Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Employing Artificial Intelligence for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The study examined the attitudes of teachers in Arab schools in the Triangle region of Palestine toward the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for improving reading comprehension skills among students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It also investigated whether these attitudes varied according to gender, years of teaching experience, and academic qualification. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected using a questionnaire developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The instrument consisted of 37 items distributed across four dimensions: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intention, and perceived barriers.The study population included Arabic language and special education teachers working in Arab schools during the 2025/2026 academic year, with a total of 203 teachers participating in the study. The findings indicated that teachers demonstrated high and positive attitudes across all dimensions and at the overall level toward the integration of AI technologies in enhancing reading comprehension skills among students with ASD. These results reflect a positive professional awareness and a strong readiness to adopt AI-supported instructional practices.The results further revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in teachers’ attitudes attributable to gender or academic qualification, while statistically significant differences were found according to years of teaching experience, in favor of more experienced teachers.The study concluded that teachers recognize the educational potential of artificial intelligence in supporting reading comprehension through individualized learning and immediate feedback, despite the presence of challenges related to digital infrastructure, technical support, and specialized professional training. Accordingly, the study recommends enhancing professional development programs for teachers in AI-supported Arabic language instruction and improving digital infrastructure in Arab schools to strengthen inclusive educational practices and better address the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder.