شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

This report examines the implementation of the policy of inclusion in girls’ primary schools in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on the attitudes and experiences of teachers because it is they who are responsible for implementing the policy. This article examines the application of the policy in primary schools for girls in the capital, Riyadh. To research the topic 423 female teachers from 50 schools were recruited. Of the participants, 214 were specialist teachers. The other 209 worked in inclusive mainstream classes. The project comprised a quantitative survey in the form of a questionnaire, and a qualitative component consisting of interviews with 23 teachers. A central conclusion from this enquiry is that inclusion has not yet been achieved. Girls with impairments are being integrated into mainstream classes - but full inclusion has not yet been accomplished. There are several possible explanations: firstly, there is a disjunction between the philosophy and the implementation of inclusion; the policy is noble and is endorsed by most teachers, but in practice it is very difficult to apply. Second, the policy is relatively new and many mainstream teachers have had limited experience of working with special-needs children. Third, the training of teachers has not always been adequate. A fifth explanation concerns the practicalities of including children who may exhibit a wide range of impairments. (Published abstract)