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Children with autism often show a lack of the interactive social skills that would allow them to engage with others successfully. They therefore frequently need training to aid them in successful social interaction. Video modelling is a widely used instructional technique that has been applied to teach children with developmental disabilities such as autism, and has been shown to be effective in teaching a variety of skills. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of video modelling on social skills development in children with autism living in the United Arab Emirates. The research was carried out by Mohammed Alzyoudi, AbedAlziz Sartawi and Osha Almuhiri, all from the United Arab Emirates University. A sample of five boys with autism was chosen to participate in this study. The boys ranged in age between five and seven years. Each child was asked to watch a videotape which presented two individuals interacting in a role‐play setting. One person portrayed a therapist giving cues, while the second portrayed a child acting appropriately and demonstrating correct social behaviours. The boys were then asked to complete a social task and their performance was compared against baseline assessment measures. The results of this study indicate that this is an effective instruction method. Results are discussed and implications for further research and practice are provided.

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The digital divide affects equity in inclusive classrooms. It can create a gap in accessing information-communication-technology (ICT) resources or inequalities in skills and effective use. The present study is a qualitative SWOT analysis; it explores teachers' views on access and use issues that widen the digital divide in inclusive classrooms in the UAE. Six teachers from intermediate and secondary-level schools were interviewed to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with ICT use and access in their inclusive classrooms. The semi-structured interviews were analyzed, using thematic analysis. The study found that, although all of the students, irrespective of disabilities, have equal access to ICT resources, various factorsincluding a lack of training, insufficient resources, heavy workloads, and a shortage of human resources-are expanding the digital divide in inclusive classrooms. This study discusses ways to overcome the challenges and implications; it recommends research avenues for future studies.

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