TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining teachers' perceived competence in implementing inclusive education practices in the United Arab Emirates
AU - Loyd, Daisy
AU - Opoku, Maxwell Peprah
AU - Walker, Zachary
AU - Alhosani, Najwa Mohamed
AU - Elhoweris, Hala
AU - Almuhairy, Osha
AU - Mohamed, Ahmed
AU - Takriti, Rachel Alison
AU - Al Maktoum, Sana Butti
AU - Mohamed, Amani
AU - Jibar, Hamdah
AU - Baja, Emmanuel
AU - Garces-Bacsal, Rhoda Myra
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 National Association for Special Educational Needs.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - Inclusive education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is evolving with ambitious policies and strategic plans. The extent to which these policies and plans are being embedded into practice in mainstream schools across the country has not been fully captured. This research used an online survey to investigate teachers' perceived competence in implementing inclusive education practices with students with disabilities in mainstream schools and explore its relationship with demographic variables. Participants included 999 teachers from public and private schools across the seven Emirates of the UAE. Greater competence was reported in implementing practices that create an environment conducive to effective learning and less competence in implementing practices that use knowledge of the student. Differences were found between demographic variables and teachers' perceived competence in implementing inclusive education practices with recent professional development in inclusive and/or special education emerging as the most significant predictor. Implications for practice and further research are considered.
AB - Inclusive education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is evolving with ambitious policies and strategic plans. The extent to which these policies and plans are being embedded into practice in mainstream schools across the country has not been fully captured. This research used an online survey to investigate teachers' perceived competence in implementing inclusive education practices with students with disabilities in mainstream schools and explore its relationship with demographic variables. Participants included 999 teachers from public and private schools across the seven Emirates of the UAE. Greater competence was reported in implementing practices that create an environment conducive to effective learning and less competence in implementing practices that use knowledge of the student. Differences were found between demographic variables and teachers' perceived competence in implementing inclusive education practices with recent professional development in inclusive and/or special education emerging as the most significant predictor. Implications for practice and further research are considered.
KW - inclusion
KW - inclusive education in the UAE
KW - inclusive education practices
KW - teacher education
KW - teachers' perceived competence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85192154251&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1111/1471-3802.12673
DO - 10.1111/1471-3802.12673
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85192154251
SN - 1471-3802
VL - 24
SP - 837
EP - 854
JO - Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs
JF - Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs
IS - 3
ER -