Examining contributing factors for the implementation of inclusion students with disabilities from the perspective of university academics in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi faculty say university inclusion needs both clear policy and concrete classroom supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Madhesh (2024) talked with university teachers in Saudi Arabia. The goal was to learn what helps or hurts inclusion of students with disabilities on campus.
The team used long interviews. They asked open questions about policy, training, and daily practice.
What they found
Two big themes came up. First, 'theoretical' items: clear laws, written policies, and teacher know-how. Second, 'applied' items: money, tools, and hands-on training.
Faculty said both sides must work together. Good rules alone do not help if teachers lack coaching and gear.
How this fits with other research
The picture matches Dudley et al. (2019) in the United States. That study also found professors feel short on autism know-how and want campus-wide plans.
Kim et al. (2021) asked autistic students what they need. Students want easy-to-reach, knowledgeable staff. Abdullah’s faculty list the same staff training as a top lever, so the two studies click like puzzle pieces.
Romero (2017) warned that behavior analysts must shape policy, not just deliver therapy. Abdullah shows faculty agree: they call for clearer policy first, then tools and coaching.
Meuret et al. (2001) surveyed Scottish school teachers. Like the Saudi faculty, teachers with no disability experience felt less ready. Both papers say targeted training fixes attitude gaps.
Why it matters
If you consult to colleges, use Abdullah’s two-theme checklist. Ask: Do written inclusion policies exist? Do they link to real resources like captioning software, note takers, and professor coaching? Push for both. When faculty see policy plus practical help, buy-in grows and students get better access.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Inclusive education focuses on implementing education for individuals who do not follow typical learning trajectory and require special educational needs (SEN). Educational systems in many countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia, tend to implement and practise inclusive education in order to fulfill relevant international conventions and achieve educational standards of acceptable quality in educating children and young people with medical and neurodevelopmental conditions. This study seeks to reveal some of the factors that may help to overcome the obstacles faced in the implementation of inclusive education from the point of view of academics of special education in Saudi universities. To achieve this goal, the study used semi-structured interviews as its primary tool for data collection. Sixteen male and female faculty members specialized in special education in several Saudi public universities were interviewed. The data were analysed thematically. Two master themes were derived from the thematic analyses, 1) theoretical factors and 2) applied factors. Both master themes had several sub-themes. A number of factors were identified as helping to implement inclusive education thereby changing the behaviours and attitudes towards including students with disabilities Saudi context. It is suggested here that similar factors might exist in other countries in Middle East and beyond.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104743