Considering and Supporting the Implementation of Universal Design for Learning Among Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the variables associated with the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and identify the barriers that could prevent the implementation of UDL. This study included the initial perceptions of teachers of students who are deaf and hard of hearing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study discussed implications for integration of UDL in day-to-day practices as well as in the country's education policy. Therefore, this study was divided into two major stages to obtain a better understanding of UDL through teachers’ practice. The first stage was to investigate and conduct a broad assessment of the current implementation level of the three UDL principles (engagement, representation, and action and expression) and the barriers to implementing UDL among teachers in Saudi schools. The total participants in this stage were 269 teachers. The second stage was a follow-up procedure after assessing the teachers’ needs through a specially designed intervention that provided training sessions for 67 teachers. The results of the intervention indicated significant differences among teachers before and after taking the training sessions associated with their understanding and level of concern. Teachers have indicated interest in knowing more about UDL and adopting it into their practices; they reported that UDL has benefits that will enhance their performance for supporting student learning

Redefining Literacy: The Realities of Digital Literacy for Students with Disabilities in K-12

Technology has shaped the definition of literacy from the traditional meaning of having the ability to read and write to being a social practice that enables individuals to learn and interact with the world. With this notion of literacy, technology has become a tool to motivate and engage all learners through broad practices and platforms that could effectively strengthen a student’s learning experience. The shifting from printed content to digital form is a transfer point of the traditional understanding of literacy to a new and modern meaning. This has led to a new term known as digital literacy, whereby perceiving information, gaining knowledge, and expressing understanding for the purposes of learning are delivered through a digital format. Therefore, this study has comprehensively reviewed implementing technology into digital learning for K–12 students with disabilities. Moreover, the study has investigated special and general education teachers (n = 682) through open-ended questions to have a better understanding of the integration of learning and digital literacy. The results of the study have been interpreted to enhance the practice and research of the future of technology through digital literacy. Keywords: Digital literacy, students with disabilities, K-12, special education, general education, technolog

The Level of Professional Competencies Related to Early Intervention Standards among Specialists Working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

ملخص: سعت هذه الدراسة إلى معرفة مستوى امتلاك الكفايات المهنية المتعلقة بمعايير التدخل المبكر في مرحلة الطفولة المبكرة (EI/ECSE) الصادرة من مجلس الأطفال غير العاديين لدى أخصائي التدخل المبكر العاملين مع الأطفال الصم وضعاف السمع ببرامج ومراكز التدخل المبكر في المملكة العربية السعودية. وجرى تصميم أداة الدراسة بالاعتماد على معايير (EI/ECSE) وتكييفها لتتواءم مع البيئة السعودية وطبيعة البرامج والمراكز فيها، وتكونت من (35) عبارة مخصصة لقياس الكفايات المهنية في (7) معايير مختلفة، تمثلت في: (تنمية مهارات التعلم المبكر للطفل، بناء الشراكة مع الأسر، التعاون والعمل الجماعي، عمليات التقييم، توظيف الأطر التعليمية/التدريبية المناسبة، استخدام التدخلات المناسبة، الممارسة الاحترافية والأخلاقية)، وطبقت على عينة مكونة من (112) مشاركًا من مختلف البرامج والمراكز الحكومية والخاصة. وأظهرت النتائج أن الدرجة الكلية لمستوى الكفايات المهنية لجميع محاور الأداة هي (3.21) من (5)، وتعدُّ درجة متوسطة، وأشارت النتائج إلى عدم وجود أي فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية تُعزى إلى متغير التخصص ونوع المركز الذي يقدم الخدمة. وكشفت النتائج في متغير الدورات التدريبية المتخصصة  أن هناك دلالة إحصائية في محور توظيف الأطر التعليمية/التدريبية المناسبة. وأسفرت النتائج في متغير المؤهل التعليمي عن عدم وجود أي فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية لجميع المحاور، عدا محور تنمية مهارات التعلم المبكر للطفل. واستنادًا إلى النتائج قدمت الدراسة مجموعة من التوصيات والمقترحات بهدف تعزيز الكفايات المهنية لأخصائي التدخل المبكر، وأبرزها: إجراء دراسة تعنى بقياس مستوى التدخلات التي تقدم في البرامج والمراكز ومدى انعكاسها على تقدم الأطفال الصم وضعاف السمع.Abstract: The study aims to determine the level of professional competencies related to the standards of the Division of Early Childhood of Council for Exceptional Children (EI/ECSE) among specialists working with deaf and hard of hearing children in early intervention programs and centers in Saudi Arabia. The study tool was designed by relying on EI/ECSE standards and adapting them to suit the local environment and the nature of programs and centers in the Kingdom. The tool included 35 items that measure professional competencies in seven different standards: child development and early learning, partnering with families, collaboration and teaming, assessment processes, application of curriculum frameworks, using interventions, and professionalism and ethical practice. The study sample consisted of 112 participants from public and private programs and centers. The results showed that the total score for the level of professional competencies in all standards was 3.21 out of 5, which was considered average. The results indicated no statistically significant differences due to the variable of specialization, the type of center that provides the service. For the variable of specialized training courses, the results indicated that there was a statistically significant differences in application of curriculum frameworks. As for the educational qualification variable, the findings showed no statistically significant differences between all criteria except for child development and early learning. The study presented a set of recommendations and suggestions for future research to enhance the professional competencies of early intervention specialists. More importantly, measuring the level of interventions that provided in programs and centers and their impact on the progress of deaf and hard of hearing children

