PERCEPTIONS OF GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS ABOUT INCLUSION TO STUDENTS WITH AUTISΜ ΙΝ SCHOOLS OF GENERAL EDUCATION

Nowadays, inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in general education is increasing, and teachers are invited to incorporate them in their classroom. The present study attempts to investigate the views of teachers of general and special education on inclusion of students with ASD in the mainstream classroom. The research participants were sixteen general and special education teachers serving primary schools in the counties of Arta and Preveza during the 2019-2020 school year. The research was conducted using a semi-structured interview. According to the results of the survey, all teachers had knowledge of the disorder, but special educators had a bit more specialized knowledge. Overall, teachers expressed positive views on the inclusion of students with ASD and no significant differences were found between general and special education teachers. The characteristics of the student with ASD have been shown to be an important factor in the views of all participants regarding the choice of framework of study, as well as the collaboration between teachers for successful inclusion. In addition, the importance of continuing education on autism and inclusion has emerged as a factor with significant impact on inclusive education for all participants. Article visualizations