MOVING FORWARD TOWARD IMPLEMENTING INCLUSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: EXPLORING PARENTS’, TEACHERS’ AND ADMINISTRATORS’ KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION

Raghad Alqadhi

Students in Saudi Arabia have a right to equal opportunity in early childhood education; the country needs to provide exactly this to all its children. Saudi early childhood education programs must be improved for all children, and especially those with disabilities. Research has shown that the attitudes teachers, parents, and community members hold can directly impact learning outcomes and the success of comprehensive learning programs. Attitudes in general have the power to affect behavior (Eaton &Visser, 2008). Early childhood education is the first stage in development of physical, social, intellectual, academic, and emotional skills. Inclusive education of students with special needs during the pre-K years provides for optimal learning opportunities for children with and without disabilities. Furthermore, when young children are educated with their typical peers, they exhibit more improvement across development than when they are educated separately (AlWadaani, 2013). This study aimed to obtain information from parents of children with/without disabilities, general/special education teachers, and administrators from inclusive preschools, non-inclusive preschools, and institutions to help guide efforts of transforming early childhood education in Saudi Arabia and moving the country from a segregated system of service delivery to an inclusive one. The method used for this study was a qualitative approach that included interviews with 23 participants including parents of children with and without disabilities, special and general education teachers, and administrators to determine their knowledge and perception toward comprehensive learning programs in pre-school and kindergarten. Many common themes and two that were shared by a few of the participants were found. The six common themes that emerged from the interviews included: (a) early intervention and diagnosis; (b) knowledge and skills; (c) strengths of implementing comprehensive learning programs at the preschool and kindergarten levels; (d) weaknesses of comprehensive learning programs in preschool and kindergarten; (e) awareness of comprehensive learning programs; and, (f) service provision in an inclusive classroom. Subsequently, three different and sub themes that emerged from some of the participants included (a) inclusion for all or not, (b) teaching experience, and (c) what comprehensive learning programs means to the general education teacher. Based on the results, some recommendations for practice and future research are suggested.

MOVING FORWARD TOWARD IMPLEMENTING INCLUSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: EXPLORING PARENTS’, TEACHERS’ AND ADMINISTRATORS’ KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION

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