Autism Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Behaviors and Different Education Techniques, in the UAE

Introduction: This study aims to assess the attitude and perception of specialized teachers regarding autistic student’s performance, cooperation and affection of autistic students, in terms of providing the best techniques and environment to reach success in education.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 4 months. A total of 133 teachers participated in the study from 8 autism centres in the Emirates of Sharjah, Dubai and Abu-Dhabi, In UAE. The questionnaire used included four sections: the demographic information, including the participants’ qualifications and training, where autism students should be in school, and lastly the autism students’ performance, and behaviour.

Result: About 133 teachers participated and completed the study, giving a response rate of 66.5%. Majority of participants were well educated and trained to manage communications and aggressive behaviours of autistic students.82% of participants agreed that autistic children should be in special classes. Also, 84.0% of them mentioned that visual education videos could improve the education process of autistic students.

Conclusion: Autism teachers’ support using new techniques in autism students teaching, such as visual education. However, teachers had contradicted responses regarding involving students in general or special classes.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Autism; Perceptions; Autism education; Autism teachers; UAE