An investigation of the door efficacy of special education classrooms: a case of Trabzon

Education is a process that helps people adopt the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that they need in life and enriches and shapes the future of society. Like everyone else, people with special needs have the right to education. They can either go to schools designed to meet their special needs or study together with their peers at mainstream schools (inclusive education). One type of inclusive education is carried out in special education classrooms of mainstream schools. It is crucial to design such classrooms that allow educators to identify and solve students' problems. This paper investigated the indoor efficacy of special education classrooms. First, we defined the concepts of special education and special education classrooms and then conducted a literature review to identify the basic needs of special education classrooms. Afterwards, we made on-site examinations and observations in the special education classrooms of the mainstream primary schools in Ortahisar/Trabzon to reach applied results and obtain necessary information concerning indoor efficacy. The sample consisted of teachers. Data were collected using the survey method. Teachers were the sample of choice because we assumed that students with special needs might have difficulty expressing their wishes and expectations. The results showed that the special education classrooms lacked facilities and spaces for educational activities and fell short of responding to students' physical needs that had to be met indoors. Therefore, we can state that the special education classrooms of the mainstream primary schools in Ortahisar/Trabzon do not have adequate indoor efficacy.