Determining the opinions and suggestion of special training teachers in respect of providing communication skill to those children who have autism spectrum disorder

The purpose of this study is to determine views and suggestions of the special education teachers, who work in the school of Ministry of National Education (MoNE), pertaining to the activities they exercised while providing communication skills to the students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in their classrooms. The study has been carried out with nine special education teachers who have accepted to cooperate voluntarily. The study has been conducted with one of qualitative research approaches; phenomenological pattern, and data have been collected through semi-structured interview technique. The date has been analysed by means of contents analysis. Findings suggest that the teachers determined objectives such as receptive language, imitation, phonation, utilisation of gesture for the nonverbal students with ASD; and context-sensitive speech, pronunciation and articulation for the students with ASD who have verbal communication skill. Teachers have declared that they have utilised the methods based on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Findings reveal that they experience several difficulties in studying communication skills as well as in ensuring maintanence and generalization of the acquired skills. Teachers have declared that the difficulties they have experienced stemmed from the families, from themselves and outer factors, and they have resorted to various means to overcome the difficulties. Teachers offered different suggestions while planning to teach communication skills.