Chairperson of European University of Lefke (EUL) Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Education Department of Special Education Teaching Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Ataman made a presentation titled “Changing Teaching Practices (for Inclusion-Integration Classes) at the 4th ELMIS International Special Education Congress organized by Cyprus International University (CIU).

Ataman gave information about the stages of special education

In her presentation, Ataman focused on the inclusion and integration movements, the abandonment of separate education for individuals affected by inadequacy in education, and the new approaches in teacher training due to the ‘disability rights agreement 2007 signed in 2007 and explained that these new developments necessitate the diversification of curricula in classrooms where integrated and integrated education is applied. Touching upon the phase that special education field went through until today, Ataman said that the disabled people were excluded from the society for a long time and then the separated special education came on the agenda between 1700-1950 and then the merger of general and special education took place between 1950 and 1980 by considering the least restrictive education environment approach in 1950-1980 respectively. She further gave information on the condition of inclusion and integration classes today and said that for the majority there are inclusion/ integration practices, or temporary disintegration practices for minority (after 1990). Ataman further stated that for the future the aim must be enabling them to have a say in their own lives and added that in order to ensure this, all-inclusive and accessible educational environments should be taken as a basis.

Ataman: Learning profile of each student is required when diversifying teaching strategies

Ataman also that education should cover every child, should not discriminate, class sizes should be 20-25 people, and the teacher should be competent in technology and teaching strategies and added that the diversification of teaching strategies and the intensification of the contribution of technology to education is an advantage. Susan emphasized that first of all, the learning profile of each student should be determined, the learning channels should be determined, the levels of the pre-learning of the classroom program should be determined, the program should be flexible according to the students’ needs and the course should be restructured.