Attitude of Teachers Towards Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asd) in Selected Primary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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All special needs teachers want their children to be accepted by their peers have friends and lead “regular” lives. Inclusive settings can make this vision a reality for many children with disabilities. So that we conducted this study to know the influences of some variables on attitudes of special education teachers towards educating students with autism in regular settings. The researchers used descriptive statistic methods. Questioner technique is used as method of data collection. Study group included 150 special education teachers from Abu Areech Learning administration, 70 teachers were selected randomly as sample. The data was analyzed by using SPSS program. The results are as following: There are no significant differences in attitudes of special education teachers towards inclusive settings according to interaction with disabled, there are no significant differences in attitudes of special education teachers towards inclusive settings according to the class size. There are significant differences in attitudes of special education teachers towards inclusive settings according to the training courses and there are significant in attitudes of special education teachers towards inclusive settings according to the qualification.
In this study, the purpose was to examine Kuwaiti special education teachers’ attitudes toward autistic students in the Autism School in Kuwait. This research study is divided into two parts: Introduction (the problem statement, the purpose statement, the research questions, definition of terms), and Procedures (using a case study in research, the role of the researcher, data collection procedures, methods for verification, outcome of the study and relation to theory and the literature). The researcher analyzed data from interviews of two special education teachers who work in the Autism School in Kuwait.
Simposium Psikologi dan Kesihatan Sosial-I 2017, 2017
This research paper aimed to provide a preliminary study about the current teachers' knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among primary schools teachers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. In addition, this study also examined the effect of teachers' knowledge of ASD and their perception towards interest and perceived efficacy in working with children with ASD. A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed to each teacher from 4 various primary schools selected in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. As a result, it shows that the current status of primary schools teachers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah may have inadequate knowledge about ASD. Moreover, it will also show a positive significant effect of teachers' knowledge of ASD towards their perception of interest and perceived efficacy in working with children with ASD. Thus, findings of this study is expected to shows the importance of teachers' knowledge about ASD, so that they will have better understanding about ASD and at the same time increase positive perception towards interest and perceived efficacy in working with children with ASD in the future.
Research Square (Research Square), 2024
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily impacting social communication and behavior. The prevalence of ASD has been rapidly increasing, leading to a corresponding rise in the number of children with ASD attending mainstream schools. Preschool and primary school teachers have a vital role in identifying and supporting these children. However, the extent of teachers' Attitude towards including children with ASD in their classrooms remains uncertain. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude towards including children with autism spectrum disorders in their classrooms, and associated factors among preschool and primary school teachers in public schools in Addis Ababa. Methods and Materials: Data from preschool and primary school teachers were collected using a self-administered questionnaire between September 2023 and December 2023. The collected data were analyzed utilizing SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the ndings, while bivariate binary logistic regression was utilized to examine associations between variables. Results The study ndings revealed that only 35.5% of teachers had adequate knowledge, and the mean attitude score was 3.4, indicating a slight positive inclination towards inclusive education. Teachers between the ages of 20 and 25 had 90% lower knowledge compared to those above 40 years (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI = 0.48-0.7) with a p-value of 0.014. Furthermore, teachers with a positive attitude towards including students in regular classes were 72% more likely to have adequate knowledge (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.1-0.6) with a p-value of < 0.001. Finally, teachers whose source of knowledge about ASD did not come from surrounding people were 2.5 times more likely to have a positive attitude (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1-6). Conclusion and recommendation The ndings of this study indicate teachers displayed a generally positive attitude towards ASD. This highlights the need for increased emphasis on educational interventions aimed at enhancing attitudes towards ASD further. This limited understanding can result in behaviors associated