Factors influencing special education teachers' self-efficacy to provide transitional services for students with disabilities.

This study examined factors that may influence the self-efficacy level of special education teachers in delivering transition services to students with disabilities. Five independent variables were examined: attitudes, preparation level, teaching experiences, academic degree level, and level of available resources. The current study sample comprised 231 intermediate and secondary special education teachers in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The results showed that attitudes are the best predictor of teachers' self-efficacy to provide transitional services for students with disabilities. Teacher preparation for transition services was the second most important variable that was positively associated with teachers' self-efficacy.

The impact of gender differences in teachers' teaching practices and attitudes on students' math and science achievement in Saudi Arabia: Evidence from TIMSS 2019 data.

Previous results from large-scale studies often identified a gender gap in achievement outcomes between girls and boys. This study aims to investigate the existence of a relationship between students' grades and gender differences in practices and attitudes among teachers. Data from the Saudi Arabian TIMSS 2019 were analyzed for this study. The dataset contains data from 10,817 4th grade students (5,447 girls and 5,370 boys) who took math and science as well as data from their 437 teachers (around 50% were female teachers). The results showed that teachers' teaching practices were positively associated with students' scores in math and science. In addition, teachers' attitudes toward teaching were positively associated with students' scores. Female teachers held more positive attitudes toward teaching and were rated more positively in terms of practices by their students. Highlights: - Teacher practices were positively associated with students' achievement.- Teachers' attitudes were positively associated with students' achievement.- Female teachers hold more positive attitudes toward teaching.- There are differences in teaching style and practices based on gender.

Rasch validation of the Arabic version of the beach center family quality of life scale (BCFQOL-AR).

Aim: This study aimed to examine the dimensionality of the BCFQOL-AR using Rasch analysis. Method: The sample consisted of 320 families having a member with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Rasch analysis was used to validate the dimensionality of the scale. The participants were from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results: The BCFQOL-AR 25-item scale was multidimensional. Rasch analyses support the unidimensionality of the five subscales. There were no indicators of differential item function for any of the items, regardless of sex or age. Conclusion: The BCFQOL-AR is a multidimensional scale that measures families with members who are satisfied with their quality of life. Therefore, obtaining a total score at the subscale level is supported and showed that each of the five subscales of the BCFQOL can be used alone. This study partially supports the practices used with other versions of the scale, by providing the statistical base, where means were used at the subscale level in different countries.

Teachers' Judgments of Students' School-Wellbeing, Social Inclusion, and Academic Self-Concept: A Multi-Trait-Multimethod Analysis Using the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire.

Students' school well-being, social inclusion, and academic self-concept are considered important outcome variables of schools. In the present study, these three variables were examined from teachers' and students' perspective (grades 5-9). The aim of the study was to investigate the construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity) of the teacher's version of the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire (PIQ). Further, we investigated whether or not it is meaningful to include the perspective of a second teacher. The dataset consists of PIQ ratings of 151 students as well as ratings from two main subject teachers. The results for psychometric properties show that the students' as well as the teachers' version of the PIQ is suitable for secondary school students. The confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated good model fit for the three-dimensional factorial structure. By excluding one teacher's rating from the model, the multitrait-multimethod analysis provided indicators for the PIQ's construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity) of the traits and discriminant validity of the methods.

The positive impact of including students with intellectual disabilities in schools: Children's attitudes towards peers with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of Saudi students towards peers with disabilities. It examines how these attitudes are related to age, attending a school that includes students with intellectual disabilities, and having a relative with a disability. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: Participants included 357 elementary school male students (grades 3-6) who completed the Arabic version of the CATCH scale. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The students presented positive attitudes towards peers with disabilities. Students in schools that included students with intellectual disabilities had more positive attitudes than other students. Older students were more likely to hold positive attitudes than younger students. Having a relative with a disability had no effect. Conclusion and implications The findings suggest that students generally hold positive attitudes towards children with disabilities. Moreover, including students with intellectual disabilities in schools associated with other students' awareness about students with differing levels of abilities. Expanding schools to include children with disabilities in society in general will probably help increase the likelihood that they will be accepted and diminish the stereotypes that follow them.