INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA: STAKEHOLDERS PERSPECTIVES N. Alshalhoub University of Glasgow (UNITED KINGDOM) Princess Nourah University (SAUDI ARABIA) Abstract The inclusion of students with various levels of ability in mainstream classrooms is a worldwide trend. A shift in speaking about inclusion can be traced to the international agenda through such key documents as the Salamanca Inclusion Statement [1] and the UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disability [2]. These international agenda items have encouraged the implementation of equal forms of education by emphasizing the importance of meeting the needs of children who are excluded or marginalized, including those with disabilities. According to its national educational policies, Saudi Arabia is among the countries seeking to move towards more inclusive schools. It is therefore important to find the best practice with which to implement the process of inclusive education. Because of the substantial role played by teachers in the implementation of an inclusive educational process, their understandings and attitudes are crucial to achieving successful inclusion. This study aimed to interview 12 teachers who are teaching in inclusive classrooms in Saudi primary schools. These interviews sought to discover these participants’ understandings regarding the implementation of inclusive education, and their views of students with disabilities. The data of this study’s investigation were qualitatively analysed to provide in depth findings on the ways that teachers understand and implement inclusive education, and their attitudes to it. It also aims to provide insight regarding how teachers view students with disabilities who are included in inclusive classrooms. Primarily, the findings suggest that teachers’ gender, experience, and level of education are important variables affecting their attitudes. Keywords: Inclusive Education, Disability, Teachers, Perspectives. 1 INTRODUCTION In the Middle Eastern region, Saudi Arabia is one of the countries promoting inclusion in education. This is being done using a model for inclusive practice derived from the U.S., and in Saudi Arabia the strategy is referred to as the Tatweer Project. Tatweer, supported by the Saudi government to develop education, presents itself as aiming to improving all students’ education and outcomes, including those with different abilities. It locates inclusive education at the centre of the development agenda, with Goal 3 focusing on access to quality and equal education and giving support to all students based upon their needs, regardless of their race, sex, or social and economic circumstances [3]. This study aims to examine this model and to discuss the nature of the inclusive practice that Tatweer has introduced to create effective practice which includes students of different abilities. This study is mainly focused on enhancing understanding of the ways in which representatives of Tatweer speak of inclusion, define inclusive practice, and view pupils with additional support needs. In considering teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of disabled students, prior studies have shown that teachers’ attitudes differ according to several variables. Avramidis & Norwich indicated that these variables can be divided into three main categories. First, student-related variables are based on the type or severity of disability involved; second are environment-related variables; and third are the variables that could be considered as the most important in this context: teacher related variables such as age, gender, teaching experience, experience with children with special needs, and level of training [4] . The present paper focuses on this group of teacher-related variables. There is evidence to suggest that teachers are one of the most important elements of effective inclusion ([4];[5]), largely because teachers have the responsibilities of planning, preparing, and delivering lessons for all students [6]. Because of the substantial part played by teachers in the implementation of an inclusive educational process, their understandings and attitudes are crucial to achieving successful inclusion [8]. Accepting students with disability can be done through understanding their individual characteristics and having knowledge of Proceedings of EDULEARN19 Conference 1st-3rd July 2019, Palma, Mallorca, Spain ISBN: 978-84-09-12031-4 5327