Saudi Arabian Teachers' Perspective about Inclusion

Saudi Arabian Teachers' Perspective about Inclusion
Author: Fawwz Uthman Alhasiany
Publisher:
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2018
Genre: Inclusive education
ISBN:

Attitudes can affect how a person thinks and acts (Omolara & Adebukola, 2015; Salema, 2015). Therefore, it is important to be aware of teachers' attitudes and beliefs and how these important factors impact their thought processes and classroom instructional practices. If these beliefs appear to be having a negative impact on teachers' attitudes, it is necessary to help them learn how to teach more effectively (Clark & Peterson, 1986; Richardson, 1996). The main purpose of this study was to examine attitudes of Saudi Arabian K-12 education teachers toward inclusion and to determine whether the professional development programs currently offered in Saudi Arabia change or impact teacher attitudes toward inclusion. The researcher conducted a qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews with K-12 education teachers in Saudi Arabia to examine their attitudes and perspectives on inclusion and related assessment/instruction as well as how participation in professional development opportunities may impact or change their attitudes toward inclusion. Six themes emerged from the interviews: (a) different interpretations of inclusion, (b) professional development program, (c) perception of the need for accommodations and modifications, (d) assessment and instruction, (e) parents' impact on teachers' attitudes, and (g) recommendation to improve inclusive practices. Subsequently, 13 sub-themes emerged from the interviews, including: (a) the type of professional development program, (b) the outcomes of the professional development program, (c) the need for instruction and assessment, and (d) the need for professional development on instruction and assessment. Implications for improving inclusion, professional development programs, as well as instruction and assessment are included. Based on the results, several recommendations for practice and future research are suggested.

Saudi Special Education Preservice Teachers' Perspective Towards Inclusion

Saudi Special Education Preservice Teachers' Perspective Towards Inclusion
Author: Sarah Binmahfooz
Publisher:
Total Pages: 162
Release: 2019
Genre: Children with disabilities
ISBN:

In Saudi Arabia, students with disabilities have historically received education in special and segregated schools. As times progressed, regulations and laws changed the manner in which students with disabilities were served. Regulations order that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment; however, preservice teachers perspectives continue to differ in regard to working with students with disabilities in a general education setting. Research has shown that teachers who portray positive attitudes towards inclusion are more likely to work with students with disabilities in an inclusive classroom (Dev & Hayes, 2015). Today, inclusion has occurred in schools around the country; it is the educators responsibility to modify instruction in order to teach all students in the inclusive classroom. In order to investigate preservice teachers perspective toward inclusion in Saudi Arabia, this study used interviews with seven preservice teachers from the University of Umm Al-Qura. Six major themes emerged from the interview data, which represent Saudi special education preservice teachers perspectives toward inclusion, reasons for their perspective and recommendations including (1) negative perspective toward inclusion, (2) reasons related to students with disabilities condition and personality, (3) reasons related to the university, (4) reasons related to schools, (5) demand for more hands-on experience, (6) need to spread awareness among in-service teachers, principal, staff and community. Findings of the study and aspects related to the preservice teachers perspectives are discussed in detail, as well as implications of the findings and recommendations for future research.

Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge Toward Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Saudi Arabian Schools

Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge Toward Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Saudi Arabian Schools
Author: Tassan Mohammed Alsulami
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2019
Genre:
ISBN:

Inclusion of students with disabilities is an area of interest for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education. Educational policy plays an essential key to provide meaningful inclusion provisions to all types of children for academic and social success, but it is not clear if the policies adequately support inclusive education in Saudi Arabia. Much of that research conducted in the United States has demonstrated that teacher' perceptions and knowledge of inclusion and students with disabilities are the most significant influential factors for implementing effective inclusion practices in inclusive settings. To date, there has been limited research conducted on teacher knowledge and perceptions of inclusion in Saudi Arabia. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate Saudi teachers' perceptions and knowledge about inclusion and students with special needs. A total of 299 general and special education teachers participated in this study. Findings revealed that there was a relatively low level of knowledge about inclusion and students with disabilities among the Saudi Arabian educators. Findings also revealed differences in perceptions by disability category. Saudi Arabian teachers had the most negative perceptions of students with severe intellectual disabilities and the most positive perceptions of students with learning Disabilities. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants had minimal knowledge about evidence-based strategies to teach students with intellectual disabilities in a general education classroom. Implication for practice and research were discussed in this study.

