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Navigating Educational Triage: Teachers' Moral Dilemmas and
Cultural-Linguistic Challenges in Inclusive Classrooms
Margie V. Tesoro
1
, Sherry E. Belmoro
2
1
Canaman Central School, Philippines
2
Universidad de Sta. Isabel de Naga, Inc., Philippines
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.120800265
Received: 20 Sep 2025; Accepted: 27 Sep 2025; Published: 04 October 2025
ABSTRACT
This study analyzed the interconnected challenges experienced by elementary school teachers in Philippine
inclusive classrooms, focusing on the intersection of disability, linguistic diversity, socioeconomic
disadvantage, and ethical dilemmas. Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, perceptions of
fourteen teachers from a peri-urban district were examined to understand the lived realities of implementing
inclusive education in the midst of limited resources and systemic constraints. Four themes emerged: (1)
cultural and linguistic identity crises, where teachers act as impromptu multilingual translators for students
facing both disabilities and language barriers; (2) socioeconomic burdens, highlighting how poverty intensifies
educational exclusion and undermines support for families of children with special needs; (3) environmental
and contextual disruptions, revealing creative resilience in classroom adaptation despite severe resource
limitations; and (4) the moral and ethical dilemmas underlying educational triage, where teachers faced
difficult decisions in balancing individual needs versus collective classroom welfare. The findings underscore
a significant policy–practice gap: although progressive policies such as RA 11650 promote inclusion,
implementation is constrained by insufficient teacher preparation, lack of resources, and emotional strain. This
research recommends context-sensitive capacity-building, curricular reform, and comprehensive support
systems that will balance both student rights and teacher well-being. It calls for urgent need for policy
enhancements and international dialogue regarding triple marginalization—a phenomenon where disability,
poverty, and exclusion meet—revealing the human dimension and complexity of inclusion in developing
country settings.
Keywords: inclusive education, teacher challenges, linguistic diversity, socioeconomic equity, educational
triage
INTRODUCTION
Inclusive education is widely recognized as a cornerstone of educational equity and human rights in the 21st
century. Internationally, the principle of inclusion reflects the belief that all children, regardless of disability,
background, or circumstance, have the right to learn in the same classrooms as their peers. The UNESCO
Global Education Monitoring Report (2020) emphasized that inclusive education is fundamental to achieving
Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and
promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. This SDG highlights efforts of schools to eliminate all types
of discrimination in education, including for those learners with special needs. Hence, this entails efforts of
schools to prepare their teachers in inclusive classrooms, especially regarding their pedagogical and behavioral
approaches to each of the affected learners. When implemented effectively, inclusive education has positive
outcomes on social participation, reduces marginalization, and positively affects academic performances of
both learners with and without special needs (Johnson et al., 2024).
However, pressing challenges are felt in the full implementation of inclusive education in the global arena.
Recent studies have shown that despite efforts in creating policies on inclusive education, teachers working in
special education classrooms experienced difficulties due to insufficient trainings, limited teaching resources
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including concerns on large class size and limited school support (Dayso, 2025; Günay, 2023). These
challenges often lead to inconsistent or superficial forms of inclusion. Guillemot (2022) characterized
inclusion in some contexts as "nominal," where learners with disabilities are physically present in general
classrooms but excluded from some forms of class activities due to lack of appropriate pedagogical adaptation.
This therefore highlights a persistent international problem: although the right to inclusive education is widely
recognized, the lived experiences of teachers and learners often reveal gaps between policy purposes and the
realities of what is happening inside the classroom.
In the Philippine context, the legal and policy framework for inclusive education has been significantly
strengthened in recent years. The enactment of Republic Act 11650 in March 2022, known as the Inclusive
Education Act, institutionalized a national commitment to support learners with disabilities in mainstream
schools. The Act mandates the establishment of Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs), outlines
provisions for individualized support, and prohibits discrimination in school admission on the basis of
disability (Official Gazette, 2022). Prior to this, several Department of Education (DepEd) Orders laid the
groundwork for inclusion. DepEd Order No. 72, s. 2009 introduced inclusive education as a strategy to
increase the participation rate of children with disabilities in regular schools. More recently, DepEd Order No.
44, s. 2021 provided policy guidelines on the provision of programs and services for learners with disabilities,
while DepEd Order No. 23, s. 2022—the "Child Find Policy"—mandated systematic identification, screening,
and assessment of children to ensure no learner is left out of formal education (Department of Education, 2021,
2022).
