Mothers' and teachers' views on the exposure of students with special educational needs to peer bullying in general education classrooms

The aim of this research is to examine, from the perspectives of mothers and teachers, the situation of students with special educational needs (SEN) in general education classrooms being subjected to peer bullying. The study was conducted in primary schools in Kocaeli province where inclusion/integration practices of the Ministry of National Education (MEB) were implemented during the 2023-2024 academic year. The study involved 10 general education classroom teachers who had students with SEN in their classes and nine mothers with children who have SEN. The research was designed as a case study within qualitative research methods. The data were collected through semi-structured interview forms and the researcher's diary. The data obtained from mothers and teachers were analyzed through inductive content analysis by the researcher. The results of the study indicate that students with SEN in general education classrooms are generally in the role of victims and are subjected to emotional, verbal, and physical bullying by their peers. In response to bullying, students with SEN exhibited various emotional, behavioral, and understanding reactions, while teachers took superficial measures, and mothers tried to find solutions using their own methods. Furthermore, it was determined that students with SEN were negatively affected emotionally, behaviorally, socially, and in terms of academic motivation as a result of peer bullying.