Abstract
Legislation and policy within Croatia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Poland supports the educational inclusion of children with autism; however, such inclusion is nascent in these countries. A survey of experienced teachers working directly with children with autism in both inclusive and special schools was undertaken in winter 2018-19. Five hundred and sixty questionnaires were distributed and 340 returned (61% response); after cleansing, 242 responses were analysed. Over a quarter of respondents had received no instruction regarding autism during initial teacher education; almost half had undertaken no continuing professional development on the topic. Special school teachers reported higher overall confidence, but levels remained low within a number of key domains. Teachers identified a need for appropriate teacher education regarding theory, relevant practical strategies and mentorship/supervision. Implications regarding inclusive practice and teacher education in these countries are identified.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 14-27 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | European Journal of Special Needs Education |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 9 Nov 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2022 |
Keywords
- Croatia
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Teacher education
- autism
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Education
- Health Professions (miscellaneous)