Privacy education for early childhood children with autism and shadow teachers

The main objective of the study is to explain privacy education to shadow teachers who will work with autistic children in early childhood, to raise awareness among shadow teachers through training provided by the researcher so that they can teach autistic children to protect themselves and pay attention to their privacy, and to examine the effectiveness of the privacy education and materials provided by the researcher and present the results. The research was designed using a qualitative experimental research method. Within the scope of this design, a pre-test consisting of 10 questions and 2 sample scenarios was conducted to determine the initial level of the study group. The following week, privacy education titled "Confidence from the Shadows" prepared by the researcher was provided, and the materials designed by the researcher were studied. One week later, a post-test consisting of 9 questions and one sample scenario was administered to the participants. Five weeks after the final test, the same test was administered as a retention test. All data collected were analyzed using content analysis in MaxQda mixed methods data analysis. Within the scope of the study, interviews were conducted with students in the "Shadow Teaching for People with Disabilities" program, which is only available at two universities in Turkey, and a study covering the entire universe was conducted. Four students from the associate degree program at Kocaeli Health and Technology University (KOSTÜ) and nine students from Fatih Sultan Mehmet Foundation University (FSMVÜ) volunteered to participate in the study. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted with three children with autism using materials developed by the researcher. The results of the study showed that privacy education provided to shadow teachers and supported by materials was more effective in teaching, and that the shadow teachers' views on privacy education changed in a positive direction.