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools.

Table 3 presents the level of implementation of inclusive education in

public elementary schools along inclusive classroom management.

 83

It could be seen from the table that the overall weighted mean is 3.56

described as “Implemented”. Two items obtained “Moderately Implemented”

rating. These are item number 1, “create structured classroom which includes

designating separate areas for group and individual work and center for reading”

with a rating of 3.45 described as “Moderately Implemented, and item number 7,

“plan for transition times like between subjects or tasks, and changing classes”.

with a weighted mean of 3.48 described as “Moderately Implemented”. The other

eight indicator obtained a transmuted rating of “Implemented” ranging from 3.50

to 3.73. Indicator number 9, “visually monitor learners activity” obtained the

highest weighted mean of 3.73.

According to Polirstok (2015) classrooms in the 21st century have by law

become inclusive, typically comprised of general education and special needs

Table 3

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG INCLUSIVE
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)
1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)

students. Included students are those who present with mild to moderate learning

and behavioral challenges. They add another layer of complexity to classroom

management, requiring teachers to be highly structured, consistent and

 84

reinforcing. Teacher fidelity to behavioral expectations that have been

established for the classroom is essential. Classroom management strategies

discussed include changing the teacher approval to disapproval ratio, using

selective ignoring, focusing on structure and routine, increasing student locus of

control, de-escalating student aggression and hostility, and limiting the use of

punishment. Hands-on strategies are highlighted.

Table 4 shows another aspect of this study is the level of implementation

of inclusive education in public elementary schools along inclusive curriculum

content and pedagogy. It can be seen in the table that the overall weighted mean

of this area is 3.69 described as “Implemented”.

There are two indicators with a transmuted rating of “Moderately

Implemented” and eight indicators indicator with a transmuted rating of

“Implemented”. The indicator with a highest weighted mean of 3.93, describe as

“Implemented” is item number 7, “provide rich learning experiences that are

accessible to all learners”. The indicator with a lowest weighted mean of 3.46

with a transmuted rating of “Moderately Implemented” is item number 2, “provide

a variety of options for comprehension, helping them to recall prior learning and

assist learners to understand the main ideas through highlighting salient aspects

of a communication, and guiding the processing of communication to ensure that

what is intended is being properly understood”.\

Cited by Schuelka (2018) successful inclusive education requires school

transformation and systems change. However, much of this reform is design-

 85

focused, and not resource-intensive. It is important to emphasize that inclusive

education means that all children are together in mainstream classrooms for the

Table 4

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG INCLUSIVE
CURRICULUM CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)
1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)

majority of their day. This has demonstrated positive effects on student

achievement and social wellbeing – for all children – and is far more efficient and

effective than special schools and special classrooms. Often, the term ‘inclusive

education’ becomes synonymous with education for children with disabilities.

Whilst this may still be the primary motivation for inclusive education, successful

inclusive practice will be successful for all children with many different attributes

such as ethnicity, language, gender, and socio-economic status. Inclusive

education is a continuous process of educational transformation, and a clear set

of equity indicators – such as from UNESCO (2017) – can support inclusive

education implementation. Measuring the success of inclusive education should

go beyond merely counting students to evaluate access, but should include

measures of educational quality, outcomes, and experiences. Understanding and

evaluating teaching practices is also critically important. The Index for Inclusion

toolkit, Supporting Effective Teaching project, and the Lao Inclusive Education

Project by Save the Children (Grimes, 2010) are particularly useful inclusive
 86

education assessment tools, but other indicator sets and tools are also available.

The barriers to inclusive education are well-understood now, and include

inadequacies in policy and legal support, resources and facilities, specialized

staff, teacher training, pedagogical techniques, flexible curricula, supportive

leadership, and cultural attitudes. However, current thinking suggests that it is

perhaps more useful to think about ways in which existing successful inclusive

education practices can be identified and scaled up, rather than focusing

attention on deficiencies. Key factors in inclusive education implementation

include school and classroom level implementation such as school reviews and

plans; training and supporting all teachers in inclusive practices, not just

‘specialized’ ones; and supporting school leadership to enact an inclusive vision

for their schools. National-level implementation requires enabling policy to clearly

articulate and support inclusive education; having strong systems to data

collection and management; providing flexibility in curriculum; and coordinating

with other aspects of society in which inclusive education factors, such as

employment.

