Defense Date

3-11-2019

Graduation Date

Spring 5-10-2019

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Counseling, Psychology, & Special Education

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Temple S. Lovelace

Committee Member

Morgan Chitiyo

Committee Member

Gibbs Kanyongo

Keywords

students, autism, inclusion, teacher attitude, secondary school teachers, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary school teachers’ attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, students with ASD can attend regular education classrooms, especially in elementary and middle schools. In addition, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia is interested in the inclusion of students with ASD in secondary schools. Since the attitudes of secondary school teachers toward inclusion of students with ASD have not been examined, it was important to look at the attitudes of these teachers towards the inclusion of students with ASD so that it is implemented successfully. Over 2000 secondary school teachers completed an online survey. Data were collected using a convenience sample and analyzed using SPSS. The results of the study indicated that secondary school teachers in Riyadh had positive attitudes toward inclusion of students with ASD. Furthermore, most teachers participating in this study indicated that the placement of students with ASD should be determined based on the severity of ASD symptoms. In addition, secondary school teachers’ attitudes differed based on the following variables: years of teaching experience, gender, level of education, and type of school. This study suggested that secondary school teachers should be provided with effective training and professional development so that they can include students with ASD. The use of the convenience sample and the online survey could limit the generalizability of the results. Future research should examine teachers pre-service and their knowledge about ASD.

Language

English

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