Children with Autism: Views of Parents, Educators, or Principals towards Inclusive Settings in an Urban area of Bangladesh

Purpose The inclusion of children with autism into general educational settings is a global trend, a practice that has been the subject of ongoing investigation and discourse in schools. The most important condition is transforming educational institutions into adaptable frameworks so that all diverse-needs students can be part of the inclusive education community. This research investigates the integration of children with autism in mainstream primary educational settings. To achieve this, it is essential to understand the obstacles experienced by students with autism in Dhaka, Bangladesh's mainstream primary school classrooms, and the potential interventions that will support their inclusion in the educational settings. By understanding the unique challenges students with autism face in traditional primary settings, policymakers and educators can develop targeted initiatives to support their academic and social development. Background Autism is a form of neurodivergence. Students with autism may experience varying degrees of difficulties and strengths that impact their social and academic development in mainstream environments. Obstacles determining success in mainstream educational settings include teachers’ knowledge, school support, awareness, and acceptance. The inclusive approach is not a one-size-fitsall solution but rather a case-specific, exploratory approach to help students with autism reach their maximum potential alongside their neurotypical peers. I aimed to explore key issues in mainstream educational settings from the perspectives of Bangladeshi parents of children with autism, teachers, and principals, aiming to improve the education system for autistic students. Participants In this research, eight parents of children with autism, eight teachers, and four principals were recruited for semi-structured interviews using a purposive sampling technique. This approach enabled the collection of rich data and allowed for in-depth conversations. All participants in this research were originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and their native language was Bengali. The participants were chosen for this research based on their experience and knowledge of working with children with autism in mainstream settings, and the challenges they faced in regular schools. I conducted the interviews in Bengali to facilitate clear communication and understanding between the interviewer and interviewee. Method The qualitative methodology following grounded theory was chosen for my research because it allows for in-depth exploration of participants' experiences and perspectives. Semi-structured interviewing was seen to be the best technique for gathering participants' experiences and opinions. Interviews with parents of students with autism were conducted virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the COVID situation improved, in-person interviews with teachers were carried out. However, since the four principals were unavailable for online or in -person interviews, the interviews were conducted over the phone. Framework This research is based on Inclusive Education Theory, as articulated by UNESCO (UNESCO, 1994) and the Salamanca Statement (1994), and methodologically guided by a qualitative analytic approach combining thematic analysis and grounded theory. The theoretical model was established inductively from the data, which was collected through semi-structured interviews from parents of autistic children, teachers, and principals who were involved in the mainstream education settings for the autistic children. To analyze the data, a thematic analysis strategy was conducted in this research. Through systematic coding, themes related to inclusive practices, stakeholder roles, institutional support, and challenges within mainstream settings were identified. This approach provided transparency into each participant's daily life experience while engaging children with autism. Building on these themes, grounded theory procedures, informed by Strauss and Corbin (1998), were adapted to give a richer description of the development of theory. The themes were further refined into categories and analytically linked through constant comparison to identify relationships among conditions, actions, and consequences. Systemic challenges—such as lack of teacher training, insufficient resources, rigid curricula, policy issues, cultural factors, lack of awareness and acceptance, and inadequate support services—appeared as central conditions affecting inclusive practices. The combination of thematic analysis and grounded theory enabled the development of a theoretical model explaining how inclusive education is enacted in mainstream settings and how obstacles constrain the academic and social development of children with autism. This model remains grounded in participants’ perspectives while conceptually aligned with international inclusive education principles. Findings This research explored obstacles faced by autistic children in mainstream educational settings using a qualitative, grounded theory approach. The semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from parents, teachers, and school principals. Eight themes of challenges were revealed through thematic analysis. Key findings highlighted gaps in knowledge of autistic traits, a lack of teacher preparation and training opportunities, especially on autism, and school-related constraints. Principal and policy-related themes further clarified the emphasis on access to support and resources in mainstream settings. At the same time, cultural perspectives on autism explained a view of negative attitudes and expectations. Lack of awareness and acceptance appeared in this research as a crucial factor that affects both peer interaction and successful inclusion for children with autism. These findings highlighted barriers in mainstream settings and the necessity of systemic modification that addresses awareness, acceptance, training, policy, and cultural beliefs to foster an inclusive environment for autistic learners.