Resources and services needed by educators to work with autistic students in mainstream primary schools : the Maltese perspective

Abstract

Maltese governments have invested considerably in education and inclusion in society. In this article, the resources and services needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers, and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta are discussed. This is done in light of research showing that resources and services in inclusive schools can ease the challenges of IE and make it a positive experience. Data was collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college [i] were invited to participate. 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Of the 172 participants, 19 agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that in the Maltese education system several services already exist for autistic students. However, such services have certain deficiencies that must be addressed. Moreover, the findings show that certain resources and other services are lacking.