Awareness and Training Needs of Teachers in Inclusive Education

The primary objective of this research was to evaluate the awareness levels and identify the training requirements of educators in inclusive education. The study encompassed 73 teachers from the Grade School, Junior High School, and Senior High School divisions of a private university within the purview of the Division of Iloilo City, Philippines for the academic year 2023- 2024. An adapted questionnaire was utilized as the primary research tool. The analysis used frequency count, percentage, mean, rank, standard deviation, and ANOVA. The findings revealed that, when collectively considered, the educators demonstrated an intermediate level of awareness concerning inclusive education, mainly focusing on Professional Knowledge Regarding Inclusive Education and Exceptional Children, Knowledge of Instructional Practices and Content, and Knowledge in Planning and Managing the Teaching and Learning Environment. Moreover, the results emphasized the pressing need for training, with respondents emphasizing the significance of being effectively trained in areas such as Assessing Student Needs, Resourcing Classroom Learning, Enhancing Collaboration and Communication with Parents, Colleagues, and the Community, Evaluation of Student Progress, and Goal Setting. Furthermore, the study also explored potential differences in awareness levels across various demographic factors, including age, educational background, grade level taught, length of service, and previous training experiences. The analysis revealed that these demographic factors did not significantly influence the awareness levels among the teachers regarding inclusive education.