Exploring teachers' knowledge, perceptions and practices for supporting students with autism in inclusive schools in Bhutan

This study adopted an exploratory mixed method approach to explore Bhutanese teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of autism, their views about inclusion and use of inclusive classroom practices for autistic students. The analysis of survey and interview data brought to light discrepancies between teachers’ knowledge and practice in inclusive schools but indicated that teachers had adequate knowledge about the characteristics and etiology of autism and inclusive strategies. Classroom observations revealed that teachers’ implementation of inclusive practices in schools was limited. Teachers’ views about the inclusion of autistic students were clearly influenced by the educational, social, cultural, and religious context of Bhutan

Bhutanese Teachers’ Views about the Inclusion of Students on the Autism Spectrum

Adopting the social constructionist approach, this study reports on Bhutanese teachers’ views about the inclusion of students on the autism spectrum in regular schools. Following an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, 16 teachers from seven inclusive schools in Bhutan were interviewed and the analysis of their responses guided the development of an online survey instrument completed by 106 Bhutanese educators in 18 schools. Teachers’ views about the inclusion of students on the autism spectrum seemed to be influenced by the social, educational, and religious context of Bhutan. Although teachers generally supported inclusion, they also expressed confusion and uncertainty about the best placement in schools for students on the autism spectrum. The implications of findings for the importance of increasing support for teacher training and allocation of adequate resources to schools are discussed.</p

Exploring the congruence between Bhutanese teachers' views about inclusion, Gross National Happiness, and Buddhism

Adopting a social constructionist approach, this chapter reports how teachers’ views about inclusion are influenced and shaped by the historical, social, cultural and educational context of Bhutan. Using qualitative methodology, sixteen teachers from seven inclusive schools (termed ‘SEN Schools’) in Bhutan were interviewed. Findings showed that teachers’ views reflected concepts of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and Buddhism; and there was congruence between the concepts of GNH, Buddhist beliefs and the values of inclusive education. The findings highlight how teachers’ commitment to GNH informs their understanding of inclusive education policy and initiatives. Our findings indicate that the Bhutanese government could continue prioritizing GNH education in schools and develop more explicit links to a Bhutanese implementation of inclusive education