Frequency of in-service trainings and their impact on teacher perceptions of inclusive education

Inclusive education is a key reform in the Philippines, but its success depends on teacher preparedness through professional development. This study examined the relationship between the frequency of in-service trainings on inclusive education and teachers’ perceptions of their effectiveness. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational design was used, involving 30 public school teachers. Data were collected through survey questionnaires that captured both the number of trainings attended and perceptions across four dimensions: Diversity, Methodology, Support, and Community Participation. Descriptive statistics summarized training attendance, while Spearman’s rho tested the correlation between training frequency and perceived effectiveness. Findings showed that Inclusive Education Seminars (25.76%) and Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (21.21%) were the most attended, while specialized workshops such as sign language and individualized education plans had limited participation. Teachers’ perceptions were mostly neutral, reflecting both cautious support for inclusion and concerns about workload and preparedness. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive relationship between training frequency and perceived effectiveness (r = 0.412, p = 0.024), indicating that more frequent training attendance is linked to higher confidence in inclusive education practices. The study contributes to knowledge by highlighting the value of sustained and specialized training in building teacher competence. It recommends strengthening professional development programs with practical, skills-based content and further study on training impacts on classroom practice and student outcomes.