Higher Education Instructors With Special Needs Students: Challenges And Recommendations

Authors : Ayşegül Gökdağ, Özge Ünlü

Pages : 471-507

Doi:10.17522/balikesirnef.1359140

View : 87 | Download : 109

Publication Date : 2023-10-20

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This research identifies the challenges encountered by higher education instructors who provide education to special needs students in their classes and the solutions they propose to address these challenges. The study investigated the level of knowledge of instructors regarding their students with special needs, the opinions of the instructors on encountered problems, the reasons and solutions of these problems, and the self-assessment of instructors and their institutions regarding the education provided to students with special needs. The participants of the study consisted of 25 higher education instructors who provide education to students with special needs in their classes. The participants were selected using maximum diversity and criterion sampling types of purposive sampling method. Data for the research were collected with semi-structured interview form and were analyzed using the descriptive content analysis method. Research findings showed that the instructors lacked sufficient knowledge about disabilities, did not feel qualified in terms of academic adaptations, found their higher education institution to be insufficient in terms of accessibility, and noted low awareness among academic and administrative staff. Research concluded that awareness-raising activities, personnel training regarding the characteristics of disabled students and possible accommodations, and necessary adjustments should be made in terms of accessibility. Recommendations were developed accordingly in this context.
Keywords : akademik uyarlamalar, öğretim elemanları, yükseköğretimdeki özel gereksinimli öğrenciler