Level of Knowledge of Final Year Students in Bachelor of Education (Special Education) on Autism

Abstract

Final-year students in the education field or pre-service teachers must undergo practicum training to meet their graduation requirements. These teachers must also have a good level of knowledge before undergoing practical training to be able to conduct effective teaching. Therefore, this study intends to identify the level of knowledge of final-year students in the Special Education course on autism before starting the practicum training. This study also examined two main objectives: i) to measure the level of knowledge of final year students in Bachelor of Education with Honors (Special Education) on autism, and ii) to identify appropriate methods to enhance their knowledge of autism. This study was conducted quantitatively using questionnaires distributed online to 35 final-year students at selected universities. The findings of this study were analyzed using descriptive analysis based on frequency and percentage. The results showed that the level of knowledge among the final-year students was at a relatively good level for basic characteristics. There were still some confusion and misunderstanding about the specific characteristics of autism. In addition, among the appropriate measures to assist final-year students to improve their knowledge is the provision of more effective teaching content and experiential training by the university. Moreover, final-year students should intensify their own efforts to increase their knowledge of autism.