Chapter V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter looks at the summary of findings, conclusions, recommendations,

and suggestions based on the interview session and participants' stories for further
research.

Summary of Findings

The study provided the following findings:

A. Impressions and Notions about Self-Contained Class

The participants faced common experiences regarding both settings. In a regular

class, all of the participants expressed that it is just easy to manage and can be controlled

off. On the other hand, Participant 1 and Participant 2 were both overwhelmed and

startled about the set-up in special education because of its various exceptionalities

present in it which technically called the "self-contained" class. Participant 4 emphasized

the delivery of instruction in a self-contained class wherein the teacher must equip

himself or herself in preparing concrete materials such as pictures and real objects.

Participant 2 and Participant 4 also indicated that it takes a lot of courage and

determination to be able to teach in a self-contained class. Hence, it is obvious that prior

to their teaching load, all of the participants do not have any experience yet in handling in

a self-contained class. Participant 1 also implied that one must utilize total

communication in teaching students with special needs in order to have better access to
their learning progress. Furthermore, Participants 3, 4 and 5 connoted that

communication adjustments and behavioral management of the students were the two

things one must consider in handling students with special needs in a self-contained set-

up.

B. Distribution of Teaching Workload

This part of the interview has only two sides of the story. One is hesitant to accept

the job and the other one is being hopeful and never refuse or turn down the offer.

Participant 1 is in doubt in accepting the teaching load due to the fact that she does not

have any idea and skills in handling special students, while Participant 2 did not have any

second thought to accept the load. Similarly, Participant 4 did not refuse to accept the job

due to her previous background experience in handling kids at the kindergarten level.

However, Participant 3 and Participant 4 both exclaimed that they were hesitant to accept

the item due for the reason that they were not yet competent and still inexperienced to

handle such class like self-contained. Even though they still lack experience and have not

witnessed yet any activity in special education where they are involved in, they still

accept the workload given to them since it was the final decision made by the school

principal and they have to obey the higher authority.

C. Challenging Part

The problem with communication becomes the culprit of all the experiences

shared by the participants. Due to a lack of knowledge about sign language, Participant 1

declared that communication is her biggest challenge while teaching in a self-contained.

The same goes with Participant 3 where he exclaimed that it is too hard to reach out for

children if in the first place you do not know how to even talk with them. Participant 2

also reflected in accomplishing multiple tasks simultaneously and having long patience in

every situation especially in dealing with special students. Participant 4 and Participant 5

both discussed that dealing with the disability of the child itself is the greatest challenge

and as to how their respective age differs from other pupils in the regular setting, and

how their age does not match with their current cognitive level. It was a huge adjustment

for the participants to consider all of these things.

D. Coping Strategies

The participants have different styles in coping up to such situation. Clearly, they

have mix responses on how they deal when problem arises. Participant 1 expressed her

gratitude to the special buddies who helped her throughout the entire semester and who

were there to interpret the things she says. She reflected to herself as a teacher that it is

not necessarily knowing that we need to always impart and inculcate to the minds of the

children but instead, inject a sense of love to every heart of the students so in that way the

students with special needs will feel appreciated and belong despite the disability they

have. Participant 2 emphasized that being prepared all the time means a lot. By having
the determination and enough patience, she was able to deal with the students and slowly

love the profession she is in. Participant 3 explained how he coped up in his main barrier

which is communication and how he started learning how to do sign language and was

able to interact already with the pupils. Similar to Participant 3, Participant 4 tried her

best to do basic sign language and utilized a lot of pictures in presenting her lessons.

Participant 5 also shared how he coped up in a self-contained class. He dealt with special

students the same with how he treated the regular students. He also applied the things he

had learned from special education to the regular class such as behavior management.

E. Barriers in the Teaching Process

All response of the participants revolved around the communication barriers.

Participant 2 revealed that the knowledge about sign language is an essential skill one

must possess when handling students in a self-contained class especially if the class

contains hearing-impaired students. Participant 4 thought of a strategy and employed it

when she handled students with special needs. She used plenty of pictures to support the

words or lesson she is teaching since not all words have an exact translation for sign

language and she is still learning to do sign language. Participant 4 also reflected that as a

teacher, her way in order to break the barriers or inhibitions that are blocking her

communication with the pupils, she makes sure that she is giving her hundred percent

energy and extra effort while teaching just to get the attention of the child. Moreover,

Participant 5 focused more on the idea of having a prior observation of the concerned

pupils whom he will be handling. He believed that before teaching students with special
needs, one should study first the type of disability a child has in order for the teacher to

plan out the strategies to be used and the lessons or subjects that necessitate modifications

depending upon the interest and understanding level of the pupils inside the classroom.

