Teaching Learners with Special Educational Needs: A Descriptive-Correlational Study of Teachers’ Challenges, Coping Strategies, and Support Needs

Aim: This study aimed to describe the challenges, coping strategies, and perceived support needs of teachers handling learners with special educational needs (SEN) in selected elementary schools in the National Capital Region (NCR), and to examine the relationships among these variables.Methodology: A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was used.Data were collected through a structured survey administered to 45 teachers selected via purposive sampling.Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage) were used to summarize challenges, coping strategies, and support needs, while Pearson's r was employed to analyze the correlations among these variables.Results: Findings revealed the most common challenges were lack of teaching resources (M=4.45) and large class sizes (M=4.31).Coping strategies included peer collaboration (M=4.18) and self-directed learning (M=4.05).Teachers strongly agreed on the need for more training (M=4.67) and additional teaching aides (M=4.58).Correlational analyses showed significant positive relationships between reported challenges and perceived support needs (r = .62,p < .01),and between challenges and coping strategies (r = .48,p < .01). Conclusion:Results underscore the need to strengthen professional development, increase resources, and enhance institutional support to improve inclusive education.The observed correlations suggest that as teachers experience more challenges, they also report greater use of coping strategies and higher perceived need for support.