Moving Into Inclusive Education for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Gulf Cooperation Council
Challenges and Recommendations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16915505 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Abdulmalik Alkhunini (0000-0002-7831-2229, Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440251340769 |
| OpenAlex | W4411617171 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 56 |
This article presents a review of the literature on the current policies and practices in the Arabian Gulf region related to the provision of education to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the context of the movement toward inclusive education (IE). The six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—still struggle to provide students with ASD with appropriate educational opportunities. The findings indicate that certain factors contribute to these difficulties, including (a) inadequate facilities for the provision of special education programming and services; (b) limited resources, such as assistive technology; (c) lack of ASD-accessible classrooms, curricula, and materials and/or failure to implement Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for teaching those with ASD; and (d) limited numbers of teachers/professionals with special education training. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 include the provision of “quality education,” which emphasizes the importance of providing equal and IE to all children with disabilities. Implications of the findings are presented in support of the GCC countries creating and implementing a unified policy that improves educational access, formalizes IE policy, sets teacher accreditation standards, and directs the adoption of appropriate teaching strategies to meet the needs of students with ASD
Autism · Autism spectrum disorder · Developmental psychology · Political science · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research · Family and Disability Support Research · Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport · Psychology · Social Psychology
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020
Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Promoting inclusion and equity in education
Global prevalence of autism
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Disability Discourse
Finding the True Number of Females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Estimating the Biases in Initial Recognition and Clinical Diagnosis
Exploring teachers' strategies for including children with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream classrooms
Inclusive education for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in secondary mainstream schools
Inclusive Physical Education
Teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Special Education Teachers' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Teach Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |