From theory to classroom: a deep dive into special education teachers’ insights into practices for individuals with autism

Purpose This study aimed to investigate special education teachers’ familiarity with, perceptions of and recommendations for evidence-based practices (EBPs) and complementary and alternative practices (CAMs) for autistic individuals. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive research design was employed, and data were collected from 100 special education teachers across Türkiye through an online survey. The survey measured teachers’ familiarity, credibility perceptions and recommendations for EBPs and CAMs. Quantitative data were analyzed using nonparametric tests, while qualitative data were examined through descriptive analysis. Findings Teachers were significantly more familiar with, found more credible and recommended EBPs more frequently than CAMs. However, some teachers still perceived CAMs as credible and recommended them, despite the lack of scientific support. Familiarity and credibility were highly correlated with teachers’ own knowledge and skills. Teachers with graduate-level education rated EBPs and CAMs as more credible compared to those with an undergraduate degree. The most common reasons for recommending practices were perceived effectiveness, knowledge and scientific basis, while nonrecommendation reasons included lack of knowledge and concerns about ineffectiveness. Originality/value This study uniquely highlights not only special education teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of EBPs and CAMs but also their reasoning processes. The findings emphasize the urgent need for systematic, evidence-focused training to bridge the research-to-practice gap and reduce the dissemination of unsupported practices in special education.