INTEGRATED CO-TEACHING (ICT) IN THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

ABSTRACT: This study examined the effectiveness of the Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) strategy on the academic performance of senior high school students with special needs in media and information literacy at Mandaue City Central Special Education (SPED). The study employed one group pretest-posttest design. Findings indicated that most participants had intellectual disabilities and came from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, underscoring significant socioeconomic challenges. While learners excelled in identifying media types and understanding media relationships, they faced difficulties with ethical media use and effective information presentation. A comparative analysis of scores showed a statistically significant improvement in academic performance after ICT implementation, with a t-value of 3.37 and a p-value of 0.002. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and family income did not significantly impact academic outcomes, suggesting that teaching methods are more crucial for success than socioeconomic status. The study concludes that ICT effectively enhances learning for students with special needs and highlights the value of collaborative, tailored educational approaches. Recommendations include ongoing educator training in co-teaching, developing modules on ethical media use, integrating assistive technologies, establishing national inclusive education guidelines, and increasing funding to create supportive learning environments. These initiatives aim to empower students with special needs in their academic and ethical development in a complex digital landscape. Keywords: Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT), Special Needs Education, Media and Information Literacy, Academic Performance, One Group Pretest-Posttest Design