Special education services in Saudi Arabia have received much attention over the past 15 years. This increased attention has been reflected in the increasing amount of such services offered, including services aimed at students with intellectual disability. However, the enormous expansion of special education services was not followed by development of the necessary related services to implement these programs effectively or by provision of a range of appropriate educational placements. The main purpose of this study was to explore the current situation of special education services for students with intellectual disability in Saudi Arabia in order to identify weaknesses and ways to improve upon the services. A descriptive non-experimental mixed method research design was used. Findings of this study concluded that four main issues must be addressed to advance the inclusion of students with intellectual disability and these are: programs that promote the segregation of students with intellectual disability and their teachers should be countered with more inclusive programs; individualized educational plan practices must be properly implemented; proper assessments and diagnoses must be made; and a proper official curriculum for special education programs must be designed. Future implications of this study are discussed.

Background In 1971 the UK government changed the way services for people with an intellectual disability were delivered, moving from institutional environments to integrated care within the community (DoH, 1971). Since then, a number of government papers have built upon this movement across health and social care generally, as well as specifically in intellectual disabilities. This review will look at support staff involvement with people with an intellectual disability diagnosis and the promotion of empowerment to service users. Method A literature review was done to investigate the question: “What is known about empowerment from health care professional’s perspective in intellectual disabilities”. Two databases were reviewed: EBSCO and Web of Science, eight papers were identified. Findings Two main themes emerged from the papers; choice and control, and communication. Conclusions The papers reviewed highlighted that there were times when service user’s choice and control were bein...

The Saudi Arabian education system has undergone a tremendous transformation from an education system, which was available to only a few children belonging to wealthy families living in cities, to one that provides free education, books, and health services to all Saudi citizens. It is now a better-planned and more robust system that includes more than 50 public and private universities, many colleges, and other institutions, and over 3,000 schools. However, globally, research exploring the views of special educational needs coordinators (SENCos) in special education is limited. Moreover, in Saudi Arabia there is virtually no research examining special education programs for students with intellectual disabilities from the perspective of SENCos. It is important to note that generalizing study results can be challenging due to the variety of problems faced by learners. In addition, there are

This study explores the perceptions of individuals with intellectual disabilities regarding the services of the Sa3ee initiative for the rehabilitation and employment of individuals with disabilities. It seeks to obtain an in-depth understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by people with intellectual disabilities as beneficiaries of vocational rehabilitation and employment and transitional services at postsecondary school age. Methodology The research employs a qualitative approach that was deemed to be the most appropriate approach for this type of study, of which the literature review shows there was previously only a small number, especially in the context of the Arab world. The research tool used was semi-structured interviews with a sample of four individuals with intellectual disabilities in Riyadh, who had benefited from the rehabilitation and employment services provided by the Sa3ee initiative. Findings The results show that the interviewees perceived certain opportunities and positives in the initiative, the most important of which were the moral support and positive attitude of their family towards their child with intellectual disabilities. Nevertheless, the results show that challenges also exist, most notably the lack of laws that oblige the training of individuals with intellectual disabilities during the secondary school years. Implications to Research and Practice The study recommends that there should be further research on transition, rehabilitation, and training services, together with research conducted from the viewpoint of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Despite the rapid development of special education services in Saudi Arabia, efforts towards the implementation of special education services must be intensified. The Ministry of Education plays a critical role in addressing the fundamental issues so that it can provide quality services for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). Improvement requires consideration of obstacles that still must be addressed. Substantially, these issues can be addressed through improvement in three main: intellectual disability programs services, education curriculum development, and specialized teachers. This paper discusses these issues and suggests strategies that can be implemented to overcome barriers.

The paper discusses essential issues that affect current education of exceptional learners with special needs and disabilities, multidimensional requirements of these learners, and relevant approaches to enrich empowerment opportunities. The paper also highlights the challenges facing learners with special needs in higher education institutions, and identifies governmental and non-governmental efforts and their role in enabling persons with special needs in the field of higher education.

Distance Service Program (DSP) is a community based rehabilitation program for persons with intellectual disabilities. This program has been running 11 years and is considered able to improve the wellbeing of persons with intellectual disabilityies and their families. In 2017, DSP implemented in West Bandung regency by rehabilitating 30 persons with intellectual disability. At the end of the program, beneficiaries receive cash aid to be managed as productive economic business capital. This article discusses the process by which the beneficiary families together with community cadres in managing the social assistance. The research method used is qualitative with descriptive research type. 13 selected informants represent program managers, program implementers, and program beneficiaries. The results of the field findings indicate that the beneficiary families of DSP 2017 have used the cash aid in accordance with the plan. Most of them are able to manage productive economic business an...