Project T.R.U.S.T. in Inclusive Special Education Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Action Research Study of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy and Child Protection

This convergent mixed-methods action research study examined the implementation and impact of Project T.R.U.S.T. (Trauma-Responsive Unified Systems and Teaching) in the inclusive special education classrooms of Alabel Central Integrated SPED Center, Sarangani Province, Philippines. Grounded in trauma-informed pedagogy and the Consuelo Foundation’s Unified Child Protection Framework, the intervention aimed to support learners' emotional self-regulation, adaptive classroom behaviors, and academic engagement while enhancing teacher self-efficacy. Quantitative data from an Emotional Regulation Scale (ERS), Academic Engagement Survey (AES), Teacher Efficacy Rating Scale (TERS), and daily Behavior Tracking Logs were integrated with qualitative data from reflective teacher journals, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant Photovoice logs. Participants comprised 15 educators, 30 neurodivergent and neurotypical learners, 10 family members, and 5 community health advocates (N=60). Following the six-week intervention, paired-samples t-tests indicated a statistically significant increase in learners' mean emotional regulation scores (t(29)=8.42,p<.001,d=1.04), while the proportion of learners classified as highly engaged rose from 26.67% (n=8) to 43.33% (n=13, a 62.50% categorical increase). Observational records documented a 40.00% reduction in disruptive behavior incidents and a 100.00% increase in voluntary calming-corner utilization. Qualitative findings demonstrated enhanced educator confidence in co-regulation, improved home-school emotional literacy, and strengthened community protective linkages. The findings suggest that structured trauma-informed routines offer a promising, context-responsive approach for inclusive public-school environments.