Personnel Preparation

Personnel Preparation
Author: Thomas E. Scruggs
Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2008-05-19
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1849505276

Advances in knowledge of effective strategies for the treatment of learning and behavioral disabilities are of little use without highly trained and effective personnel to implement these strategies. This volume discusses a wide range of important issues in the preparation of those personnel.

Teachers' Attitudes Towards the Inclusion of Students who are Hard of Hearing in Elementary Schools in Saudi Arabia

Teachers' Attitudes Towards the Inclusion of Students who are Hard of Hearing in Elementary Schools in Saudi Arabia
Author: Khalid Nasser Alasim
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2017
Genre: Elementary school teachers
ISBN:

According to the Regulations of Special Education program and Institutes of Saudi Arabia (RSEPI), students with disabilities can be educated for all or part of their school day in general education classrooms with nondisabled peers. However, hard of hearing students are still educated full-time in self-contained classrooms, which prevents them from having academic and social interaction with hearing peers and inhibits the development of spoken communication. One of the possible reason for not including hard of hearing students in general education classrooms is teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. Therefore, with the use of quantitative research methods, this study investigates the attitudes of teachers who exclusively teach hard of hearing students and the attitudes of general education teachers toward the inclusion of hard of hearing students in general education classrooms in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia. In addition, this research examines the possible factors that might affect these two groups of teachers’ attitudes about the inclusion of students who are hard of hearing; the factors include: the current teaching position (general or special education teacher), level of education, gender, previous inclusive teaching experience, years of teaching, the presence or absence of family members with disabilities, and training in inclusive education. Three hundred Saudi male and female teachers from 17 elementary schools in Riyadh completed the Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities (ORI) survey. Multiple Linear Regression was used to answer the first research questions and descriptive statistics were used to answer the second research question. The findings indicated that very little of variance in teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion of hard of hearing students is explained by the independent variables. Also, the findings reveal that one of the seven independent variables has significant relationship with teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion of hard of hearing students. Finally, the findings of this study indicate that teachers of students with hard of hearing and general education teachers in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia have neutral attitudes toward the inclusion of hard of hearing students.

Understanding Educators' Attitudes Towards and Efficacy to Include Students with ASD and Other Disabilities in Saudi Arabia

Understanding Educators' Attitudes Towards and Efficacy to Include Students with ASD and Other Disabilities in Saudi Arabia
Author: Mansour Hussain Aljobran
Publisher:
Total Pages: 582
Release: 2014
Genre:
ISBN:

This study contributes to a vibrant conversation in inclusive education in Saudi Arabia by focusing on the attitudes of primary school principals and teachers, and teacher perceived efficacy. In order to complete the research objectives, the following have been investigated: (1) the attitudes of principals and teachers towards the inclusion of students with disabilities with special emphasis on students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), (2) the relationship between their attitudes and the perceived efficacy level needed by teachers to teach students with disabilities including those diagnosed with ASD, (3) the influence of certain demographic variables on school principals and teachers' attitudes and teachers perceived efficacy towards the inclusion of students with disabilities including those diagnosed with ASD, and (4) the facilitators and barriers perceived by the school principals and teachers that would impact the successful implementation of inclusive education in Saudi Arabia.Using an exploratory quantitative research approach, data was collected from 83 school principals and 1,529 teachers from inclusive primary schools in Al-Dammam and Al-Ahsa in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The results indicated that school principals had moderately positive attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular primary schools but were least positive about including students with severe disabilities in a regular classroom. The findings further revealed that school principals were not very positive about including students diagnosed with ASD in regular primary schools. Importantly, lack of adequate professional education and knowledge in Autism Spectrum disorder and administrative challenges significantly influenced their attitudes towards the inclusion of students diagnosed with ASD. In addition, school principals who had experience teaching students with disabilities had more positive attitudes towards inclusion than those with no such experience. Although the school teachers were generally positive about inclusive education, they demonstrated the least positive attitudes on their willingness to adapt curriculum to meet the individual needs of students. Demographic variables such as gender, educational area, experience teaching students with disabilities, contact with a person with a disability, and training to teach students with disabilities have influenced the differences in attitudes; for example, male teachers reported more positive attitudes than female teachers towards student with disabilities. The school teachers of Saudi Arabia showed the most positive attitudes to manage the disruptive behaviours of students diagnosed with ASD. Teachers generally perceived high levels of efficacy to teach students with disabilities including those diagnosed with ASD. The findings also demonstrate a strong relationship between teachers' attitudes and perceived efficacy. Teachers' perceived efficacy was also influenced by several demographic variables, which were gender, age, educational area, years of teaching experience and contact with a person with a disability; for example, male teachers had higher levels of perceived efficacy towards the inclusion of students with disabilities than the female teachers.These findings shed light on the complexity as well as opportunities for developing a robust and effective inclusive education in Saudi Arabia. In light of the findings several implications and recommendations were proposed for implementation to improve inclusive education in Saudi Arabia, the most important being targeted professional development programs for principals to develop their knowledge, and their administrative and instructional skills, and to apply those when running inclusive programs in their schools. This study will help policy makers, including the Education Ministry of Saudi Arabia, in developing pragmatic guidelines for inclusive practices in Saudi Arabia.

