In this master's thesis, we examined the qualification of teachers for teaching children with autistic disorders in Slovenian primary schools in the Trieste region. In Italy’s state schools, the concept of inclusive education for all children with special needs is well established; children with autistic disorder and other children with special needs are included in mainstrem primary school programmes, regardless of the degree and type of their deficits. They receive support from various experts to varying degrees and types of their deficits. In addition to the class teachers, who are responsible for teaching all children, pupils with autistic spectrum disorder are assigned a specialised teacher who works with the child with special needs in the class and aslo supports other children. In case of associated behavioural, communication and autonomy problems, these children are entitled to an independence and communication assistant, an educator, etc. Teachers in schools should be professionally trained to teach all children, including those with special needs. They acquire part of their knowledge during a five-year university programme in which they take exams in special needs education and complete an internship. The successful implementation of inclusive education depends on teachers' qualifications and attitudes. The empirical part includes an insight into the qualifications of the teachers for working with children with autistic disorders. This was obtained with the help of a questionnaire consisting of four sets of questions: general knowledge about autistic disorders, the ability to teach children with autistic disorders in an adapted way, the teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with autistic disorders in schools and the teachers' self-assessment of their own qualifications for teaching children with autistic disorders. Based on the responses of the 52 participating classroom teachers, we conclude that primary school teachers in the Trieste region have a satisfactory general knowledge of autistic disorders, but shortcomings in their competence to work with students with autistic disorders are evident. This is also reflected in the teachers' self-assessment. The younger generation of teachers showed a more positive attitude towards the inclusion of these children in the education system than the older generations. However, previous experience with children with autistic disorders had no influence on teachers' attitudes. From the results, it can be concluded that teachers for children with special needs should be qualified through courses and seminars in the future. In addition, university programmes for teachers should include courses that provide teachers with the competence to identify the characteristics of pupils with special needs and the resulting educational needs, and in particular courses that provide teachers with the competence to apply proven approaches to working with pupils with autistic disorders.
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