These policies are aligned with the Philippines' obligations under international agreements such as the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Incheon Declaration of the World
Education Forum 2015. They collectively reflect a strong national and global commitment to ensuring that
children with special needs (CSNs) access equitable and quality education.
While it is true that policies on inclusive education is in-place in the Philippines, research evidence suggests
that the implementation of inclusive education is facing considerable barriers both at the institution and the
classroom level. The literature also highlights the importance of teachers in actualizing inclusive education,
however many teachers expressed that they are not adequately equipped to fulfill this role (Sumagang &
Balano, 2025; Beltran, 2025; Kimhi, 2025). As the main implementers of inclusive education their
responsibilities includes adjusting instructions and teaching strategies, planning and designing differentiated
learning activities, nurturing a balanced climate of acceptance among learners, parents, and other stakeholders,
and handling diverse classroom behaviors. This is exemplified in the study of Yada et al. (2022), noting
teachers’ beliefs and competencies were noted to be the most critical determinants of effective implementation
of inclusive education. Meaning when teachers are equipped with proper training and given the resources they
need, children with special needs can cope both socially and academically. On the other hand, when teachers
have low self-confidence, learners may experience autonomy despite being exposed in the mainstream
classrooms.
While in the Philippines, large class sizes, high pupil-teacher ratios, limited access to teaching resources, and
constrained infrastructure all add to the problems on inclusive education. The study of Sumagang and Balano
(2025) revealed that teachers often relied on "trial-and-error" methods to teach learners with special needs.
Teachers expressed feeling inadequate in terms of readiness on pedagogies and cited disappointments because
of the lack of institutional support. The studies of Borja (2023) and Elbancol (2025) also show that teaching
strategies for inclusive classrooms were inconsistently applied in schools because of lack of teacher training in
special education.
The shift from modular to distance learning during the pandemic escalates challenges experienced by SPED
teachers. Cahapay (2022) study showed that SPED teachers experienced difficulties to design learning plans
which matches their learner’s need, monitor learners’ incomplete outputs, and maintain meaningful partnership
with parents and learners. This reveals that teachers who are in the forefront of inclusion faced not only
structural barriers but also the emotional and professional strain.
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In general, the challenges experienced by teachers in inclusive classrooms can be categorized into three
interrelated domains: pedagogical, behavioral, and resource-related. Pedagogical challenges are experienced
by teachers due to insufficient training specially in implementing differentiated instruction and lack of access
to best practices in inclusion. Teachers mentioned challenges in aligning curriculum objectives with learning
needs of children with special needs which is termed as "curricular incongruence" (Kilcrease, 2024). Hence,
the concerns of whether the concept of inclusion is strategically reflected during the crafting of the curriculum.
As a result, learners with special needs may either fall behind or become disengaged.
Challenges along behavioral management strategies are another common theme. This is especially true when
teachers have learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
or emotional and behavioral difficulties. General education teachers also admit to lacking teaching
competencies on this area. Without proper interventions, disruptive behaviors can worsen, this affects not only
the learner but also the whole classroom environment (Elbancol, 2025; Hart, 2024).
Resource-related challenges include the lack of appropriate instructional materials, assistive technologies, and
sufficient classroom support. Teachers in rural and under-resourced schools are seen to be placed at the
disadvantaged side, as they need to improvise with limited tools. The studies of Borja (2023) and Jimenez
(2025) revealed that some teachers attempted to innovate materials themselves, but these efforts may not be
consistent because of time constraints, lack of expertise, and workload.
These challenges show a gap between the progressive policies enshrined in RA 11650 and DepEd Orders and
the realities faced by teachers in classrooms. While policy frameworks clearly articulate the principles of
inclusion, the actual implementation depends heavily on teachers who often lack adequate preparation and
resources. This policy-practice gap is not unique to the Philippines; international literature reveals similar
findings. For example, meta-analyses have found that across multiple countries, inclusion policies were
undermined by insufficient teacher training and systemic barriers (Judijanto, 2024). However, understanding
this gap in the Philippine context is vital given the recent enactment of RA 11650, which places further
emphasis on inclusive education nationwide.
Despite the growing body of international and local literature on inclusive education, several gaps remain.
First, much of the Filipino research has focused on the perspectives of SPED teachers or on extraordinary
contexts such as the pandemic. Less attention has been given to the everyday lived experiences of general
education teachers who are increasingly tasked with implementing inclusive education in their classrooms.
