Beyond the Looking Glass: Teachers’ Perspectives on the Limited-Face-To-Face Learning for Learners with Disabilities

This phenomenological study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding to answer the question of how participants described their views, and feelings and how it affected their lives in teaching learners with disability in limited face-to-face learning. The 10 SPED teachers served as the respondents of the study. Given the restricted participant pool, purposive sampling was employed. Five (5) SPED teachers for the individual in-depth interview (IDI), and five (5) for the focus group discussion (FGD) from General Santos City SPED Integrated School. The Qualitative Research Method using the validated Semi-Structured Interview Guide to gather data from the participants, and thematic analysis was applied to interpret the data. Based on the findings of the study these significant themes emerged their experiences: full of adjustment, dealing with diverse behaviour, providing guidance, showing consideration, discovering the learner’s situation, and attending to learners’ needs.  Moreover, their coping mechanism the themes were: happy to teach, fulfilled to help learners, challenged, and exhausted. Finally, for insights the themes were privileged with educational training, employed collaboration, provided quality learning, and postered positivism. The results of the study revealed that SPED teachers were happy and enthusiastic to teach learners in the limited face-to-face learning, nevertheless, the challenges of monitoring and assessing students' learning, progress, and behavior were primary factors to address in class. Hence, SPED teachers needed coping mechanisms to with the circumstances in class.