Navigating Barriers and Building Pathways: Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs

This quantitative study investigates the current landscape of inclusive education for children with special needs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a focus on identifying perceived barriers, assessing institutional support, and quantifying the attitudes of key stakeholders, including teachers, special educators, school administrators, and parents. Drawing on a sample of 550 participants across three major districts of Jeddah, the research utilized a structured questionnaire incorporating Likert-scale items to capture perceptions of inclusion, obstacles to implementation, and the systemic support available in schools. Descriptive analysis revealed generally positive attitudes toward inclusive education (M = 3.85), though moderate levels of perceived barriers (M = 2.90) and institutional support (M = 3.23) suggest significant implementation challenges remain. ANOVA and t-tests showed no statistically significant differences in attitudes across gender or professional roles, indicating a shared understanding of inclusive values across stakeholder groups. However, regression analysis showed no significant predictors of attitudes in a linear model, whereas path analysis revealed that institutional support had a strong positive effect (β = 0.431, p < 0.0001), and perceived barriers had a significant negative effect (β = -0.270, p < 0.0001). These findings underscore the importance of structural and systemic factors in shaping inclusive education outcomes. The study concludes with recommendations for improving institutional support, enhancing teacher training, and fostering inclusive infrastructure, while also noting limitations related to geography and self-reporting. The research contributes to Saudi Arabia's broader Vision 2030 goals by offering evidence-based insights for creating a more inclusive and equitable education system.