Speaker 1 · Opening · about 1 min

Good [morning/afternoon] to our panel members, [names of panelists], to our research adviser, [name of adviser], and to everyone here.

We are Group 1. Our members are Arjay Adelante, Reychine Dayao, Mariz Candule, Marjory Estrada, Yari Japones, Irene Nicolas, Klein Bridget Salazar, and Raiza Singayan.

Today we will present our three proposed research titles. All three are about inclusive education. They are about learners we will meet as future teachers: Deaf learners who use Filipino Sign Language, and learners with autism. For each title, we will explain why we chose it, the questions we want to answer, and how we plan to do the study.

Our first title will be presented by [Speaker 2].

Speaker 2 · Title and rationale · about 1½ min

Our first proposed title is: SenyasTika: A Study on Visual Dictionary of Filipino Sign Language Vocabulary, Daily Expressions, and Basic Sentence Structure.

Filipino Sign Language, or FSL, is the main language of the Filipino Deaf community. It is a real language with its own rules. It is different from Filipino, from English, and from other sign languages.

Beginners need learning materials that are well organized. They need to see not only single signs, but also how to use them in everyday expressions and simple sentences. For example, a beginner may know the signs for “school” and “go,” but still not know how to put them together to say “I am going to school.”

This is the gap our study wants to fill. SenyasTika will put FSL words, daily expressions, and basic sentences together in one visual dictionary, which means a dictionary with pictures. It is for students, teachers, and anyone who is starting to learn FSL. Our study will also check if the signs are correct, and if learners find the dictionary clear and useful.

Speaker 3 · Statement of the problem and method · about 2 min

Our study aims to develop SenyasTika. It will answer these questions:

1. 01What FSL vocabulary, daily expressions, and basic sentence structures are appropriate for inclusion in SenyasTika, based on common communication needs and beginner-level learning?
2. 02What is the level of accuracy and appropriateness of the FSL content in SenyasTika, as assessed by FSL-knowledgeable evaluators?
3. 03What is the level of acceptability of SenyasTika as an FSL learning material in terms of clarity, usability, accessibility, and usefulness?
4. 04What suggestions and recommendations can the evaluators give to improve the content and presentation of SenyasTika?

SenyasTika can help hearing students and teachers talk with their Deaf classmates and learners. It also supports the use of FSL in schools, which Republic Act 11106 requires.

Thank you. Our second title will be presented by [Speaker 4].

Speaker 4 · Title and rationale · about 1½ min

Our second proposed title is: Teachers’ Experiences and Strategies in Supporting the Needs of Learners with Autism in an Inclusive Classroom.

In inclusive education, learners with disabilities learn together with other learners in regular classrooms. But learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, often need extra support. Teachers may need to change how they teach, their classroom routines, and the way they communicate, depending on each learner’s needs.

Studies show that teachers use different strategies for learners with autism. Their experiences depend on their training, their resources, and their classroom (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Teachers also face challenges, especially when they lack training, resources, or support (Petersson-Bloom & Holmqvist, 2022). Here in the Philippines, Diaz and Madrigal (2025) studied the challenges of public special education teachers who teach children with autism.

But we still do not know enough about how teachers actually use and adjust these strategies every day in inclusive classrooms, especially here in our area. That is what our study wants to find out.

Speaker 5 · Statement of the problem and method · about 2 min

Our study will answer these questions:

1. 01What is the demographic profile of the teacher-participants in terms of age, sex, educational attainment, years of teaching experience, current grade level or teaching position, and years of experience teaching learners with autism?
2. 02What are the experiences of teachers in handling learners with autism in an inclusive classroom setting?
3. 03What strategies do teachers use to support learners with autism in terms of academic instruction and adaptation, social interaction and peer engagement, and behavior management and classroom regulation?
4. 04What challenges do teachers encounter in meeting the needs of learners with autism in an inclusive environment?
5. 05How do teachers address or cope with these challenges?
6. 06Based on the findings, what support mechanism or action plan can be recommended to assist teachers in inclusive settings?

Our findings can show teachers, school heads, and SPED coordinators which strategies work in real classrooms, and what help teachers still need. Our output will be an action plan to support teachers in inclusive classrooms.

Thank you. Our third title will be presented by [Speaker 6].

Speaker 6 · Title and rationale · about 2 min

Our third proposed title is: Teachers’ Awareness and Use of Filipino Sign Language with Deaf Learners in Inclusive Classrooms.

