Teachers' readiness for sustainable inclusive practices for supporting deaf learners: A cross-sectional study of psychological and contextual dimensions in northern Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Empirical evidence regarding the psychological and contextual dimensions of schoolteachers' preparedness to support the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in mainstream school settings is essential for effective policymaking. Therefore, the present study assessed schoolteachers' knowledge, attitudes, and self-perceived barriers to the inclusion of DHH students in mainstream classrooms. METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study surveyed schoolteachers across different educational levels and settings in the Aljouf region of Saudi Arabia using a validated questionnaire. Associations among teachers' knowledge, attitudes, perceived barriers, and participant characteristics were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: Among the 405 participants, 49.9% demonstrated adequate knowledge, and 55.8% reported positive attitudes toward inclusion. Teachers aged >45 years had lower odds of possessing adequate knowledge (p = 0.004). Teachers with prior experience teaching DHH students (p = 0.007) and those who had received special/inclusive education training (p = 0.010) had higher odds of possessing adequate knowledge. Schoolteachers working in city schools had lower odds of reporting positive attitudes than those working in rural schools (p = 0.025). The findings revealed a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores (Spearman's rho = 0.457, p < 0.001) and a negative correlation between attitude and barriers scores (ρ = - 0.383, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of psychological and contextual factors, particularly teacher knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers, as interrelated dimensions of inclusive readiness. Achieving effective and sustainable inclusive education requires strengthening continuous professional development and ensuring access to communication support services.