Table 5 reveals the level of implementation of inclusive education in public

elementary schools along inclusive instructional strategies and approaches. The

overall weighted mean is 3.58 equivalent to “Implemented”. There are two

indicators with a rating of “Moderately Implemented” and eight indicators with a

rating of “Implemented”. The indicator with a highest weighted mean of 3.82,

describes as “Implemented” is item number 10, “establish a pleasant classroom

environment that encourages students to ask questions and become actively

 87

involved in their learning”. And the lowest indicator obtained a weighted mean of

3.42 described as “Moderately Implemented” is item number 5, “use the

instructional sequence of “i do” (teacher model), “we do” (group practice) and

“you do” (individual practice):.

As cited by Brown (2014) Inclusive learning goes hand in hand with

Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a set of principles for curriculum

development that gives all students an equal opportunity to learn. “UDL provides

a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments

Table 5

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG INCLUSIVE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)
1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)

that work for everyone — not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible

approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.” UDL

shares many commonalities with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences espoused

by Harvard Professor Howard Gardner, whose work documented “the extent to

which students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember,

perform and understand in different ways.”

Inclusive learning provides all students with access to flexible learning

choices and effective paths for achieving educational goals in spaces where they

experience a sense of belonging. In an inclusive education environment, all

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children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same, age-

appropriate, classroom. It is based on the understanding that all children and

families are valued equally and deserve access to the same opportunities.

(Brown, 2014)

Inclusive teaching and learning practices are instrumental in creating and

maintaining a learning environment in which all participants are fully engaged

and respected, and in which all participants are open to ideas, perspectives, and

ways of thinking that are distinct from their own.

Still according to (Brown, 2014), Inclusive teaching posits cultural

diversity, or differences related to identity and experience, as crucial to

learning. The practice of inclusive teaching involves consciously working to foster

learning across differences, for example by acknowledging and challenging

biases and stereotypes that can impede understanding and undermine a

student’s sense of belonging to the discipline or institution. The practice of

inclusive teaching also involves keeping accessibility and transparency in mind

when designing courses and assignments, as well as being aware of power

differences within the classroom and of psycho-social factors that can affect

learning.

Table 6

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
 89

1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)

1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)

It is clearly shown in Table 6 the data about the of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools along behavior management. It

is noted from the table that the overall weighted mean is 3.47 equivalent to

“Implemented”. It can be also seen in Table 6 that the weighted mean range from

2.45 to 3.86. there are seven indicators obtained a transmuted rating of

“Implemented”, two items obtained a transmuted rating of “Moderately

Implemented” and item number 1, “modifies materials, provides alternative

assessment strategies and designs behavior management system” obtained the

lowest weighted mean of 2.45 described as “Slightly Implemented”.

According to Vogel (2016), developing a strong Behavior Management

Plan for a successful inclusive classroom depends upon having control of your

classroom. It is essential to have clearly communicated expectations and goals,

that are accessible to all students.  Classroom environment should be tailored to

better suit diverse students’ needs. With students’ and specialists’ input, create a

checklist or action plan for students. Vogel (2016) cited also some specific

behavior management strategies that support effective inclusive instruction,

Posting daily schedules, Displaying classroom rules and expectations,

Encouraging peer to peer instruction and leadership, Using signals to quiet down,

start working, and putting away materials, Giving students folders, labels and

containers to organize supplies, Checking in with students while they work,

Utilizing proactive rather than reactive interventions as needed, Speaking to

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students privately about any concerns and Employing specific, targeted positive

reinforcement when a student meets a behavioral or academic goal.

