The Views of Teachers and Parents of Special Education Schools in Saudi Arabia

This research examines the views of teachers and parents of special schools in Saudi Arabia, exploring the schools' strengths and disadvantages, as well as their impact on teachers, parents, and students with disabilities. The respondents' key views of the schools are identified, including the areas of consensus and conflict, and recommendations are made for the future, based on the findings. This research concerns a specific special education school in Saudi Arabia, and focuses on the understanding of special education in the country. The approach to the study is targeted and qualitative, with the six participants, three teachers and three parents, intentionally selected. The data collection is conducted via semi-structured interviews that explore the participants' views of special education in Saudi Arabia. A number of issues emerge from the results, and one raised by all three teachers is the need to improve school facilities. Although all three parents report that their children clearly benefited from attending a special school, two felt that the offering was insufficient, in terms of the teaching methods, and of supporting cognitive skills.