Overcoming Challenges in Inclusive Classrooms: Grade 7 Teacher Experiences Handling Students with Learning Disabilities

This study identified the challenges faced by Grade 7 Teachers in handling students with Learning Disabilities (LDs) at a Public Secondary High School. It examined the professional and systemic challenges encountered by the teachers in implementing inclusive education for students with LDs. A descriptive-correlational quantitative research design was employed in this study to investigate the difficulties faced by 30 Grade 7 teachers who work with students who have learning disabilities in the mainstream classroom. The results showed that teachers experienced a moderate level of difficulty in providing differentiated instruction and collaborating with parents. However, structural constraints, such as resource deficiencies and limited professional development opportunities, make inclusive practice challenging. It is also remarkable that the strength of the Differentiated Instruction plans can be substantially enhanced, and the results suggest that specific initiatives, such as teacher training and development of teaching materials, as well as partnerships between teachers and parents, can have a positive impact on inclusive education practices. Thus, the study's output is recommended to provide an action plan for equipping teachers with lasting strategies that can be used to improve learner performance in inclusive classrooms, thereby closing the policy-practice gaps.