Inclusive Education in the Middle East

Inclusive Education in the Middle East
Author: Eman Gaad
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2010-09-13
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1136925600

The potential of adopting inclusive education to support learning for all is an international phenomenon that is finding its way to the Middle East and the Arabian region. Eman Gaad examines the current status of inclusive education in Arabia and the Middle East through an assessment of the latest international, regional, and local research into inclusive education. With a focus on the more complex areas of related cultural practice and attitudes towards inclusive education in this dynamic and fast-changing part of the world, Gaad offers a research-based analysis of the current educational status of the Arabian Gulf and some Middle Eastern countries that adopted inclusive practice in education, and others that are yet to follow. This book will be of great interest to students, academics, teachers, and therapists in the field of comparative and inclusive education as well as those with an interest in policies of education in the dynamic and culturally distinguished Middle Eastern Arabian region.

Inclusive Education in Saudi Arabia

Inclusive Education in Saudi Arabia
Author: Arwa Alrawkan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2022
Genre:
ISBN:

"Though the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) does offer Inclusive Education (IE) in the public system, necessary in-school supports and services remain limited. This dissertation is aligned with the goals set out by the Saudi Ministry of Education and one of the governmental initiatives that targets IE, Saudi Vision 2030. The Vision is a strategic framework that focuses on improving many aspects of the education system and designing educational programs for students with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum. The Ministry of Education in the KSA is paying particular attention to students on the autism spectrum with the goal of promoting learning in an inclusive classroom with an IE program. To help support these students, the Ministry is keen on increasing preparatory opportunities for its teachers with the aim of implementing effective IE. In addition to the impact of teachers on educational development, the Ministry of Education recognizes the essential role that parents can play in the IE community. The goal is for parents to make positive contributions and work closely together with their child's teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is threefold, a) to conduct an exploration of the current implementation of IE in Saudi Arabian public schools; b) to respond to the increased number of students on the autism spectrum by exploring teachers' self-reported competence in using IE practices for these students; c) to explore parent perspectives and satisfaction with their children's performance in IE settings. In the first study, a comprehensive systematic critical review was conducted to examine the current state of IE in the KSA by focusing on the extent to which IE is implemented in each region, the effectiveness of IE implementation, and on the barriers that impact a comprehensive IE roll-out in public schools. The results were that IE would not be considered satisfactory and does not achieve the needed level of implementation. Further, teachers were considered to be core actors in the implementation of successful IE based on the ability to meet students' needs and that adhering to established "best practices" requires a level of competence. Considering the high number of students on the autism spectrum in the KSA, there is a need to prepare teachers to meet the demands of an increasingly diverse classroom. Study 2 was designed to address these concerns by exploring 166 teachers' self-reported competence to teach students on the autism spectrum in inclusive settings. In this study, teachers' competence was the dependent variable, and three independent variables were tested: teachers' knowledge about IE practices, as well their attitude and beliefs about including students on the autism spectrum in mainstream classrooms. Teachers' self-reported competence levels were low toward including students on the autism spectrum in inclusive classrooms. The results highlighted the significance of teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs as predictors of their self-reported competence. Given that the competence of teachers can be reflected in students' academic performance, and that inclusive practice hinges on collaboration among influential stakeholders in students' lives, parents have a significant role in their children's education programs and should have the chance to reflect on their child's IE program. Thus, Study 3 aimed to explore parents' perspectives on their satisfaction with their child's IE program by interviewing eight parents from the KSA. The results highlight that most parents were not satisfied with their child's IE program and were seeking better options. The three studies in this dissertation highlighted the need for the development of more effective IE practices that could improve teacher competence and parent satisfaction levels.. This research has implications for the development and improvement of IE practices, policies, and standards, in the KSA and internationally"--