Program Assessment of Special Needs Education (SNED) Implementation in Elementary Schools: A Quantitative Study in Mati Central District

The purpose of this research was to explore the degree to which Special Needs Education (SNED) was implemented among elementary schools within Mati Central District, particularly focusing on teacher preparation and skills, and physical infrastructure. It sought to assess the level of SNED implementation, explore the sufficiency of resources facilitating inclusive education, identify the general implementation status, and explore the correlation between crucial determinants and implementation level. The quantitative-descriptive research design was employed. Data collection was carried out using a structured survey questionnaire that was administered to 98 teachers who handled learners with special educational needs (LSENs) from all the public elementary schools within the district. Descriptive statistics informed mean scores and standard deviations formulation, and Pearson's correlation was used to test correlation between variables at 0.05 level of significance. Results indicated moderate implementation among the major indicators. Teacher training and competence was assessed at 3.10 (SD=0.77), and physical facilities at 2.86 (SD=0.91), which exhibit varying implementation success levels. There was an overall significant correlation between the said indicators and the overall level of SNED implementation, supporting the alternative hypothesis and evidencing the importance that teacher training and infrastructure sufficiency hold to inclusive education. The study findings emphasize the need for targeted capacity-building among educators and improved physical learning environments. These are essential to improve SNED implementation and yield more inclusive and equitable learning outcomes in Mati Central District.