The problems encountered in mainstreaming applications in primary schools and recommendations

Mainstreaming education is an important education plan for the students who need special traning and have lack of special education. In current world, mainstreaming practices are widespread, the number of mainstreaming students are increased and there are mainstreaming students in almost every school. These students are taught by regular teachers in regular schools. The primary school teachers, school managers and guide teachers who worked in 2013-2014 educational year in the centre of Elazığ form the target of this population. The sample of this research are the 78 primary school teachers, 18 managers and 13 counsellors 109 in total working officially in 15 primary schools in Elazig city center and being the member of Turkish Ministry of National Education. In this research interview forms were prepared fort the teachers and open ended questions were asked to the teachers and were given a code each interview form. Each of questions on the form was divided into sub-headings and this sub-headings were associated with the general titles. The findings obtained in this study can be summarized as follow: The vast majority of teachers, school mangers and guide teachers who have mainstreaming students in their classes and in their schools specify that they feel themselves inadequate about the mainstreaming applications and they don't have the adequate educational background about the mainstreaming applications. They are also on the idea that mainstreaming students have positive and negative effects on normal students. While collaborating with family, they have different problems with them and from time to time they have given feedback to Guidance and Research Center about these problems. Besides, the plans used by primary school teachers and counselors with respect to mainstreaming are questioned and it is generally seen that they implement individualized educational plan. Moreover, primary school teachers, managers and counselors have stated that some materials should be used in mainstreaming education. In addition to using visual, audial and student-based ones as materials, they have presented the idea that using technology and learning through experience and doing which should be practiced according to constructivist approach are beneficial and effective. In regard to the findings obtained from the research conducted, primary school teachers, school managers, the majority of the guide teachers stated that they think themselves inadequate and it is necessary to receive education in these fields. Working in collaboration for the mainstreaming applications, being in contact with families continuously and making special plans for mainstreaming students are the other essential matters that the participants think. Key Words: Mainstreaming, Special Training, Individualized Educational Plan