Cited by Martinez (2013), one of the most significant barriers to effective

teaching is the lack of behavior management. Classroom behavior is influenced

by the ability of the teacher to motivate and create a curriculum that is fun,

relevant to student’s needs, and inclusive to all abilities. Behavior management

poses a challenge for teachers and educational professionals when there are a

large number of students with diverse emotional, social, cognitive, and physical

abilities in the same physical education class. A previous perspective of behavior

management included strategies using punishment to control student’s behavior.

This practice has become archaic and ineffective. Unfortunately, strategies

focusing on punishment are still used in classroom settings. Current teaching

philosophies recommend positive behavior management practices that foster

behavior changes through support and intervention to improve performance and

learning.

Table 7shows the data about the of implementation of inclusive education

in public elementary schools along inclusive assessment of learning outcomes. It

is noted from the table that the overall weighted mean is 3.55 equivalent to

“Implemented”.

It can be also seen in Table 7 that the weighted mean range from 3.40 to

3.70. There are nine indicators obtained a transmuted rating of “Implemented”,

one item obtained a transmuted rating of “Moderately Implemented”. Indicator

number 9, “use multiple choice, fill in the blank and graphic organizer in
 91

evaluating learners”, obtained the highest weighted mean of 3.70 described as

“Implemented”. The indicator obtained the lowest weighted mean of 3.40 with a

transmuted rating of “Moderately Implemented” is item number 10, “allow

learners the opportunity to assess their own learning and reflect on the progress

they are making”

Table 7

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG INCLUSIVE
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)
1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)

Wald (2013) said that assignments, course work and examinations can all

cause barriers for some students. He highlights the importance of being aware of

students’ preferences, offering a flexible approach. Learning outcomes can be

assessed in many ways. It is advisable to check what really needs to be

evaluated to ensure the assessment captures knowledge to show particular

competency levels not skills that bare no relation to the subject, for example

speed of writing or coping with complex academic language. It is also important

to know when ‘reasonable adjustments’ may be necessary. He also emphasize

that there are also several ways to help all students when an inclusive approach

to assessment of learning outcomes is achieved. He mentioned the three ways to

assess students learning outcomes through presentation, content and output

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overlap at inclusion. As has been mentioned clarity of outcomes is necessary

with a flexible approach to allow for different ways of presenting knowledge.

Thinking digital, as well as paper, can allow for multiple format options.

Table 8 presents the five areas of the level of implementation of inclusive

education in public elementary schools. The grand overall weighted mean is 3.57

described as “Implemented”. This findings clearly manifest that the respondents

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools is not

enough. We can see also that the behavior management area obtained the

lowest overall weighted mean of 3.47 described as “Implemented” while the area

of Inclusive Curriculum Content and Pedagogy obtained the highest overall

weighted mean of 3.69, still with a transmuted rating of “Implemented”.

Cited by Kilgore (2015), Strong leadership is critical and school site

leaders play a pivotal role in making inclusive practices a reality in their schools.

Principals, teachers and other individuals in leadership roles must have adequate

knowledge of what inclusive practices entail and how to mobilize staff so those

practices are effectively implemented. Advancing inclusive practices in a school

Table 8

SUMMARY OF THE LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE

EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Legend:
Weighted Mean Transmuted Rating
4.50 – 5.00 Highly Implemented (HI)
3.50 – 4.49 Implemented (I)
2.50 – 3.49 Moderately Implemented (MI)
1.50 – 2.49 Slightly Implemented (SI)
1.00 – 1.49 Not Implemented (NI)
 93

is not just a matter of what the school leader thinks about inclusive practices, but

how s/he actually implements those thoughts. The principal and teachers not

only must believe that ‘all students can learn,’ but must demonstrate this belief in

everyday actions. Building collaborative relationships among teachers may be

challenging and requires leadership support, clarification of roles and

responsibilities, and ongoing planning. Embracing the philosophy of ‘inclusion’

means eliminating the focus on labels of students and making student abilities

and support needs the determining factors in the provision of services and

placement settings. Inclusive education teachers no longer may identify

themselves as teachers of just a specific category of students. Rather, they must

identify themselves as teachers of all students and be willing to provide whatever

support is needed to meet the varied needs of students. Likewise, students

should not be identified as self-contained or resource, but as students needing

specialized instruction and supports for specific skills/subject areas for specific

