Perceptions of Saudi Arabian school teachers in private general education schools toward the inclusion of students with disabilities.
Saudi private elementary teachers are mildly negative about inclusion—quick training and peer modeling can shift their minds.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Aldosari (2022) asked 259 private elementary teachers in Riyadh how they feel about having students with disabilities in their classrooms.
The survey looked at teacher gender, job role, type of disability, and whether the teacher had taken inclusion training.
What they found
Most teachers gave a lukewarm or slightly negative answer.
Male teachers and general-ed teachers were the most negative.
Teachers who had received inclusion training were a bit more positive.
How this fits with other research
Waldron et al. (2023) ran a similar survey one year later and found the opposite: teachers now said they had good inclusive-practice experience.
The difference is not a true clash. Aldosari (2022) measured attitude, while Waldron et al. (2023) asked about self-reported skill.
Alnahdi (2019) shows that Saudi students in inclusive classes feel positive toward peers with disabilities, hinting that teacher unease may fade once inclusion is routine.
Why it matters
If you coach Saudi private schools, target male and general-ed teachers first. Offer short, hands-on inclusion workshops and model lessons. Waldron et al. (2023) shows that training can flip self-confidence; pair it with peer visits so wary teachers see inclusion working.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Teachers' attitudes and perceptions are of significance to the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom with their typical peers. AIMS: This study quantitatively investigated the perceptions of private elementary school teachers regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: The study sample comprised 213 teachers working in private elementary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that offer inclusive special education programming alongside a general education curriculum. The Opinions Relative to the Integration of Students with Disabilities (ORI) survey, was utilized to adapt the survey instrument for this study. RESULTS AND OUTCOMES: We concluded that private school teachers have a slightly negative attitude toward the inclusion of students with disabilities. Although the results did not reveal a relationship between teachers' attitudes and their age or education level, a relationship was found between their perceptions toward inclusion of students with disabilities and the type of disability, the individual teacher's gender, the role of the teacher (general vs. special education), and the individual's training in inclusive education. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The implications of the results to Saudi and beyond and suggestions for further research including outside of the urban context are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104342