Abstract

Abstract: The minority Druze society in Israel is a closed, conservative, and traditional ethnic group. This study addresses the issue of mainstreaming children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders or learning disabilities in the Druze society in Israel. In-depth research has not previously been conducted on this matter within this society with its unique and distinctive characteristics. The study examines the attitudes of the teachers who are required to include these children; some teachers are specially trained in special education, whereas others are not. This research also addressed the perceptions of these children’s parents regarding the educational system and its ability to provide a sufficient and suitable environment for their children within the regular school framework and classroom. Based on a mixed-method of both qualitative and quantitative research, the results show that the parents in the conservative Druze society perceive the educational framework in a positive light as a system that is beneficial for their children. The teachers conveyed their satisfaction with the mainstreaming process, as did the parents. On the other hand, the findings show that experts in the field are less satisfied with the capabilities of the Druze educational system to mainstream children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders or learning disabilities, claiming that the nationwide guidelines for inclusion must be adapted to suit the specific needs of this unique society.