Research Trends in the Field of Special Education in Saudi Scientific Journals: A Bibliometric Analysis

This study aims to identify the current status of publishing special education researches in Saudi scientific journals in the period of (2015 - 2021) and provides an analysis of research trends concerning the topics published. The study also sheds light on the variation of topics tackled in the published researches, according to specific criteria which include the research methodology, disabilities categories covered by the studies, samples, academic stages, where studies were geographically conducted, type of participation in publishing, study levels, and research financing. The analysis includes (359) researches from (32) Saudi scientific journals, which are analyzed by using the bibliometric approach. The study arrives at that the percentage of publishing the special education researches has reached (6.97%) of the total studies published in (2015 – 2021). The results indicated the top scientific journals that publishing researches in special education in the targeted period, determining the most studied disability categories, and type of research methods that used in these studies. The findings show the most special education researches have been applied in the main cities in the Kingdom. In terms of the types of authorship, it has been found that researchers are considerably inclined to the individual publication, and only a small number of studies have received financial support. Based on the results of the analysis, recommendations were made to direct scientific research in the field of special education in the future

Assessing Interactive Web-Based Systems Using Behavioral Measurement Techniques

Nowadays, e-commerce websites have become part of people’s daily lives; therefore, it has become necessary to seek help in assessing and improving the usability of the services of e-commerce websites. Essentially, usability studies offer significant information about users’ assessment and perceptions of satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficiency of online services. This research investigated the usability of two e-commerce web-sites in Saudi Arabia and compared the effectiveness of different behavioral measurement techniques, such as heuristic evaluation, usability testing, and eye-tracking. In particular, this research selected the Extra and Jarir e-commerce websites in Saudi Arabia based on a combined approach of criteria and ranking. This research followed an experimental approach in which both qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed to collect and analyze the data. Each of the behavioral measurement techniques identified usability issues ranging from cosmetic to catastrophic issues. It is worth mentioning that the heuristic evaluation by experts provided both the majority of the issues and identified the most severe usability issues compared to the number of issues identified by both usability testing and eye-tracking combined. Usability testing provided fewer problems, most of which had already been identified by the experts. Eye-tracking provided critical information regarding the page design and element placements and revealed certain user behavior patterns that indicated certain usability problems. Overall, the research findings appeared useful to user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers to consider the provided recommendations to enhance the usability of e-commerce websites