Training Needs for Teachers of Children with Autism in Jordan, From Their Perspectives (A Descriptive Study)

The present study aimed to identify the training needs of teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the identification of their relationship to some variables. The study sample consisted of (42) teachers, of both sexes, of children with autism spectrum disorder chosen deliberately from (5) private centers and institutions that provide educational services for those children in Amman, Jordan. The researcher used an instrument of (48) items distributed over two sub-domains: Theoretical training needs and practical skills training needs, after obtaining good validity and reliability of the scale. The results of the study indicated that the training needs importance to the respondents was of moderate level in each of the domains: Theoretical and practical skills needs. There were no statistically significant differences in teachers' assessment of their needs that could be attributed to the variables of gender and teaching experience of the teacher. The study recommends a continuous assessment of the needs of teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder, and focuses on the preparation of specialized training programs for teachers to satisfy these needs.