Inclusive Education Policy Awareness and Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Learners with Disabilities in Regular Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I2.420Keywords:
Special Education; inclusive education policy awareness, teachers’ attitudes toward learners with disabilities; descriptive-correlational; Lipata Central Elementary School, Cebu, PhilippinesAbstract
This study set out to examine how much teachers know about inclusive education policies and how this knowledge relates to their attitudes toward learners with disabilities in regular classrooms, with the aim of developing an action plan grounded in the findings. A descriptive-correlational research design was used, and the study was carried out at Lipata Central Elementary School during school year 2025–2026. Through total enumeration, all qualified teachers in the school took part in the study. Data were gathered using an adapted and validated survey questionnaire measuring policy awareness across four dimensions and teacher attitudes across four dimensions. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to test the relationship between the two variables. Results showed that teachers had a moderate overall level of awareness of inclusive education policies and a generally positive attitude toward learners with disabilities, with a statistically significant though weak positive relationship between the two. The study concluded that teachers’ readiness for inclusive education is shaped by their level of policy awareness, but that awareness on its own is not enough to ensure inclusive practice, since attitudes are also driven by training, experience, and institutional support. The proposed action plan is therefore recommended for adoption to strengthen both policy awareness and attitudinal readiness among teachers.
References
Abantas, D. (2022). Teachers' attitudes and pedagogical skills in inclusive education: A Philippine perspective. Philippine Journal of Special Education, 14(2), 45-60.
Abellana, M., Larrazabal, D., Torres, M., Linox, D., Reyes, C., Pinili, L., & Cabigon, A. (2023). Coping mechanism employed by special education teachers in teaching special needs learners. World Journal on Education and Humanities Research, 3(4), 157-173.
Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 6(1), 7-16.
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211.
Arias, C. R., Calago, C. N. S., & Cabanilla, A. B., Jr. (2023). Challenges and implementation of inclusive education in selected Asian countries: A meta-synthesis. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 9(2), 512-534.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Cabansag, J., Tadena, R., & Umali, J. (2023). Teachers' perspectives on inclusive education: Practices and challenges. Southeast Asian Research Journal, 9(2), 112-127.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2022). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Crispel, O., & Kasperski, R. (2021). The impact of teacher training in special education on inclusion implementation. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(9), 1079-1090. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1600590
De Arao, M., & Fontanilla, R. (2024). Barriers and enablers of inclusive education for learners with disabilities in Philippine primary schools. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(6), 1-18.
Dignath, C., Rimm-Kaufman, S., van Ewijk, R., & Kunter, M. (2022). Teachers' beliefs about inclusive education. Educational Psychology Review, 34(4), 2609-2660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09695-0
Donath, J. L., Lüke, T., Graf, E., Tran, U. S., & Götz, T. (2023). Does professional development effectively support inclusive education? Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09739-1
Gonzaga, N. G., Plan, L. D., & Aguipo, M. M. (2024). Readiness and challenges of general education teachers on the implementation of inclusive education. Russian Law Journal, 12(1), 8-26. https://doi.org/10.52783/rlj.v12i1.3534
Guillemot, F., Lacroix, F., & Nocus, I. (2022). Teachers' attitude towards inclusive education from 2000 to 2020. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3, 100175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2022.100175
Iguis-Calinawan, W., Tenerife-Cañete, J. J., Pinili, L., & Espina, R. (2024). An empirical study on teachers' perceptions towards inclusive education. World Journal on Education and Humanities Research, 4(3), 72-83.
Ismailos, L., Gallagher, T., Bennett, S., & Li, X. (2022). Pre-service and in-service teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs with regards to inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(2), 175-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1642402
Jardinez, M. J., & Natividad, L. R. (2024). The advantages and challenges of inclusive education. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 12(2), 57-65.
Lindner, K.-T., Alnahdi, G. H., Wahl, S., & Schwab, S. (2023). Perceived differentiation and personalisation teaching approaches in inclusive classrooms: Perspectives of students and teachers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 38(6), 766-787.
Macabenta, J. M., Manubag, C. V., Tabanag, J. C., & Villegas, N. B. (2023). Inclusive education: Lived experiences of 21st century teachers in the Philippines. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Technology, 11(4), 1-15.
Masongsong, R., Cruz, L., & Villanueva, M. (2023). Filipino teachers' perceptions and barriers in implementing inclusive education. Philippine Journal of Education, 12(3), 88-105.
Raguindin, P. Z. J., & Li, Y. P. (2025). Key competencies of Filipino teachers for inclusive education: Insights from a Delphi study. SAGE Open, 15(1), 1-14.
Savolainen, H., Malinen, O.-P., & Schwab, S. (2022). Teacher efficacy predicts attitudes towards inclusion. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(9), 958-972.
Sharma, U., May, F., & Engelbrecht, P. (2021). The role of teacher variables in inclusive classrooms. International Encyclopedia of Education (4th ed.). Elsevier.
Tagyamon, J. P., Andan, R. O., & Villanueva, M. L. T. (2025). Inclusive education implementation in the Philippines: A systematic review. Psychology and Education, 44(2), 215-224.
Van Steen, T., & Wilson, C. (2020). Teachers' perceptions and experiences of inclusive education. British Journal of Special Education, 47(4), 473-494. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12325
Woodcock, S., Gibbs, K., Hitches, E., & Regan, C. (2023). Investigating teachers' beliefs in inclusive education and their levels of teacher self-efficacy: Are teachers constrained in their capacity to implement inclusive teaching practices? Education Sciences, 13(3), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030280
Yada, A., Leskinen, M., Savolainen, H., & Schwab, S. (2022). Meta-analysis of the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and attitudes toward inclusive education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 109, 103521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103521