amounts of time in either a inclusive education setting, special education setting

or a general education setting. This requires school teachers to shift paradigms

when determining how best to meet the needs of students with special needs. It

is important that schools systematically design and implement more effective

inclusive practices schoolwide. In most instances, however, effective inclusive

practices are not implemented without a conscious effort. It takes strong

leadership to guide the process and a staff willing to establish a structured, but

flexible framework in which inclusive practices may be seamlessly integrated into

the school’s culture. There are guides and steps in implementing more effective
 94

inclusive practices in a school. Following these steps and implementing with

fidelity will ensure that the support needs of diverse students are appropriately

addressed in general education settings.

ANOVA SHOWING THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE LEVEL

OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEIR PROFILE VARIABLES

Table 9 presents the mean differences between the level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools and their

profile variables.

Table 9

ANOVA Showing the Significant Differences in the Implementation of

Inclusive Education In Public Elementary Schools
Across their Profile Variables

As indicated in the table, variable sex was found to be significant with the

computed f – value of 2.579, sig = .046. This indicates that the teachers level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools are not

comparable to each other with respect to the variables sex.

Therefore, the null hypothesis which states “There is no significant

difference between the teachers level of implementation of inclusive education in

public elementary schools and their selected profile variables is rejected. The

variables sex is a source of variations in the teachers level of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools. Whether the respondents are

 95

male or females, their level of implementation of inclusive education in public

elementary schools differ from each other or not comparable or vary. That said

variables have effect or something to do with the teachers level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS AND THEIR PROFILE VARIABLES

Table 10 shows the correlation coefficient between the selected profile

variables and the teachers level of implementation of inclusive education in

public elementary schools.

It could be gleaned from the table that, in all aspect except two variables,

educational attainment and number of years teaching with v –value of .347 and .

362 which were found to be substantial to be considered significant were found

significant.

Thus, the hypothesis which states “There is a significant relationship

between the teachers level of implementation of inclusive education in public

elementary schools.

and their profile variables namely; age, sex, highest educational attainment,

number of years as teacher, and relevant trainings is accepted. These variables

were found to have relationships with the teachers level of self-awareness as

professionals when correlated with the earlier mentioned profile variables.

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Table 10

Relationships Between the Level of Implementation of

Inclusive Education In Public Elementary
Schools and their Profile Variables

Chapter 5

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusions arrived and

the recommendations offered.

Re-Statement of the Problem

This study was designed to determined the level of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools in the Pozorrubio I and II,

Pangasinan Division II for SY 2018 – 2019.

Specifically, Problem number 1 dealt on the profile of the respondents

namely; age, sex, civil status, highest educational attainment, number of years

teaching, and relevant trainings attended.

Problem number 2 focused on the level of implementation of inclusive

education in public elementary schools along inclusive classroom management,

inclusive curriculum content and pedagogy, inclusive instructional strategies and

 97

approaches, behavior management and inclusive assessment of learning

outcomes.

Problem number 3 dealt on the significant differences between the level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools.across their

profile variables.

Problem number 4 looked into the significant relationship between the

level of implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools and

selected profile variables namely; age, sex, highest educational attainment,

number of years teaching, and relevant trainings attended.

Research Hypothesis

The following were tested at 0.05 level of significance in its null form.

1. There are no significant differences between the level of implementation of

inclusive education in public elementary schools across their profile

variables.

2. There are no significant relationships between the level of implementation

of inclusive education in public elementary schools and the selected

profile variables.

SALIENT FINDINGS

The findings were summarized in the order of which the problems are

raised and the hypothesis posed in the study.

 98

1. Majority of the respondent belong to the age bracket 21 – 30 years old,

which is 36 or 48 percent of them, most of them are females, 55 or 73

percent and 20 or 27 percent are males, 34 or 45 percent had obtained

MA Units, there are 23 or 31 percent are MA Degree Holder and 3 or 4

percent had a Ph. D. / Ed. D. units. As to the number of years teaching,

there are 33 or 44 percent with 2 - 7 years teaching experience and 8 or

11 percent with 1 year and below teaching experience. Further, there are

27 or 36 percent respondents have attended an international training on

inclusive education, 11 or 15 percent have attended national level, 39

or524 percent regional level and 70 or 93 percent attended division level

trainings.

