Globalizing Teacher Readiness: The Impact of Internationalized Curricula on Pre-Service Teacher Competencies for Inclusive Education in Caraga SUCs

Abstract

This study investigates the intersection of higher education internationalization policies and pre-service teacher preparation for inclusive education in resource-constrained State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the Caraga Region, Philippines. While global standards and national mandates, such as CHED Memorandum Order No. 55 series of 2016, push for internationalized curricula, a significant disjunction exists between policy compliance and actual pedagogical readiness. Employing a qualitative multiple case study design, this research examined Colleges of Education across four Caraga SUCs using thematic analysis of individual interviews (N=12), focus groups with teacher interns (N=24), and an audit of 26 course syllabi.

The findings reveal a state of "cosmetic compliance" where general internationalization terms are adopted administratively, yet the special needs curriculum remains operationally superficial (69% average depth). This structural gap correlates with a self-efficacy crisis among graduating interns, who report high theoretical confidence (3.80/5.00) but operational paralysis (1.84/5.00) in managing practical neurodiversity behaviors and assistive technologies (51.25% average compliance). Crucially, Caraga State University emerged as a strategic outlier, achieving 88% curriculum compliance and superior teacher self-efficacy (3.42/5.00) by leveraging "Internationalization at Home" (IaH) and virtual Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) partnerships with institutions in Singapore and Malaysia to bypass regional budget deficits (representing just 1.92% of the national budget).  This study concludes that high-impact special needs teacher preparation in underfunded contexts does not require massive capital investments, but rather administrative resourcefulness, curricular reframing, and strategic transnational digital collaborations.