Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences, and Needs Related to the Inclusion of Autistic Children in a Developing Country

Abstract

We examined the experiences of early childhood teachers (ECTs) in the Philippines, a representative low-resource setting (LRS), focusing on the challenges and opportunities in providing inclusive education for autistic children. Using the socio-ecological model as a framework, we analyzed interview data from eight participants through inductive and deductive coding. The analysis revealed key themes across individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy levels. Our findings highlight significant disparities between the needs of ECTs in supporting autistic children and the available resources, emphasizing the need for targeted professional development and systemic support. Our results offer insights into the factors affecting inclusive education in LRS contexts and proposes strategies to address these challenges. The results contribute to a broader understanding of inclusive education in LRS and suggest directions for future research and policy development.