Second, while DepEd policies provide comprehensive guidelines, there is limited empirical evidence on how
these are experienced by teachers on the ground. Specifically, questions remain about whether teachers feel
adequately supported to manage diverse learners, adapt instruction, and employ behavioral management
strategies in line with policy expectations. Third, existing studies often present challenges in isolation but
rarely capture how pedagogical, cultural, and resource-related issues intersect in teachers' daily practice. This
study sought to address these gaps by exploring the challenges experienced by elementary school teachers in
inclusive classrooms in a peri-urban district in the Philippines focusing on the interplay between and among
pedagogical, cultural, and resource-related issues. The findings of this study aim to inform capacity-building
programs, curricular adjustments, and policy refinements that may strengthen the implementation of inclusive
education and support teachers as the main implementers of change.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study employed a descriptive phenomenological design, specifically following the method of Clark
Moustakas or the modified Van Kaam method, to capture the lived experiences of inclusive education teachers
handling students with special needs. This approach was used as it seeks to describe the essence of the
teachers’ experiences in inclusive classrooms and uncover meaning from the perspective of the teachers.
Participants and Sampling
The participants consisted of 14 inclusive education teachers from kindergarten to Grade 6 in a peri-urban
community in the Philippines. They were purposively selected based on the following criteria: (a) currently
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teaching in inclusive classrooms, (b) having experience handling students formally assessed with learning
disabilities, ADHD, autism, behavioral difficulties, or communication impairments, and (c) holding regular
teaching positions in public schools.
Among the 14 participants, 13 were female and one was male, with ages ranging from 26 to 56 years. Their
teaching experience spanned from four to 33 years, with most serving for over a decade. The teachers had
handled students with disabilities between two and seven times, with class sizes ranging from 23 to 35
learners. This diversity of backgrounds enabled the study to capture varied perspectives on the challenges of
inclusive education.
Data Collection
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, guided by a validated interview protocol. The protocol
included four sections: interview instructions, participant introduction and screening, the interview proper, and
post-interview reflection. Questions were designed to elicit narratives about the participants’ experiences,
focusing particularly on the challenges they faced in teaching students with special needs alongside their
typically developing peers.
Each interview lasted between 30 minutes and one hour and was conducted in the participants’ preferred
schedule, usually within their classrooms. Ethical procedures were strictly observed: informed consent was
obtained, anonymity was guaranteed, and withdrawal was allowed at any point. Data collection continued until
thematic saturation was reached at the 14th participant, ensuring adequacy and depth of information.
Data Analysis
Analysis followed Moustakas’ seven-step phenomenological reduction process. First, horizontalization was
applied, treating all statements with equal value. Second, invariant constituents were identified by eliminating
repetitive and vague responses. Third, clustering of statements generated initial themes, which were refined
through transcript reviews and auditor checks to reduce bias. Fourth, individual textural and structural
descriptions were developed, capturing both what teachers experienced and how they experienced it. Fifth,
imaginative variation was employed to examine multiple perspectives of the phenomenon. Sixth, textural-
structural descriptions were synthesized for each participant. Finally, an integrated description of the essence
of challenges experienced by inclusive education teachers was produced.
RESULTS
Thematic analysis of interviews with 14 elementary school teachers in a school located in a peri-urban district
in the Philippines revealed four emergent themes not commonly addressed in mainstream inclusive education
literature. These themes emerged from the specific socioeconomic, cultural, and systemic conditions
associated in the implementation of inclusion in the Philippines.
Cultural and Linguistic Identity Crisis in Inclusive Settings
This theme covers the complex difficulties teachers experienced when managing classrooms where students
with special needs simultaneously face language barriers and cultural disconnection. The teachers experience
what they describe as “triple challenge.” This happens when teachers are required to address disability related-
needs, language comprehension issues and cultural adaptation at once.
Teachers reported becoming impromptu multilingual translators, switching between Bicol dialect, Filipino, and
English to address different linguistic needs. A child understands only one language and the other can
comprehend another different language. As one participant shared: "I have students there who don't
understand Bikol and also have English, so I become like multi-lingual there, those who don't understand, I
translate for them, I speak in Bikol, Tagalog, and English for them.”
It was noted that some learners also have language preferences which may be influenced by social media
exposure: A participant shared that: "This is about their first language, their mother tongue so they can easily
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understand their own language. In kindergarten, there's also English when we say like that girl, she speaks
English, maybe because of cellphones and the students' influence from social media”.
