Date Approved
12-30-2023
Embargo Period
3-14-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Wellness and Inclusive Services Education
College
College of Education
Advisor
Brent Elder, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Amy Accardo, Ed.D.
Committee Member 2
Sarah Ferguson, Ph.D.
Keywords
collective qualitative case study, autism, inclusive education, Saudi Arabia, sensemaking theory, teachers
Subject(s)
Special education
Disciplines
Special Education and Teaching
Abstract
In this dissertation, I conducted a collective qualitative case study to understand the personal experiences and sensemaking processes that teachers developed to educate students with labels of autism in inclusion settings in Riyadh public schools. Specifically, I aimed to understand how teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge regarding the inclusion of autistic students explained why teachers did what they did in their school context. In three rounds of semistructured interviews with eight teachers, participants explained their experiences and process of teaching students with autism. Participants also shared documents and artifacts to provide a deeper understanding of the nature of inclusion offered and their relevance in supporting inclusive education capabilities for students with autism. This study was guided by sensemaking theory and the conceptual frameworks of disability studies, disability studies in education, and critical disability studies. I selected the participants using purposeful sampling and analyzed the data using inductive analysis techniques. Five major themes emerged with subthemes throughout the data analysis: (a) teachers’ attitudes, (b) teachers’ knowledge and understanding, (c) teachers’ sensemaking of social and school system barriers, (d) teachers’ sensemaking of their teaching practices, and (e) teachers’ sensemaking of how the roles of school leaders and special education supervisors influence their teaching practices.
Recommended Citation
Alharbi, Hind, "INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ SENSEMAKING PROCESS AND EXPERIENCES OF WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH LABELS OF AUTISM IN SAUDI ARABIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: A QUALITATIVE COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY" (2023). Theses and Dissertations. 3200.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3200
