about the department

Department Head's Speech:

Over the past decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has placed strong emphasis on the qualitative and quantitative development of the field of Special Education, reaffirming its commitment to empowering and supporting persons with disabilities across various domains. This commitment is clearly reflected in the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which stress the importance of providing the necessary educational, social, health, and employment services to ensure the inclusion and empowerment of this valued segment of society.

In line with this national direction, the Department of Special Education at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University was established in the academic year 1430/1431 AH, serving as a key contributor to the preparation of qualified educational professionals in the fields of Learning Disabilities and Intellectual Disability. The department includes a distinguished group of faculty members with strong academic and research backgrounds, in addition to a number of male and female scholarship recipients pursuing their graduate studies at leading international universities—reflecting our firm commitment to continuous development and the enhancement of academic excellence.

The department is distinguished by its high-quality programs, some of which are the first of their kind at the level of Saudi and Arab universities. These include the Master’s Program in Transition Services for Persons with Disabilities, which aims to prepare specialists capable of supporting the transition from education to employment in accordance with the latest international best practices. In addition, the department offers a Master’s program in Deaf Education and Studies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and continuously works to develop its curricula and introduce specialized courses, such as the Saudi Sign Language course—the first of its kind in Saudi universities.

The department also places special emphasis on research and community engagement by involving students in research projects and scientific conferences, achieving advanced rankings among Saudi universities in scientific publishing, and actively working to translate research outcomes into practical applications that enhance the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

At the community level, the department seeks to promote a culture of awareness and empowerment through organizing international awareness days, launching community initiatives, establishing partnerships with relevant organizations, and cultivating “ambassadors of awareness” among university students across various disciplines.

At the Department of Special Education, we have been keen to integrate academic, administrative, research, and community dimensions in a manner that aligns with the university’s goals and strategic plans, thereby strengthening our role in achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. God willing, we will continue to develop this academic entity to become a national center of expertise in the field of special education and transition services, driven by its qualified personnel and innovative initiatives.

Head of the Department of Special Education
Dr. Ayman bin Abdullah bin Hazza Alamri

Vision:

Distinguish, leading, and reference in the preparation of specialized in the field of special education, and meet the needs of the labor market.

Message:

Preparing the human cadres specialized in the field of special education in accordance with the professional standards of special education teachers to meet the needs and requirements of the labor market in this field, and to provide other support services that serve individuals with disabilities and their families and members of society.

Objectives:

1- Prepare educators with the necessary professional skills to teach and train people with special needs.

2- Prepare specialists who are able to understand and implement scientific principles in the field of special education

3- Prepare professionals who have the necessary skills to innovate in solving the problems facing the workers in the field of special education systematically and through analytical tools.

4- Preparing qualified educators capable of communication and management effectively as leaders and officials seeking to develop and benefit from the latest technology.

5- Contribute to the preparation of citizens able to interact positively with contemporary issues, conservative Islamic identity, practicing professional principles, innovated in thinking, research and lifelong learning.

Department development features:

     Special Education Department works to continuously develop administrative, educational, research and community work, in line with the University's vision to contribute to the realization of Saudi Vision 2030 as follows:

4-1. Administrative aspect:

Support the administrative work of the department while activating and forming committees in accordance with clear working regulations, and find a mechanism to ensure members' participation.

4-2. Educational aspect:

a) Developing and Introducing of 11 optional/free courses for undergraduate students at the University and the introduction of the Saudi sign language course as the first course presented at Saudi universities.

b) Development of two qualitative programmes at the Arab university level: Master's Degree in Transitional Services for Persons with Disabilities and Master's Degree in Education and Studies for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Persons. (and continuous improvement and development).

c) Activate quality practices in educational practical materials.

d) Establishing clear criteria for assigning courses and supervising students so as to contribute to raising the quality of the educational process subjects.

e) Provide opportunities for students and alumni of the department to continuously build and refine their educational and leadership skills.

4-3. research aspect:

a) Finding an effective mechanism to ensure the continuous contribution of the department members to research work and publishing it in the best scientific journals (Web of Since - Scopus).

b) The department achieves advanced positions at the level of Saudi universities in scientific research.

c) students Participation in research projects, scientific publishing and conferences.

d) Work on finding a mechanism to activate the scientific research recommendations of the department members to raise the level of life quality for persons with disabilities.

4-4. societal aspect:

A) setting up awareness ambassadors for society through students of free/elective courses for students in various disciplines each semester.

b) Activating international days related to persons with disabilities.

c) Establishing effective partnerships to serve persons with disabilities.

d) Participation/organization of forums related to the development of the field of persons with disabilities.

e) Launching qualitative community initiatives.