with autism being misinterpreted as intentional misbehavior or a re ection of a disordered personality, rather than being recognized as manifestations of the condition. Moreover, this lack of awareness hinders the recognition and understanding of autism among teachers (17, 18). There is a signi cant lack of attitude about ASD in Ethiopia among the general public, and educational and social sectors, including teachers, health professionals, and government o cials (19). School system support for children with ASD is also very underdeveloped at both government and public facilities (16). According to a previous study on the lived experiences of parents with children with autism, one of the most signi cant challenges they faced was accessing schools that could provide professional services for their children. These parents expressed constant worry about the limited availability of facilities such as schools, autism centers, and therapeutic centers, particularly those that offered speech therapy. The lack of resources, services, and trained professionals posed obstacles to parents in supporting their children's academic and social progress effectively. Moreover, the mainstream schools that were accessible to them were ill-equipped to meet the speci c needs of children with special needs. These schools lacked proper equipment, professional staff, and adherence to ethical standards. As a result, parents had to navigate through inadequate school systems that had unfair admission rules and where their children received unprofessional treatment from staff members (20). In Ethiopia, inclusive education is a current goal of educational reforms. Preschool and primary school teachers play a crucial role in identifying children with ASD. The research conducted provides valuable insights into the level of understanding among preschool and primary school teachers in Addis Ababa regarding ASD, including its characteristics and signs, as well as their familiarity with effective intervention strategies. Additionally, the study explores the attitudes of preschool and primary school teachers towards children with ASD, including their level of acceptance, inclusiveness, and willingness to accommodate their speci c needs. Furthermore, the research investigates various factors that may in uence preschool teachers' attitudes towards ASD, such as their educational background, access to training opportunities, and prior experience working with children with ASD. METHODS AND MATERIALS Study design, area and Period An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted. The study was conducted in Addis Ababa, the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, which is divided into 11 sub-cities. The focus of the study was on preschools and primary schools in Addis Ababa, speci cally within the public school system. Out of the total 903 preschools in Addis Ababa, 227 of them are public schools. The study took place from September 2023 to December 2023, encompassing a four-month period. The target population for the study was the teachers working in public preschools in Addis Ababa, which amounted to a total of 12,019 teachers.
GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM IN AN INCLUSIVE SETTING
Researchers around the world have identified a significant increase in the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) over time within certain populations in many regions of the world, including Nigeria. The increased rate of students with ASD is well documented in the literature. There are numerous students within the ages of 13-18 with ASD in Nigeria, as a result, the general education teachers are required to improve their educational services to the students to enable them to progress academically. This study, therefore, examines the general education teachers' perceptions of students with autism in the Nigerian context. Wilkerson (2012)'s questionnaire on teachers' perception of the students with autism was adopted and adapted for data collection and was administered to 120 secondary education teachers (general education teachers) within Abakaliki metropolis. Collected data were analyzed descriptively. Results indicate that the teachers are receptive to students with autism but have poor perceptions of students with ASD, and therefore, require consistent training/ retraining to be able to cope with the students with ASD in their various classrooms. Implications for teacher certification programs and continued professional development initiatives are presented.
Research on Preschool and Primary Education
Autism is a well-known phenomenon in students and it will impact the teaching and learning process. This study aims to investigate the correlation between teachers’ awareness of autism and classroom practices in secondary schools in Lahore. The study is carried out by following the quantitative method using a descriptive and inferential approach to discover and report the relationship between autism and classroom practices. 300 teachers from government and private secondary schools in Lahore responded to the questionnaire (Appendix 1). The questionnaire was consisted of 40 items covering teachers’ knowledge regarding autism and their classroom practices. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software was used for the calculations and analyzing the correlation. The results showed a moderately positive relationship between teachers’ perception regarding autism and their classroom practices in secondary schools. This means that as the perception of the teachers moderately incr...
