A study on the adaptation process on a first grade inclusion students with autism in a primary classroom

Inclusive education is the education that aims to ensure that individuals with special needs are accepted by the society and that progresses throughout life. Each individual is born unique from each other and with individual differences. All individuals should receive equal education. Individuals with special needs who receive inclusive education have the right to be educated in the classrooms of typically developing children. In this study, it was aimed to examine the adaptation process of a child with autism who receive inclusive education in primary school classroom environment. The research was carried out with action research, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out with a student with autism who received inclusive education in the researcher's class in a primary school affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Konya. As data collection tools in the research, semi-structured interview form, diaries and photographs of activities done with the child and with autism typically developing children were used. Content analysis, one of the qualitative data analysis techniques, were used in the analysis of the obtained data. As a result of the research, it has been concluded that the role of the classroom teacher in the adaptation process of children with autism who receive inclusive education in a state primary school is very vital, and the primary classroom teacher should include activities for integrating them into the classroom by taking into account their individual differences. In this case, it has been revealed that the interaction of the child with autism the primary classroom teacher is also very important.