Short report: Parents' perspectives on inclusive schools for students with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi parents want inclusive classes but trust them only if you coach the teacher.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bader and colleagues asked 407 Saudi parents about inclusive schools.
Kids had autism, ID, or other disabilities.
Parents filled a short online survey on phones.
They rated how much they agreed with statements like "My child learns better with non-disabled peers."
What they found
Every parent liked inclusion.
Parents of children with disabilities liked it even more.
Top worry: teachers are not ready.
Second worry: not enough helpers in class.
How this fits with other research
Menezes et al. (2021) reviewed 18 studies where social-skills groups ran inside regular classes.
All 18 worked when peers joined.
That backs the Saudi view that inclusion is good.
Kahveci et al. (2023) tested Conjoint Behavioral Consultation with preschoolers.
Teachers and parents planned together.
Kids paid attention and learned.
This shows teacher prep plus BCBA coaching fixes the exact fear Saudi parents named.
McQuaid et al. (2024) in Sydney found most kids wait for services and get under two hours a week.
That shortage matches Saudi parent fear: schools lack staff.
Why it matters
Use this data when you ask for a BCBA seat at the IEP table.
Show principals that parents want inclusion, but only if teachers get help.
Offer quick-win teacher tools like visual schedules, peer buddy systems, and 10-minute coaching check-ins.
Frame your role as the support that makes inclusion safe in Saudi eyes.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Educational inclusion of students with disabilities has benefits for students with and without disabilities. However, general classroom education remains inaccessible for students with disabilities in Saudi Arabia despite policy reforms in the country. AIM: To examine the perspectives of parents of children with and without disabilities on inclusion in general education classrooms. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional survey investigated parents' (N = 225) perspectives on inclusion in general and across four dimensions, namely impact on students with and without disabilities, and on parents and families of students with and without disabilities. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Although all participants support inclusion, parents of students with disabilities agreed more strongly with statements supportive of inclusion than parents of students without disabilities. Parents of students with severe disabilities expressed the least agreement with statements supporting inclusion. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: All parents supported inclusion but were concerned about the preparation and provisioning of teachers as a key factor in the success of inclusion.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104786