Deaf learners learn best when they can use their own language. In the Philippines, that language is Filipino Sign Language. Republic Act 11106, the Filipino Sign Language Act, was signed in October 2018. It made FSL the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf, and it requires schools to use FSL.

Many Deaf learners now study in regular classrooms. DepEd reported 324,968 learners in the Special Needs Education program for school year 2023 to 2024. Out of these, 10,264 are deaf (DepEd, as cited in Culla et al., 2025). Some Deaf learners spend half of their school day in regular classes. There, the teacher is the main link between the lesson and the learner. If the teacher does not know FSL, the Deaf learner may only watch and not understand.

The problem is that many teachers may not be ready. There are not enough teachers who know sign language, and DepEd has no record of how many teachers know it. A Senate resolution said that teacher education programs had no sign language lessons, and that many public school teachers were hired without signing skills (Gatchalian, 2022). In 2025, a DepEd division office held an FSL orientation for both SNEd teachers and regular teachers. This shows that regular teachers are now also expected to know FSL.

Speaker 7 · Statement of the problem and method · about 2 min

This study wants to find out how aware teachers are of FSL, and how much they use it with Deaf learners in inclusive classrooms. It will answer these questions:

1. 01What is the level of teachers’ awareness of FSL in terms of its legal basis, which is RA 11106; FSL as a language of instruction; and basic FSL knowledge?
2. 02What is the extent of teachers’ use of FSL with Deaf learners in terms of instruction, classroom communication, and assessment and feedback?
3. 03What is the relationship between teachers’ awareness of FSL and their use of FSL with Deaf learners?
4. 04What challenges do teachers encounter in using FSL in inclusive classrooms?

The results can show schools how ready teachers are to use FSL, and where they need more training and support.

Thank you.

Speaker 8 · Closing · about ½ min

Those are our three proposed research titles. First, SenyasTika, a visual dictionary of FSL words, daily expressions, and basic sentences. Second, teachers’ experiences and strategies in supporting learners with autism in an inclusive classroom. And third, teachers’ awareness and use of Filipino Sign Language with Deaf learners in inclusive classrooms.

[Only if your group has agreed:] Our group likes Title [number] best, because [one clear reason].

We are now ready for your questions, comments, and suggestions. Thank you very much.

How to answer the panel

• Start with “Thank you for the question, Ma’am/Sir.” Then answer in two or three short sentences.
• Say the SOP number when you can, like “That is our SOP 2.”
• If a panelist suggests a change, say thank you and that you will consider it. Don’t argue.
• If you don’t know, say “We have not thought about that yet, Ma’am/Sir, but we will look into it.” Never make up numbers.
• Choose one member to write down every comment. The panel’s comments usually become your revisions.

Title 1 · SenyasTika

• “A Study on Visual Dictionary” is missing the word “a.” It also does not say that you will make the dictionary. See Q8 for a better title.
• The rationale has no citations. Add RA 11106 and the DepEd numbers from Title 3. Also cite the FSL Signbank and Tabingo and Lovitos (2025) where you use them.
• The title says “Basic Sentence Structure,” but the SOP says “basic sentence structures.” Use the same form in both.

Title 2 · Learners with autism

• “learn alongside their peers in regular classroom” should be “in regular classrooms.”
• You use both “learners with autism” and “autistic learners.” Choose one and use it everywhere.
• SOP 3.1 to 3.3 each end with a question mark. Only the main question needs one.
• Your reference for Oliver-Kerrigan et al. (2021) names the wrong journal. The DOI is correct, but the article is in Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 56(2), 158–172.

Title 3 · FSL awareness and use

• The first paragraph has a broken sentence: “(FSL RA. 11106), the Filipino Sign Language Act, was signed…” You can write: “In the Philippines, that language is Filipino Sign Language (FSL). Republic Act No. 11106, the Filipino Sign Language Act, was signed in October 2018…”
• Typos: “FSLto” should be “FSL to,” and “3.What” needs a space.
• Add sources for “Deaf learners think and learn best when they can use their own language” and for the 2025 division FSL orientation. Also name the division.
• “DepEd also has no data on how many teachers know it” comes from Culla et al. (2025), so cite it there.
• Asuncion (2026), Durana and Siy (2025), and RA 11650 are in your references but not in your rationale. Use them in the text or remove them.
• Change SOP 3 to “Is there a significant relationship between…?” and add your null hypothesis (see Q2).
• You can add SOP 5 for an output, like a suggested FSL training plan for teachers.

All titles

• Check how “Nicolas, Irene Dr.” should be written in the member list. It looks like a typo for a middle initial.