The Impact of Professional Teacher Training On the Learning Outcomes of Autistic Learners in Special Education Settings

This study aims to evaluate the impact of specialized teacher training on enhancing educators' ability to meet the diverse needs of autistic learners and improve their educational outcomes. A qualitative approach, involving teacher interviews, was employed to gather data. The research findings indicate that inadequate professional teacher training programs significantly hinder educators' ability to effectively support autistic learners, particularly in special school settings where individualized support is essential. Without comprehensive training, teachers lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and instructional strategies to establish an inclusive and structured learning environment that caters to the unique needs of autistic learners. The absence of training in specialized teaching methods, behavior management, and sensory regulation techniques prevents educators from implementing evidence-based practices that foster learner engagement, communication, and overall academic progress. Based on these findings, the study strongly recommends that the government allocate additional funding to resource schools and special needs education programs. This funding should be directed toward enhancing teacher training, providing essential teaching aids, and improving infrastructure to better support the learning needs of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Additionally, there is a pressing need to expand the number of resource schools in the Khomas region of Namibia to ensure that special education services are accessible to all learners in need.