Inclusion Education of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in General Classrooms: Teachers' Perceptions

نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية

المؤلف

Assistant Professor Department of Special Education Faculty of Education King Abdulaziz University

المستخلص

The discussion about students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has fueled interest in teachers' experiences and perceptions of teaching in inclusive education (IE) settings. This study aims to examine the experiences and knowledge of special education teachers (SET) and general education teachers (GET) regarding the inclusion of students with ASD in general education classrooms (mainstream special education). The study deployed a qualitative research approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants from Saudi Arabian private and public schools. Thematic analysis was used to examine the collected data. The study findings indicate that teachers have a positive attitude toward IE. While special education teachers demonstrated readiness to adopt IE, general education teachers lacked confidence in their efficacy in an inclusive setting. Teachers identified barriers to IE adoption as inadequate training, experience, and relevant resources. However, positive attitude, teamwork, collaboration, and the emergence of assistive technologies are among the factors enabling the adoption of IE practices.

الكلمات الرئيسية