Special Education Teachers’ Practices in Preparing Students With Disabilities for Postsecondary Education in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study explored how special education teachers (SETs) in public secondary schools in Saudi Arabia prepare students with disabilities (SWDs) for postsecondary education institutions. A literature review of best practices and predictors of secondary transition for SWDs guided the development of an instrument to examine SETs’ practices regarding transition assessment, transition planning, and instructional support provided to SWDs. After the validity and reliability of the instrument were tested, SETs (n = 111) working in public secondary schools in Riyadh responded. Findings revealed that SETs’ implementation of most transition practices in assessment, planning, and instruction provision was high. However, using formal and informal assessment tools to assess self-determination skills, developing students’ summaries of performance, including plans of study and instructional and test accommodations in the SWDs’ transition individualized educational plans, and involving representatives from disability support services in higher education institutions were moderately implemented. The results are discussed considering the literature on secondary best practices, predictors, and transition services in Saudi Arabia. Recommendations include expanding the scope of the study to cover other areas in Saudi Arabia and utilizing other research methods to examine how SETs implement transition practices. Implications for practice and policy are also discussed.

Keywords

postsecondary education Saudi Arabia special education teachers students with disabilities transition

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