IIS program: An analysis

• Main Author: Viloria, Marianne Mariano
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2019
• Subjects: Inclusive education; Inclusive education—Philippines; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6515; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/13534/viewcontent/Viloria__Marianne_M.___IIS_Program_An_Analysis_Mariano_Viloria2_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The need to include all types of students in any general education school stemmed from the pursuit of many education professionals, with support from parents and students to advocate for children with differences, embracing diversity and providing equal opportunities to all kinds of learners. Humans have a natural need to feel a sense of belongingness and acceptance. This need to belong is magnified when they reach their adolescent stage wherein a lot of social and emotional changes happen. While they search for their identity, they seek for more independence and belongingness. This study found out that some students do not completely favor being pulled out of the classroom, as they prefer being around their peers in doing school tasks and activities. Inclusion program aims to provide every individual the opportunity to live in a world that is closest to normal, making learning possible through differentiation and modification of curriculum and teaching instructions and assessment. It was the researcher’s objective to analyze how inclusion is practiced in the inclusive international school, how it affects the perception of the students who receive the program, and how administrators, parents and the teachers perceive inclusion in the school. Despite many schools’ attempt to include all learners in the classroom, a lot of these organizations encounter challenges and issues that create an impact on the implementation of the program. This study aimed to analyze the current inclusion program of the Middle School of an inclusive international school against the standards set by the Department of Education. This study answered 3 research questions: 1) What is the current inclusion practice of the inclusive international school? 2) What is the perception of the administrators and teachers about inclusion? 3) What is the attitude of the parents and students about the current inclusion program of the school? Data findings came from interviews, questionnaires and focus group discussions. The researcher results showed that an inclusion program requires elements such as good leadership that is supported by clear standards and policies, positive attitude of the community in embracing the program, sufficient knowledge of and positive perception towards inclusion, flexible curriculum, collaboration between regular education and special education teachers, availability of resources, and parent cooperation. But among all these factors, the participants of this study perceive positive attitude as the most significant factor in making an inclusion program work, followed by the knowledge and perception about Inclusion. Having the right mindset and attitude are key factors in making an inclusion program work. Other factors such as Knowledge of Teachers about inclusion, Collaboration between regular education and SPED teachers, Parent Cooperation, Flexibility of Curriculum and, the use of a variety of Inclusion Strategies all contribute to implementing an inclusion program.