2. The teacher respondents level of implementation of inclusive education in

public elementary schools obtained a grand overall weighted mean of 3.57

equivalent to “Implemented”. Inclusive curriculum content and pedagogy has

the highest overall weighted mean of 3.69 described as “Implemented” and

Behavior Management has the lowest overall weighted mean of 3.47 still

described as “Implemented”.

3. The sex profile variable is significantly differing as shown in the table.

4. The Pearson r Coefficient of Correlation statistically shows significant

relationship between highest educational attainment and number of years

teaching when correlated with other variables.

CONCLUSIONS
 99

Based on the findings, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. The public elementary school teacher respondents are mostly at their

early age in the teaching profession but they are educationally qualified,

because most of them have their MA units, dominated by females since

teaching is most likely for women, majority of them have attended

seminars in the division level and have served in the teaching profession

for two to seven years, this can be concluded that this might be the reason

why the GOWM transmuted rating is only “Implemented

2. The level of implementation of inclusive education in public elementary

schools were found to be fairly implemented may be due to lack of

trainings and knowledge of teachers on how to implement the inclusive

education program.

3. There are still possible means of improving the teachers level of

implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools

from “Implemented” to the highest level which is “Highly Implemented” by

attending more relevant seminars and trainings in higher level regarding

the implementation of inclusive education specifically inclusive classroom

management, inclusive curriculum content and pedagogy, inclusive

instructional strategies and approaches, behavior management and

inclusive assessment of learning outcomes.

4. There have been significant differences found in the profile variables, the

sex, may be because male teacher have their own style in teaching and

female teacher have also their own way of teaching diverse students.
 100

5. Only highest educational attainment and number of years teaching were

found to have significant relationship when correlated with other profile

variables.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of conclusions drawn, the following are the

recommendations:

1. Teacher respondents are encourage to attend seminars / workshops /

trainings in higher level in the implementation of inclusive education or

concern DepEd officials must grant scholarship program in the Graduate

School to the teachers to enhance the knowledge and skills of the

respondents in the implementation of inclusive education

2. Teacher respondents must highly implement the inclusive education program

to provide better opportunities for learning of children with varying abilities,

help children learn and achieve to their fullest potential and provide a quality

education in an inclusive environment.

3. Department of Education officials and administrators must provide the

necessary instructional materials, facilities, and equipments for better

implementation in the implementation of inclusive education.

 101

4. School Heads should monitor, supervise and evaluate the teachers if they

are competent enough in the implementation of inclusive education to get the

necessary feedback needing enhancement.

5. Similar research should be conducted to further enhance or enrich the

present study to make a difference.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. BOOKS

Brown, J. G. Classroom Management in a Diverse Society Published by:  Taylor

and Francis, Ltd.

Harvey, David. Inclusive Education: A Practical Guide to Supporting Diversity in

the Classroom

Lombardi, Thomas. Inclusion: Policy and Practice

Ognen, Spasovski. Principles of the Inclusive Education and the Role of

Teachers and In-School Professional Staff

Soodak, L. C. Classroom Management in Inclusive Settings, Theory and

Practice, American Press, 2015

Tilstone, Christina. Strategies to Promote Inclusive Practice

Villa, Richard. Creating an Inclusive School

B. THESIS AND DISSERTATIONS

 102

Akoto, Elizabeth (2018). Challenges and Opportunities for Inclusive

Education in Ghana, University of Iceland

Buchoiz, Jessica L. (2015). Creating a Warm and Inclusive Classroom

Environment: Planning for All Children to Feel Welcome, University of
West Georgia

Dalton, Eliza (2012). The implementation of inclusive education in South

Africa:Reflections arising from a workshop for teachers and
therapists to introduce Universal Design for Learning, University of
South Africa