This is becoming more challenging when teachers need to figure out to determine whether the learners’
learning difficulty is because of the disability or language barriers: "There are those who don't understand,
multi-lingual, we translate so they can understand. But I am confused if it really because of language
difficulty. ".
Hence, in the Philippines where the medium of instruction varies depending on the subject, translating from
one language to another adds to the difficulty of the teachers specially in inclusive classrooms.
Socioeconomic Burden and Educational Equity Dilemma
This identified theme reveals the intersection of disability, poverty, and educational access, revealing how
economic disadvantage compounds barriers for students with special needs. Teachers encountered complex
situations where students' disabilities were aggravated by family’s poor economic background, creating
multidimensional obstacles which if outside classroom instruction into socioeconomic structures which limits
learners’ educational opportunities.
Teacher participants frequently mentioned students from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),
highlighting how conditional cash transfer beneficiaries with special needs faced additional challenges. One
participant mentioned: "She's a 4Ps beneficiary the parents work in the farm and she's left to take care of
others, how can learning happen when she's absent for many days, the gap is terrible.".
Economic constraints of learners with special needs significantly affects family support for educational
activities. This sentiment is further emphasized by another teacher who stated: "Parents are not supportive,
sometimes with assignments and projects, if there's no money that's the problem, and when there's a
performance task that the teacher wants to implement, some parents don't provide support even though the
child is willing.".
The absence of free assessment services created additional barriers: "Free assessment is not available, really
when enrolling, the child should be assessed immediately... Teachers also noted how poverty-related stress
affected student motivation: "Some become discouraged when they realize they're not progressing, but they
should still attend class, at least there's some learning somehow.”.
Environmental and Contextual Disruption Management
Teachers often need to develop innovative environmental adaptation strategies using minimal resources to
create a conducive classroom environment for students with special needs. This theme highlights how teachers
give significant importance to modifying the classroom setting and adjusting teaching strategies in ways that
extend beyond conventional classroom management. Their accounts reveal what may be described as
“survival inclusive pedagogy,” where creativity compensates for systemic resource gaps.
Several participants emphasized the need for sensory-based adaptations to address the comfort and regulation
needs of learners. One teacher shared, “I accompany him, I bring him near the electric fan because sometimes
he gets hot. This is what I do for him, I accompany him and I also position myself there during lessons near the
electric fan so the child feels cool.” Such adjustments, though simple, reflect teachers’ efforts to respond to
students’ unique physiological needs despite the absence of specialized equipment.
Teachers also described the burden of external environmental factors that significantly disrupted learning
conditions. As one participant noted, “Sometimes really the place causes delays in the children’s learning
when it’s really noisy and the parents are there making noise, that’s the problem.” In the Philippine context,
parents or guardians often wait outside classrooms, creating background distractions that interfere with
teaching and student concentration. Another teacher added, “Even when someone passes by, that’s why there
are curtains, and it gets noisy during snack time.” These accounts show how physical and social environments
beyond the teacher’s control can intrude upon learning.
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In response, teachers implemented protective strategies to manage unpredictable behaviors and maintain order
in inadequate physical spaces. For example, “I close the door because when he goes out, I don’t know, I didn’t
study this, he doesn’t say what he really wants.” Another described improvising with seating arrangements:
“Sometimes I make them sit with classmates who can understand, so they get help.”. Similarly, “The
classroom has a seating arrangement. The child with a disability sits beside a ‘little teacher’—someone
assigned to assist them.”. These examples demonstrate how teachers compensate for limited adult support by
restructuring peer dynamics to foster collaborative assistance.
Teachers also reported strategically diverting attention to reduce disruptions: “When a student throws
tantrums, I divert their attention—like giving them blocks or letting them pick up materials. Sometimes it works
for a few minutes, then it happens again.”. Others relied on trial-and-error approaches in managing behavior
within the classroom environment: “In Kinder, I observe the behavior first, especially if it’s unusual. Then I
try different strategies until something works.”.
These accounts illustrate how teachers in inclusive classrooms adapt creatively to environmental and
contextual disruptions by modifying seating plans, adjusting sensory stimuli, improvising physical
arrangements, and leveraging peer support. These strategies, while often effective in the short term, underscore
the lack of systemic environmental accommodations—such as soundproofing, sensory-friendly equipment, or
additional adult support—that would otherwise reduce reliance on teacher improvisation. The teachers’
experiences highlight both their resilience and the pressing need for institutional investments that ensure
inclusive classrooms are physically and socially supportive spaces for all learners.
