Title:

Coping Behaviours of the Senior High School Students with Special Needs

INTRODUCTION
Children with special needs are included in the regular program after having met the
requirement for inclusion. They are placed in the regular education program and are involved in
the instructional setting that the general education teacher may have. Thus, they learn side by
side with regular students. Education in the Philippines is valued by many Filipino learners. This
placed an important part in their social, political, cultural, and economic status. It
has been perceived a strong support for the development of oneself and the country for socio-
economic sustainability. As required by the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Department of
Education has allocated the highest budget among the government agencies. With this, it
ensures that every Filipino individual can have the right to quality education. This includes
children with special needs. One of the legal Bases of Special Education is the Education Act of
1982 or Batas Pambansa Bilang 232 which tells that “the state shall promote the
right of every individual to relevant quality education regardless of sex, age, breed,
socioeconomic status, physical and mental condition, social and ethnic origin, political
and other affiliation. Further, this legal basis was supported by the Commission on Higher
Education(CHED) with its CHED Memorandum No. 9 Series of 2013 which is the Enhanced
Policies and Guidelines on Student Affairs and Services. Under its content is the Section32.1
wherein the “HEI shall ensure that academic accommodation is made available to persons with
disabilities and learners with special needs with proper consultation and conference with
students with disabilities themselves together with their teachers, parents/guardian/s,
personal assistant/s, and other concerned professionals. The participation of Persons with
disability in a mainstream society is also emphasize in the amended Republic Act no.
7277 otherwise known as the Magna Carta for persons with disability into Republic Act no.
10524 which is an act expanding the positions reserved for persons with disability. It implies
that students with special needs are accommodated in the employment arena after graduation,
Thus, it is expected for every institution to include qualified students with special
needs in the inclusive education program because job opportunities await them. The regular
education and special education share the main goal in providing the learners quality education
and reach their optimal development. Development as a person being able to handle life
independently, asset to the community, and live a meaningful life. Through special
education, diverse learners are given equal importance and opportunities like any other
learners. According to Rabara (2017) in his study about special education is that the focal point
of the special education programs is to provide accessible developmentally
appropriate program of education no matter how severe the disability is, to facilitate
students’ academic achievements and a successful life later. Thus, a least restrictive
environment and modified instruction and assessment are needed. This comes in the
setting of inclusion. Further, learners with special needs are moving a ladder in their
educational success. They are being faced by challenges of coping especially with the
implementation of K-12 program. They are in an inclusive education where there are new
adjustments in dealing with academic strides. Coping with new environment takes time,
patience, and understanding between and among others. In the K-12 curriculum it
accommodates inclusive education for children at risk and children with special needs whereas
there is zero rejection, zero failing, and zero drop-out. The key dimension of the K-12
curriculum is that “inclusiveness of K-12 is also expressed through existing inclusive program
such as SPED, indigenous peoples and flexible learning options". "Inclusive Education is a
process where all types of learners with diverse need are given equal opportunities for a
meaningful life in non-discriminatory environment. These environments foster belongingness
through culturally/spiritually sensitive learner-cantered diversity learning process, delivery
modes, and selling (PRIME 2015).”
A.1 Statement of the Problem
This research study aims to explore and document coping behaviours of the Senior High School
students with special needs. Specifically, this seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What are their experiences, difficulties, and coping behaviours in terms of:
a. receiving academic instructions from regular teachers
b. completion of requirements (i.e. assignments, projects)
c. examinations
A. 2 Significance of the Study
The study provides opportunities for regular individuals to listen to their needs so that they
would be able to reach their developmental and educational endeavours. This will give insights
to teachers and students as well as the administration on how to fully facilitate
quality teaching and learning process. Thus, this can be helpful to the following:. The
Department of Education It should continuously focus their attention to the diversity of learners
in the K to12 curriculum and look into the basic needs of these students especially in
adjustments to transition and train teachers for this purpose.
Administrators
The result of the study would encourage the school administrators to make a lead in
identifying helpful measures by training its faculty members in accommodating
students with special needs through seminar-workshops, orientation, and immersion so that
these students will feel the warm and accepting environment without inhibitions.
Teachers
Through the result of this study, teachers are given information about special education
that will widen their perspective and passion of teaching not only regular learners
but also those with special needs. This will increase their understanding, patience,
and dedication to deliver quality education despite the diversities of the learners.

Children’s academic achievements. They need to pursue their dreams in life for they believe
that there are more stakeholders that now support them. Parents This study will give them
clear picture of their children’s coping Behavior in school. This will make them aware that
difficulties happen in and out of the classroom. Follow-up accompanied with love, care,
support, and understanding will help them cope with their daily undertaking in school. Peers
the result of the study can provide their peers with awareness of the emotional aspect of their
classmates with special needs. This will further help them increase their understanding and
willingness to help to at least lessen the difficulties of their classmates with special needs.
Research Methodology
A. Methodology The participants of the study will deals with the coping Behavior of students
with special needs in the Senior High School. This will limit to the Senior High School
Students with special needs from the College of Home Economics State University,
Alabang National High School, and the City High School for they can facilitate
information related to the research study excluding other schools in the region The
participation of the respondents in the study is voluntary without compensation. They may
withdraw from the study any time. The withdrawal from the study will not adversely affect
them in any way. The data collected will be treated with utmost confidentiality. The
Research Oversight Committee (REOC) in the university will check for ethical considerations
such that names will properly be coded before the clearance be released. The research output
will not publicly disseminated that pave the way for the identification of the respondents be
known to others. The results of the study can be provided to the respondents upon their
request. A qualitative research approach will be employed with narrative design (Denzin1989a,
1989b). The researchers will explore on the individual stories as they retell
occurrences on their coping behavior in the Senior High School. The researchers will use
purposive sampling in selecting the number of respondents. A total enumeration will be used
with the basis of that they are Senior high school students with special needs. This will be
conducted at State University which positioned two (2) kilometers west of City proper. District 1
west Coast from the city proper, and two (2) Kilometres away from the city proper. To
document the coping behavior of the respondents an interview questionnaire will be used for
the primary respondents and the secondary respondents. Observations will also be conducted.
Thus, triangulation is important to validate data gathered. There searcher will provide a form
for general information of the respondents such as thename, age, gender, grade level, nature of
disability and etc.
B. Plan for data processing and analysis
A written letter will be given to the school administrators for the approval of the study. Upon
the approval of the school administrator, a consent letter will be provided to the respondents
together with the parents’ consent verifying for their voluntary involvement. The
respondents, teachers, and school administrator will be oriented before the conduct of the
study. The respondents will be provided with instrument for them to accomplish. This will
immediately be retrieved to safe keeping and interpretations. Series of observations will be
done for triangulation purposes. To keep reliable data and safekeeping, a video recorder will be
used to document the interview and occurrences. Coding of respondents will be done to keep
the identity of the data gathered.
Research Utilization
The findings of the study will provide information to the school administrators,
peers, parents, and teachers regarding the coping behaviors of these students in the
senior high school program in an inclusive setting. Academic needs of students with special
needs will be addressed so that they can move together with their peers.
Bibliography
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Edition. SAGE Publications ASIA-PacificPte. Ltd. SingaporeHalahan, Daniel P. and Kaufman,
James M. (2009). Exceptional Learners.
Introduction toSpecial Education. Ninth Edition. PearsonHeward, William (2013) Introduction to
Special EducationSevilla, Consuelo G. Et al (1998). An Introduction to Research Methods.
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