This study examined the integration of assistive technology (AT) in teaching learners with special educational needs (LSENs) in selected schools in the Philippines. This aimed to determine the assistive technologies utilized in teaching the special education (SPED) learners. The research also examined the perceptions, challenges, and support mechanism in the integration of technology among SPED teachers. Key informant interviews or in-depth interviews were conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic to 12 SPED teachers handling learners with special needs. The findings of the study revealed that the available assistive technologies are interactive multimedia and conventional technology. Educational apps and high-tech tools are also used but of limited number. As SPED teachers who are teaching LSENs use AT, they find it useful as a reinforcement to learning, provides satisfaction in teaching, and brings motivational impact to learners. However, this somehow leads to fixation of learners to technology. Inadequacy of resources, learners’ misbehavior during instruction, technological problems and poor mastery of skills are the identified challenges of SPED teachers. Financial, emotional, administrative, instructional and moral support are needed as a support mechanism. The study recommends for SPED schools to provide relevant trainings to SPED teachers on how to deal with the difficulties to meet the special needs of the learners.

A university with a relevant curriculum offers authentic practical work experience integrated in the subjects to capacitate the graduates to be job-ready to meet the demands of employers in the industry. In contrast, the graduates are confronted with numerous difficulties in finding a job with their acquired that lacks the required skills from degree curriculum. Based on graduates' self assessment report, this study described the match of the educational qualifications and relevance of the curriculum of the graduates to their current employment. A survey research design was used to gather the self-evaluated responses of 1761 individuals who graduated during 2012 to 2017 from the seven colleges of Mindanao State University-General Santos City (MSU-GSC), Philippines. Questionnaires were distributed for data collection through face-to-face and online data gathering. Results revealed that the supply of graduates’ educational skills are highly matched with the skills demanded by the industry and that the curriculum is responsive to the present employment. This research gives implications on academic and economic policies. The university needs to anchor the curriculum evaluation measures to test the graduates’ employability based on a competence model anchored in real-world work settings. The study highlights to conduct a tracer study across the university with a focus on the job-specific skills of the graduates as per degree specialization and evaluate each specific major course based on the prospectus of the program to align MSU-GSC’s course offerings to the needs of the industry.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created psychological chaos, social distress, and emotional disturbances to the students worldwide which affected their pursuit to focus on their learning goals. This article examines the psychosocial, educational, and other related challenges of the current crisis which threaten the space for learning heuristics and personal well-being of university students. Methods: The study applied an illustrative case study design to describe the real-life situations of the students in from a state university in the Philippines during the early stages of a phenomenal health event in history. Results: Result indicates that COVID-19 posits detrimental effects to the students’ educational cycles and psycho-social well-being as they felt drowned, trapped, and annihilated at the arrival of COVID-19. Aside from the psychological dilemma, students also deal with emotional, virtual, social, technical, and educational-related challenges.  Conclusions: The educational momentum of these particular students declined due to unprecedented educational transitions, decreased motivation for their studies, complexities experienced in the emergency online learning environments, and multiplex health and digital issues.