Moral and Ethical Dilemma of Educational Triage
This theme uncovers the ethical conflicts teachers encounter when systemic limitations force them to make
difficult decisions about resource allocation and attention distribution among students. The concept of
“educational triage” emerged as teachers described the impossible choices they must navigate between
addressing the urgent needs of individual learners with disabilities and safeguarding the collective learning of
the entire class.
Teachers articulated how disproportionate demands on their attention could compromise opportunities for
others. As one participant explained, “I can’t just focus only on her, this one really doesn’t care/pay
attention.” Another echoed the strain of uneven responsibility: “I hope when they classify, they really check
the behavior. They’re different—inclusive is okay, but if the teacher can’t handle it, then a teacher with
specialization is needed. In elementary, not all the time can we address those needs.” Such reflections
illustrate the moral distress that arises when teachers are asked to uphold inclusion without the necessary
training or support, leaving them to rely on “trial-and-error” approaches: “Since I am not a SPED teacher, I
don’t know if the techniques I’m using are correct. Sometimes it’s just trial and error.”
The ethical dilemma increases when teachers feel unable to leave a student behind, even when doing so
consumes valuable instructional time. One teacher recounted, “You can’t just tell her to be left behind because
she becomes more hysterical when excluded. She doesn’t want to be left behind, but this consumes time and
prevents me from finishing the discussion.” Another underscored the tension of divided attention: “For
example, with a child who has ADHD, how can I teach him when I also have so many other students who need
attention?” In these accounts, teachers are compelled to prioritize between an individual child’s right to
inclusion and the collective right of the class to an uninterrupted learning process.
Time management thus becomes an ethical issue, as teachers described delays in curriculum delivery:
“Sometimes it takes up time so it becomes slow too, for example, the topic that should be finished in one week
sometimes gets extended because you can’t finish immediately since you’re interrupted by just one or two
children.” Teachers also pointed to the lack of systematic grouping frameworks, noting the inequities this
produces: “If not appropriate for that group, if they can’t handle the level because it’s not normal. The normal
ones, just look at their eyes and they understand. Group them with their peers.”
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Collectively, these narratives reveal that inclusive education, though rooted in principles of equity, often
generates ethical tensions in practice. Teachers are forced into situations of triage—deciding whose needs are
prioritized, whose learning is delayed, and how to balance individual accommodations with the progress of the
whole class. These dilemmas expose the human cost of under-resourced inclusion, underscoring the urgent
need for structural supports, specialized training, and systematic frameworks that protect both the dignity of
learners with special needs and the educational rights of their peers.
DISCUSSION
The four themes revealed in this study represent significant contributions to inclusive education literature,
particularly regarding contexts where disability intersects with multilingual environments, socioeconomic
disadvantage, environmental challenges, and resource scarcity. These findings encompass understanding
outside traditional pedagogical concerns to involve complex sociocultural and ethical dimensions of inclusive
education implementation in developing country contexts such as the Philippines.
The interplay between concerns on special needs with language diversity creates unique challenges not yet
sufficiently addressed in current inclusive education frameworks. While UNESCO (2025) emphasizes
multilingual education as fundamental to inclusive learning, this study reveals how these challenges led to a
more complex challenge when students have special needs. Teachers are becoming "multi-lingual translators"
which represents innovative yet unsupported approaches lacking systematic institutional support.
As revealed in the study of Cuba and Tefera (2024) on multilingual learners with disabilities demonstrates
similar challenges in identifying and supporting students who face multiple barriers. However, this study
extends this literature by revealing how teachers adapt to this challenge where special education needs and
language barriers meet in a resource-constrained environments. The influence of social media on students'
language preferences, as noted by participants, represents a modern-day challenge requiring updated teaching
strategies.
Gunawan's (2025) study on multilingual education implementation in rural Indonesia reveals comparable
challenges where teachers struggle with language barriers in diverse educational settings. This study, however,
reveals how disability escalates these challenges which pushes teachers to address language comprehension,
cultural adaptation, and special needs even without proper training and resources.