Conclusions

Utilizing a narrative approach, this study has illustrated the participants' prior

knowledge about the self-contained setting, acceptance of their teaching load, the barriers

while teaching, the most challenging part in the setting, and their different coping

mechanisms while handling students with special needs. Below are the conclusions based

on the findings accumulated from the respondents.

A. Impressions and Notions about Self-Contained Class

The general education teachers experienced and made a series of adjustments and

more striking trials. From having a hard time in communicating with the hearing

impaired students due to their lack of knowledge in using sign language to modifying the

lessons into something that would match the level of understanding and the educational

need of a student with special needs in a self-contained class.

B. Distribution of Teaching Workload

There were two sides to the story. The first was some of the general education

teachers never had the second thought of refusing the offer being given to them and

willingly accept the load in teaching students with special needs. The other one was some

of them were hesitant at first to accept the teaching load due to the fact that they do not

have any idea or even experienced in handling special students. Fear and doubt about

their capability in handling the students swallowed their whole ego during those times.

C. Challenging Part

The most challenging part for the general education teachers is to keep their

stamina intact. Apart from handling regular students, they should also prepare themselves

in teaching in a self-contained and double their efforts when you are there teaching the

students with special needs considering the number of tasks you need to accomplish all at

the same time, alongside with the behaviors of the child that you need to shape and

manage. It only shows that along the way they are showing professionalism to their work

and resiliency in every challenge they encounter.

D. Coping Strategies

The general education teachers have their own different styles in coping up to

such problem. Some of them were grateful for having special buddies who were there to

assist them while they are teaching such as interpreting the lesson for the deaf students to
catch up with the topic. With that, their job becomes easier and lighter on their part. Since

communication is their greatest barrier, most of them learned how to do basic sign

language and apply some behavior management techniques especially when a child

throws tantrums or when the child does not want to listen. They also made mention that

whatever they have learned inside the self-contained class is that they also apply it to the

regular setting.

E. Barriers in the Teaching Process

Communication has been a constant barrier for the general education teachers

who were teaching in a self-contained class. In order to cope up from this barrier, the

general education teachers taken a lot of considerations by practicing the sign language,

managing the behavior of the child and apply some techniques on how to tame them,

being creative enough to exert efforts while teaching just to get the attention of the child,

and to observe the first and foremost then study the disability of the child.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are presented

below.
University/Institution

1. The university should give initial orientations or pieces of training for the general

education teachers before handling a self-contained class.

2. There should be special education subjects given to the general education majors so

that they would have an idea what it is like to be in special education and what is like to

handle a student who has special needs.

3. General education teachers should have exposure and involvement in the world of

special education such as assisting the special students.

4. The general education teachers should be given the right and privilege to undergo

training on how to create appropriate instructional materials design for special education

and proper behavioral management to be used to students with special needs.

5. Check the readiness of the general education teachers before deploying them to a self-

contained class.

6. There should be proper compensation allotted to the general education teachers for

them to satisfactorily execute well their job.

7. Opportunities and training given to the special education teachers should also be

granted to the general education teachers as well.

General Education Teachers

8. One must possess the characteristics of being a special education teacher such as

empathy, patience, and being immediate to actions.

9. Attend or be involved in joining programs that are special education-related.

10. More willing to attend orientations in sign language and Braille reading and writing.

11. They should undergo training in handling various types of students with special

needs.

12. Engage in several special education-related activities and programs.

13. The general education teacher should focus more on the ability of the child, instead of

its disability.

14. There should be collaboration between general education teachers with special

education teachers. Both could benefit from each other. Special education teachers could

benefit from gaining knowledge and confidence in the teaching of the general education

content areas. General education teachers could also benefit from learning more about

how to read, interpret, and implement IEPs.

15. The data also suggest that general educations teachers have tasks for which they feel

they could take on a greater level of responsibility. General education teachers should

examine their practice and identify those areas and articulate them to their special

education counterparts.