Dapudong, Richel (2014). Teachers’ Knowledge and Attitude towards

Inclusive Education: Basis for an Enhanced Professional
Development Program, Ifugao State University, Nayon, Lamut, Ifugao,
Philippines

Domagas, L. (2015). Learning Outcomes And Inclusive Education Of

Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Philippine Normal University,
Manila

Ioannou , Evangelia (2016). Behavior Management Interventions For

Students With ASD In Inclusive Classrooms

Kohama, Angela (2012). Inclusive Education in India: A Country in

Transition, University of Oregon

Mcwell, Patrick (2012). Exploring the Implementation of Inclusive Education

in the Pinetown District School

Mingo, Zachary (2017). Teachers’ Perceptions of Inclusion in a Pilot

Inclusive Education Program: Implications for Instructional
Leadership, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI, USA

Mongwaketse M. O. (2011). Implementing Inclusive Education In Botswana

Primary School Settings: An Exploration Of Teachers‟
Understandings Of Curriculum, Curriculum Adaptations And
Children Who Have Learning Difficulties, University of Exeter

Nassir, Mona (2017). Current Practices of Co-Teaching in an Elementary

Inclusive School: Moving Toward Effective Co-teaching Relationship,
University of Northern Iowa
Polirstok, Susan (2015). Classroom Management Strategies for Inclusive
Classrooms, Kean University
 103

Regmi, Narayad (2017). Inclusive Education in Nepal, Ludwig-Maximilians-

University

Ron, Lilie (2018). Management Strategies in Elementary Inclusion

Classrooms, Walden University

Salovita, Timo (2017). Attitudes of Teachers Towards Inclusive Education in

Finland, University of Finland

Scott, T. M (2017). Positive Behavior Support in the Classroom: Facilitating

Behaviorally Inclusive Learning Environments,  International Journal of
Behavioral Consultation and Therapy,

Soodak, L. C., & McCarthy, M. R. (2016). Classroom Management in Inclusive

Settings. Maryland University, USA

Torombe, Rachael (2013). Teachers’ Experiences In Implementing Inclusive

Education Policy In Papua New Guinea: A Study Of Two Primary
Schools In The National Capital District, The University of Waikato

Walsh, Megan (2017). Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in the

General Education Classroom, Dominican University of California

Yamani, Sarah (2014). Classroom Management Practices in Inclusive

Classrooms,University of Toronto

C. JOURNALS AND PUBLICATIONS

Armstrong, Felicity. Action Research for Inclusive Education: Changing Places,

Changing Practice, Changing Minds

Beveridge, Sally. Children, Families, and Schools:Developing Partnership for

Inclusive Education

Brown, Stephanie (2014). Proven Inclusive Education Strategies for Educators 

Corbett, Jenny. Supporting Inclusive Education: A Connective Pedagogy

Johnson, Matthew (2018). Common New Teacher Strengths
Kilgore, K. (2015). Steps to Implementing Effective Inclusive Practices
Martinez, A. (2013). Behavior Management for Students in an Inclusive
Classroom Setting
 104

Polirstok, Susan (2015). Classroom Management Strategies for Inclusive

Classrooms, Kean University

Schuelka, Matthew, (2018) Implementing Inclusive Education, University of

Birmingham

Vogel , Keistin (2016). Effective Behavior Management Strategies for the Inclusive
Classroom

Wade, Suzanne. Inclusive Education: A Casebook and Readings for Prospective

and Practicing Teachers.

Wald, Mike (2013). Creating inclusive assessment of learning Outcomes

Others

Yale Center for Teaching and Learning: Inclusive Teaching Strategies  

ASCD: 3 Ways to Create an Inclusive Learning Environment  

Washington University in St. Louis: Inclusive Teaching and Learning  

 105

APPENDIX A

LETTER OF PERMISSION TO THE SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT

URDANETA CITY UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Urdaneta City

------------------------------------------
Date

ATTY. DONATO D. BALDERAS, JR.

