Lived Experiences of Secondary School Teachers in Delivering Inclusive Practices in Mainstream Classrooms: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

Inclusive education requires secondary schools to respond to learner diversity while maintaining meaningful participation and equitable learning opportunities in mainstream classrooms. This descriptive qualitative study explored the lived experiences of secondary school teachers in delivering inclusive practices in four public secondary schools in San Juan City, Metro Manila. Nine licensed secondary school teachers with experience implementing inclusive practices were selected through purposive sampling. Data were generated through semi-structured online interviews, transcribed, reviewed, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Cross-participant analysis of 284 coded significant statements produced six themes: (1) Knowing the Learner, Adjusting the Teaching; (2) More Than Being in the Room: Belonging, Participation, and Dignity; (3) Learning to Teach Inclusively: Challenge, Reflection, and Professional Transformation; (4) Doing More with Less: Structural Constraints Stretch Teacher Capacity; (5) Inclusion as Shared Work: Collaboration and Support Networks; and (6) From Inclusion Policy to Implementation Readiness. The findings show that teachers enact inclusion through responsive instructional adaptation and efforts to promote belonging while simultaneously navigating large classes, limited time, workload, resource constraints, assessment concerns, and uneven access to professional and specialist support. Inclusive teaching was also experienced as a continuing process of reflection and professional growth. Based on the findings, the study developed a Teacher Support Framework for Inclusive Teaching Practices (TSF-ITP), organized around professional development, responsive instructional practices, collaboration, school leadership and implementation support, resources and accessible learning environments, and teacher well-being. Meaningful inclusion depends not only on teacher commitment but also on sustained institutional and system-level support.