Often, reasonable accommodation to facilitate persons with disabilities learning is lacking, with persons with disabilities themselves making the needed adjustments to cope with school work. As one women with disability shared, “Kadalasan hindi sila nag-adjust para sa akin. Ako ang nag-aadjust para sa kanila, ganoon. I was treated like normal person, parang ganoon. Nahihirapan din ako lalo na sa financial, kaya nga nag-stop ako ng ilang taon. Tapos, aral ulit, stop ulit. Pagpasok ko sa pag-aaral na may bagong curriculum na, balik ako sa first, ganoon ang nangyari sa akin. Mahirap talaga siya. Kadalasan talaga, hindi talaga nila nabibigyan ng atensyon ang kaibahan ng PWD (Person with Disabilities) at saka normal. Pagdating sa project fair kaming lahat, sa presentation ganoon din, sa financial, sa lahat-lahat. So, mahirap talagang mag-adjust. Pero at least, natapos ko.” Inadequate skills among teachers and administrators The success of inclusion education programs depends largely on the competency and quality of teachers and education personnel involved. While Human Resource Development Program for SPED teachers is in place, and the Bureau of Elementary Education, Special Education Division regularly conducts summer training programs, the numbers of well-trained teachers are few compared to the actual demand for them. There are not enough qualified SPED teachers in the country. In addition, the quality of services is severely strained resulting in the dropping out or withdrawal of pupils with disabilities. “Ang mga teachers ng SPED ay dapat matuto ng sign language, ang PWD nating mga deaf and mute ay hindi nating kayang turuan dahil hindi marunong ng sign language – mabigyan sila ng training dahil kulang ang mga teachers natin.” “Teachers of SPED should learn basic sign language. They are not capable of teaching the deaf and mute because they don’t know how to sign.” “Teachers in Public School (assigned to handle the Children with Special Needs) should also be intellectually equipped (knowledgeable – or at least with proper training) on how to know the distinction and/or classifications of child’s disability; and at least emotionally prepared in handling the CWDs.” Most of these teachers are overly tasked and not compensated in relation to their qualifications and workload. Due to small and non-competitive salaries, many teachers choose to work abroad in more developed countries. The delays in salary payments, non-conducive working conditions and excessive number of students in the classroom fuelled further the exodus 10