THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAMS IN CHANGING TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a community awareness program in improving teachers' attitudes toward Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Using a quasi-experimental design, the study included an experimental group that received the program and a control group that did not. The sample consisted of 60 basic education teachers, aged 25 to 50, with varied teaching experiences.

A 30-item questionnaire was developed to measure three domains: knowledge about autism, emotional and behavioral attitudes, and educational and interactive skills. The instrument demonstrated high reliability (Cro nbach’s alpha = 0.89) and content validity of 90%.

The awareness program was implemented over four weeks, including workshops and lectures designed to increase teachers’ understanding of autism characteristics and effective interaction strategies. Pre- and post-tests were administered using the questionnaire.

Results showed significant improvements in the experimental group: knowledge mean scores increased from 3.10 to 4.35 (+40.3%), emotional and behavioral attitudes from 2.85 to 4.10 (+43.9%), and educational skills from 3.00 to 4.20 (+40.0%), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.01). No significant changes were observed in the control group.

The study concluded that community awareness programs effectively enhance teachers’ knowledge and positively influence their attitudes and behaviors toward students with autism, highlighting the importance of incorporating such programs into teacher training for inclusive and quality education.