Comparative Exploration of Inclusive Practices Taught in Special Education Preparation Programs in Saudi Universities

Over the last few decades, the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms worldwide has increased, however, the preparation and professional development of teachers has not kept pace. While teachers are instrumental in the facilitation of inclusive classrooms, they continue to struggle to provide accommodations and modifications, to exhibit supportive behavior, and to work collaboratively with one another to provide instruction and interventions for students with disabilities in inclusive settings. This study examined the views of university faculty throughout Saudi Arabia in relation to the skills and expertise critical for promoting inclusive classrooms. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted with a survey and interviews with faculty that were based on the outcomes from the quantitative phase. Among other outcomes, statistically significant differences were found in faculty members' perspectives regarding the preparation of pre-service teachers for inclusive education, with faculty in emerging programs indicating higher total mean scores in some domains. Additionally, faculty specializing in Learning Disabilities (LD) reported higher total mean scores in some Innovation Configurations (ICs) than faculty specializing in other areas. The outcomes suggest that further attention should be paid to inclusive education practices in teacher education programs that may open up in the future.