Understanding the Challenges of Inclusive Education Implementation in Rural Areas Schools: Insights from SPED Professionals

Inclusive education is essential for ensuring equitable learning opportunities and meaningful participation for learners with disabilities. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the lived experiences of special education (SPED) professionals in implementing inclusive education in rural public schools. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design, ten SPED professionals were meticulously selected through criterion-based purposive sampling. Data were meticulously gathered through semi-structured interviews and rigorously analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological method. The findings highlight four critical areas: lived experiences, implementation challenges, coping strategies, and recommendations. Participants strongly advocated for learner-centred instruction, curriculum adaptation, collaboration, professional resilience, and community engagement. Despite these efforts, they faced significant challenges, including limited instructional resources, inadequate assistive technologies, insufficient professional training, weak institutional support, and negative community attitudes. To overcome these obstacles, participants adopted adaptive teaching strategies, created improvised instructional materials, engaged in professional learning activities, and fortified partnerships with parents and other teachers. Based on these insights, the Rural Inclusive Education Sustainability and Empowerment (RIESE) Framework was proposed, encompassing four dimensions: systemic and policy responsiveness, institutional capacity building, professional empowerment, and home-school-community linkages. This framework serves as a strategic guide for enhancing institutional support, teacher development, resource allocation, and stakeholder collaboration. Its future implementation and evaluation hold the potential to significantly improve inclusive education practices and foster sustainable learning environments in rural schools