Éducation des élèves présentant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme (TSA) dans les écoles primaires de la Capitale de Vientiane au Laos : une étude multi-cas
Author: Phenglawong, Thatsana
Under the direction of: Francine Julien-Gauthier et Hubert Gascon
Université Laval
Texte français
Keywords: Psychology, Laos, Children with autism spectrum disorders - Education - Laos - Vientiane, School integration - Laos - Vientiane, School staff - Laos - Vientiane - Attitudes - Surveys.
Abstract
The number of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is growing all over the world. However, the education of these students differs from country to country. As a result, in Laos and more specifically in Vientiane, its capital, the regular class attendance of these students is increasing. As a result, making adjustments to educating students with ASD in the regular classroom is often difficult for school staff. So far, few studies have looked at the education of these students, from the point of view of principals, educators/ guides or teachers and little information is available. It is important to be better informed about this to promote the education of these students in regular classes at the elementary level. This thesis has four objectives, namely 1) to describe the state of knowledge and attitudes relating to ASD among directors, teachers and educators/guides who welcome a student with ASD in a regular classroom, in ordinary schools, in Vientiane ; 2) list the reception and education conditions for students with ASD in these schools ; 3) identify the facilitators and obstacles to the reception and education of these children and 4) identify the needs expressed by directors, teachers and educators/guides to promote the education of students with ASD in the primary schools in Vientiane. The conceptual framework describes the history of ASD, its definition, the characteristics of people with ASD according to the diagnostic criteria associated with this disorder, its severity levels according to DSM-5 (APA, 2015), its prevalence, its peculiarities, its associated disorders as well as his risk factors for ASD. It also describes the current knowledge and attitudes related to the education of students with ASD. Regarding the theoretical framework, it is based on the ecological approach applied to the education of students with ASD. This thesis favors a multi-case study using a mixed methodology. In total, a sample of 18 school actresses (five directors, four educators/guides and nine teachers) from five ordinary primary schools that welcome at least one student with ASD in an ordinary primary class in Vientiane was created to carry out this research. A questionnaire devoted to the quantitative aspect was sent to these same people. This questionnaire made it possible to collect first sociogeographic data, then data concerning the knowledge and attitudes relating to the education of students with ASD in ordinary classes. Then, these same school actresses participated in a semi-directive interview in order to collect data for the qualitative component. This section is devoted to describing the conditions, facilitators and obstacles to the reception and education of students with ASD and the needs promoting their education. To do this, the interviews were conducted in the field by the principal investigator, audio-recorded and transcribed. For the analysis of these data, the qualitative method of Blais and Martineau (2006) was used. This analytical approach is, subsequently, based on collective work to validate the processing of the data collected (Mukamurera, Lacourse, & Couturier, 2006). This analysis step makes it possible to tend to the reliability of the coding and allows a progressive inter-rater validation of the meaning of the data. The results of this research show that school actresses indicated that they had participated in few trainings on ASD and needed more practical knowledge for the education of these students in regular class. They also reveal that the vast majority of participants report a lack of knowledge about the characteristics of ASD. However, these have rather positive attitudes that attest to a good openness to differences. In addition, the results show that the reception and education conditions of students with ASD in primary schools in Laos vary from one school to another ; principals can refuse or accept these students according to the abilities (degree of severity of the ASD) of each student. Depending on the results, the participants developed, intuitively or by trial and error, several educational practices that are similar to those recommended in the scientific literature. However, their educational practices with these students remain limited ; all participants expressed a pressing need to enrich their training and support to better accommodate their student(s) with ASD. It is important for school staff to have more and varied practices available to effectively meet the needs of their students with ASD. It is also important that school stakeholders (directors, educators/ guides and teachers) are trained in ASD. Next, the research results highlight the need for the state to be able to support schools to adapt the school environment to this new clientele. The need to establish special schools and train special educators to help teachers in their specific tasks is also mentioned. Finally, to meet the needs of school stakeholders, the state should form a multidisciplinary team to support students with ASD as well as their families and the schools that host them in order to prepare for the school transition of these students to secondary school. In the same vein, collaboration and consultation between the ministries concerned with the education of these students is a recommended element to meet their needs, those of families and school stakeholders. On a more general level, it is important to continue to raise awareness of ASD in the educational and social context of this country.
