Inclusive Education for ASD Students is Getting Progressively Transformed in the Region
A Saudi Special Education specialist has highlighted the challenges to Inclusive Education for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Arabian Gulf states.
A Saudi researcher at the Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) has carried out a detailed study, with a 2010-2024 timeframe, on how inclusive education is for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences in social interaction and communication development, and repetitive behaviours, in the six Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) countries.
After a review of the current policies and practices in the region related to the provision of education to students with ASD in the context of the movement toward Inclusive Education (IE), Abdulmalik Alkhunini noted that the AGCC countries “still struggle to provide students with ASD with appropriate educational opportunities.”
The global prevalence of ASD varies within and across the regions. The number of prevalent ASD cases in Middle and North Africa (MENA) forms 6.6 percent of the world’s total ASD cases. The findings indicated that several factors contribute to the difficulties, including “inadequate facilities for the provision of Special Education programming and services; and limited resources like Assistive technology.”
The IMSIU’s Head of Special Education Department said there is a “lack of ASD-accessible classrooms, curricula, and materials and/or failure to implement Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for teaching those with ASD.” Also, there are “limited” numbers of teachers/professionals with Special Education training.
Funded by IMSIU, the scientific research study observed that the increase in ASD diagnoses, as in the case around the world, has caused the AGCC countries to recognize the need to provide appropriate educational services to this specific population of students. Given the development of the spectrum diagnosis, individuals are now assessed and categorized according to three levels of severity and functionality.
Those with Level-1 require the least amount of support and accommodation, and those at Level-3 are considered to have the most severe form of the disorder and require the greatest amount of support. It said there is a lack of research conducted in the region on Inclusive Education for those with ASD, and also on the use of specific EBPs for students with ASD.
“A major challenge to the use of EBPs in the region is the lack of adapted systems for the AGCC context, and a lack of understanding among parents and teachers of how to implement these practices,” the study cited another research work done in 2022. The review of the available data on policies in the six countries highlighted ongoing challenges to implementing successful education policy for individuals with disabilities in general and those with ASD in particular.
One notable finding was that “some GCC government reports and websites described planned initiatives and programs that are not yet fully operational as if they are already in place.” While Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 policy, which includes a goal of IE, actual implementation of it across the country lags. “This disparity highlights a significant shortfall in ensuring IE services for individuals with ASD throughout the region.”
The review found that Special Education “is still in the developmental stage in the GCC countries as there are no comprehensive agreement processes or legislative standards to assist in developing IE practices in the member-states.” The findings indicate there is“significant” progress still needed in the GCC states in moving toward comprehensive implementation of IE for all students with disabilities, including those with ASD.
It showed that the structures for achieving this goal are in place in all six countries. All of the GCC countries have recognized the rights of students with ASD to access education. The scholar said further research is needed on the specific practices currently implemented in each of the six GCC countries for IE. “This study is limited to a timeframe of less than 15 years of research. It would be useful to conduct a 25-year systematic review of the literature in the region using several databases.”