The findings also reveal what studies scholars’ term "triple marginalization" – the intersection of disability,
poverty, and educational exclusion (World Bank, 2025). The 4Ps context mentioned by participants reflects
how conditional cash transfer programs in the Philippines, while beneficial, may unintentionally create
additional challenges for families with children with disabilities. As discussed in the study of James et al.,
(2025), research demonstrates that poverty increases disability risk through malnutrition, inadequate healthcare
access, and unsafe conditions, while disability increases poverty risk through discrimination and reduced
opportunities.
The study of Bixby (2024) reveals disability as the major stratifying category, with significant variation in
poverty estimates at the intersection of disability, race-ethnicity, and gender. The present study extends this
analysis by showing how teachers adapt to these inequalities in classroom settings even without adequate
support systems or resources.
The lack of free assessment services to assess disabilities as revealed by participants uncover broader systemic
problems. The need for culturally responsive assessment structures that can consider both linguistic and
socioeconomic factors is consistent with that of Alsarawi's (2025) study on identifying learning disabilities in
multilingual contexts.
The challenges experienced by teachers in this study mirrors the findings in prior studies such as that of Illinois
Learning (2024) which is called “contextual resilience” where teachers adapt innovative environmental
strategies for learners with special needs. This is also true in the study of Morgenthaler (2023) on
environmental adjustments of teachers which showcased the importance of modifying physical, social, and
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temporal environments to support learning. For this study, the participant’s words provide strong evidence of
the emergence of “survival inclusive pedagogy” when teachers improvise and use available resources. These
teaching adjustments align is in conformity with the Universal Design for Learning principles operating within
severe resource constraints. This phenomena reveals an important input to understanding principles of
inclusion which can be adapted to different resource contexts but still balancing educational quality and
support.
The concept of “educational triage” showcased new contribution to the implementation of inclusion which
reveals ethical dilemmas experienced by teachers in under-resourced educational settings. This is in keeping
with the studies of Colnerud (2015), and Dacerova & Bartosova (2022) which also discussed ethical conflicts
in inclusive education and that of the findings in the study of Nwosu et al. (2024) which reveals how teachers'
emotional regulation is affected by inclusive education practices.
CONCLUSION
This study reveals four dimensions of inclusive education challenges that extend understanding beyond the
traditional pedagogical and resource concerns of teachers. The interplay between and among language
diversity, economic backgrounds, environmental constraints, and ethical dilemmas contributes to more
complex challenges of teachers requiring comprehensive but contextualized responses. These findings call for
giving a different perspective on inclusive education support systems that address not only what teachers do,
but the difficult choices they are forced to make when systems fail to provide adequate support.
The moral dimension of inclusive education implementation – particularly the ethical triage decisions teachers
must make – reveals a significant area of concern requiring immediate attention from policymakers,
researchers, and international development organizations. As schools and organizations worldwide work to
improve inclusive education policies, these findings reveals the challenges met by teachers due to lack of
resources and highlight the urgent need for better support systems that respect both the rights of students in
inclusive classrooms and the responsibilities of their teachers.
Limitations and Future Research
This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the research
was conducted in a single peri-urban district in the Philippines with only 14 participants. Although this design
enabled an in-depth exploration of teachers’ lived experiences, it also restricts the breadth of perspectives
across more diverse educational settings, particularly in rural or highly urbanized contexts. The findings,
therefore, should be interpreted as context-specific rather than broadly representative of all Philippine schools.
Another limitation lies in the reliance on teacher self-reports through semi-structured interviews. Although
these narratives provided rich and meaningful insights into classroom realities, they are inherently shaped by
personal perceptions and may not fully capture the perspectives of learners, parents, or school leaders. The
absence of triangulation through methods such as classroom observation or documentary analysis also
constrains the study’s validity.
The qualitative phenomenological design further limits the extent to which findings can be generalized to other
cultural and economic contexts. The challenges of educational triage identified here are embedded in the
Philippine setting, which is marked by multilingual classrooms, widespread poverty, and systemic resource
shortages. While similar dilemmas may be present in other developing countries, differences in cultural norms,
disability policies, and socioeconomic conditions suggest that these challenges may manifest in varied ways.
Finally, the study was cross-sectional and did not examine the long-term consequences of teachers’ triage
decisions on student outcomes, teacher well-being, or broader systemic equity. Future research could extend
this work by including multiple sites across different regions, integrating the perspectives of learners and
parents, adopting mixed-methods or comparative approaches, and investigating longitudinally how educational
triage shapes classroom dynamics over time. Such extensions would help determine whether the dilemmas
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identified here represent a uniquely Philippine phenomenon or reflect broader global patterns in inclusive
education.
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