Dialogoi! Theory and Praxis in Education, 2017
The researchers conducted a literature review of teachers’ perceptions and attitudes on the inclusive education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Research was conducted in ERIC, PsychLIT, EBSCO, Medline, and PubMed in order to find the relevant literature, using the following keywords “Teachers”, “Perceptions”, “Attitudes”, “Children with Autism”. From the search, 55 relevant research articles and dissertations were found. Results indicated that the majority of the teachers have limited or inadequate knowledge and basic misconceptions about ASD. They also have negative attitudes on the inclusive education of these students. On the other hand, few teachers have positive attitudes towards the integration of autistic pupils. A sufficient percentage of teachers have different attitudes/views on ASD. Additionally, this review revealed that some teachers hold neutral attitudes on the integration of these pupils. Furthermore, several educators perceive students with autism differently from typical students. This review suggests that teachers should receive more training on autism and the effective educational practices for these students. In this way, they will develop positive attitudes towards autistic children’s educational integration.positive attitudes towards the educational integration of students with autism.
Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, behavior, and social interaction. Autism"s estimated prevalence among children was about a 15% percent increase in incidence .Positive teacher attitudes are a vital indicator of the successful education of autistic children. The current study aimed to assess the knowledge and opinions of elementary school teachers toward integrating autistic children in their regular classrooms. Methodology: a descriptive cross-sectional correlational survey research design was used to include 79 elementary school teachers recruited conveniently from two schools located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Two reliable and valid tools were used including autism knowledge and opinion scale in addition to behavioral strategies used by the teachers when they are handling autistic children. Findings: The mean age of respondents were 29.2 years, 86.1% having a bachelor's degree, and only 41.8% having training and experience with ASD. Most respondents 82, 3% had poor knowledge, compared with only 2.5% had good knowledge. Only 40.5% had positive opinions about ASD integration. Additionally, there is no significant association between the demographic background of the respondents, their knowledge and opinions except for their teaching experiences at P≥0.05. Conclusion: The present study concluded and highlighted the inadequate knowledge level of ASD and unfavorable opinions of teachers toward integrating autistic children due to lack of training and attending workshops to improve their qualifications. Therefore, more efforts are required to further enhance the understanding of autism among all teachers who handling those students who are urgently needed.
Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
The present study aimed to explore the attitudes of special education teachers in Jordanian private schools towards the inclusion of autistic children in these schools. The researcher adopted a descriptive analytical approach. He selected a random sample that consists from 70 female and male special education teachers. Those teachers were selected from 14 private schools located in Amman, Jordan. Questionnaire forms were distributed to those teachers by hand. All the distributed forms were retrieved and deemed valid for analysis. To analyse data, the SPSS software and descriptive statistical methods were used. Several results were reached. For instance, special education teachers in Jordanian private schools have negative attitudes towards the inclusion of autistic children in these schools. In addition, such inclusion shall not encourage autistic children to engage in group games with their normal peers. It shall not improve the social, academic and adaptive skills of those students nor their capability to face challenges independently. Jordanian private schools have many resources and adequate funds for supporting such inclusion.
Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, 2017
Purpose: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability characterised by difficulties in social interaction and social communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviour (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Despite its prevalence the world over, there is a paucity of research in some areas such as education, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper attempts to address the gap by exploring teachers' understanding of ASD in Nigeria. Method: Using an adapted version of the Knowledge About Childhood Autism Among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaire (Bakare et al, 2008), a survey was conducted among 177 mainstream primary teachers from Lagos State (112 from eleven urban schools and 65 from four rural schools). Results: The total mean score on the Adapted KCAHW questionnaire among all the participating teachers was 10.81 ± 4.13 out of a possible total of 16. The mean score for urban teachers was 11.21 ± 4.31, while the mean score for rural teachers was 10.11 ± 3.75. In total, 46% of the urban teachers and 31% of the rural teachers demonstrated a generally accurate knowledge of ASD, with 15% (23 urban teachers and 4 rural teachers) of the sample answering all questions correctly. Over 50% of urban teachers and almost 70% of rural teachers surveyed had only a low or moderate understanding of ASD. Conclusions: This research supports previous studies that identified low professional knowledge and understanding of ASD, and a need for improved professional education and training.