Schools Division Superintendent
Pangasinan Division II
Binalonan, Pangasinan

Sir;
The undersigned is undertaking a study entitled “IMPLEMENTATION OF
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS” in partial
fulfillment of the degree Master of Arts in Education, Major in Educational
Management at Urdaneta City University.
In this regard, may I request from your office to allow me to gather data
through the use of research instrument to all inclusive teachers in public
elementary school in the Districts of Pozorrubio I and Pozorrubio II, Pangasinan
Division II.
 106

Your kind consideration and favorable approval will be highly appreciated.

Very truly yours,

CAMILA R. TABUCOL
Researcher

Approved:
ATTY. DONATO D. BALDERAS, JR.
Schools Division Superintendent

APPENDIX B

LETTER REQUEST TO THE DISTRICT SUPERVISOR

Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education
Region I

________________________
Date

________________________
District Supervisor
Pozorrubio I District
Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

Sir :

The undersigned is a graduate student of Urdaneta City University,

Urdaneta City presently working on her theses entitled “IMPLEMENTATION OF
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ” in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Education, Major
in Educational Management.
 107

In view thereof, the researcher have the honor to request permission that
she will be allowed to gather information in the your District purposely for this
study. Rest assured that all documents will be treated with utmost confidentiality..

Thank you so much in anticipation of your kind approval.

Hoping that the request merits your favorable response.

Very truly yours,

CAMILA R. TABUCOL
Researcher

APPENDIX B

LETTER REQUEST TO THE DISTRICT SUPERVISOR

Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education
Region I

________________________
Date

________________________
District Supervisor
Pozorrubio II District
Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

Sir :

The undersigned is a graduate student of Urdaneta City University,

Urdaneta City presently working on her theses entitled “IMPLEMENTATION OF
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ” in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Education, Major
in Educational Management.
 108

In view thereof, the researcher have the honor to request permission that
she will be allowed to gather information in the your District purposely for this
study. Rest assured that all documents will be treated with utmost confidentiality..

Thank you so much in anticipation of your kind approval.

Hoping that the request merits your favorable response.

Very truly yours,

CAMILA R. TABUCOL
Researcher

APPENDIX C

LETTER REQUEST TO THE PRINIPAL

Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education
Region I

________________________
Date

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

Sir / Madam:

The undersigned is a graduate student of Urdaneta City University,

Urdaneta City presently working on her theses entitled “IMPLEMENTATION OF
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS” in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Education, Major
in Educational Management.
 109

In view thereof, the researcher have the honor to request permission that
she will be allowed to gather information in the your school purposely for this
study. Rest assured that all documents will be treated with utmost confidentiality..

Thank you so much in anticipation of your kind approval.

Hoping that the request merits your favorable response.

Very truly yours,

CAMILA R. TABUCOL
Researcher

Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education
Region I
URDANETA CITY UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Urdaneta City

A. QUESTIONNAIRE CHECKLIST ON LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Part I. Personal Information

Direction: Please provide information about yourself by filling in the blanks

provided by putting (/) mark on the information/data that indicates your response.

Name (optional): __________________________ School________________

a. Age:
___21-30

___31-40
 110

___41-50

___51-60

___61 and above

b. Sex
______Male
______Female

c. Civil Status
______Single
______Married
______Widow/er

d. Highest Educational Qualification

____with MA Units
____MA Degree Holder
____with Ph. D. / Ed. D. Units
____Ph. D. / Ed. D. Holder

e. Number of years teaching

____1 years and below

____2-7 years

____8-13 years

____14-19 years

____20 years and above

f. Numbers of relevant trainings

____International Level
 111

____National Level

____Provincial Level

____ Regional Level

____Division Level

Part II. Questionnaire on the level of implementation of inclusive education in

public elementary schools.
Directions: Kindly place a checkmark (√) on the column that best describe the
level of implementation of inclusive education in public elementary schools on the
following statements using the scale below.
A _ Always
B _ Often
C _ Sometimes
D _ Seldom
E _ Never
 112

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:

Name :

Age :

Date of Birth :

Birth of Place :

Address :

Contact number :

Name of Father :

Name of Mother :

Educational Background

Elementary :

Secondary :

Tertiary :