ISSN: 2782-893X
eISSN: 2799-0664
ISSN: 2782- 893X
—— This study examined teachers’ perceptions of the effects of mainstreaming on the holistic development of Grade 6 learners with special educational needs in Anubanrayong School, Rayong, Thailand. Specifically, it described the profile of teachers handling mainstreamed learners, determined their perceived ratings of the effects of mainstreaming on physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development, assessed the extent of teachers’ utilization of strategies in handling learners with special educational needs, and tested the relationship between selected teacher profile variables and their perceived ratings of mainstreaming effects. The study employed a quantitative approach using descriptive-survey and descriptive-correlational designs. The respondents were 100 teachers handling Grade 6 learners in mainstream classrooms. Data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire-checklist that underwent content validation by two school administrators and three Grade 6 teachers who were not included in the study. Frequency counts, percentages, means, Point-Biserial Correlation, and Kendall’s Tau-b were used in the analysis. Results showed that teachers perceived the overall effects of mainstreaming on the holistic development of learners with special educational needs as moderate, while the strategies used in handling these learners were rated as highly utilized. Among the four developmental domains, physical development obtained the highest mean, while emotional development obtained the lowest, although all remained within the moderate range. Sex showed significant relationships with social, emotional, and overall perceived effects, while nationality showed significant relationships across all measured domains of perceived mainstreaming effects. Highest educational attainment showed weak but significant relationships with selected domains and overall perceived effects. The findings suggest that mainstreaming may offer meaningful developmental opportunities; however, its perceived benefits may remain limited unless supported by responsive teaching practices, coordinated school support, and sustained inclusive implementation. Keywords — Mainstreaming, Inclusive Education, Learners With Special Educational Needs, Holistic Development, Teacher Perceptions, Thailand