Perspectives and attitudes toward the inclusive education of students with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This study is the first systematic review conducted on literature that focuses on studies conducted in the Saudi context regarding perspectives and attitudes toward the inclusive education of students with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia. Only five studies related to this subject published from 2012 to 2020 were found for this systematic review. The main aim of this study was to examine the different perspectives and attitudes toward the inclusive education of students with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that the majority of the 1,379 study participants involved in the five studies examined held positive attitudes toward the inclusion of this population of students. Those participants who held less favourable perspectives and attitudes toward inclusion attributed their viewpoints to the severity of the intellectual disability (a claim made by teachers) and the perception that special education schools are more suitable for the students’ intellectual development (a claim made by mothers).