Determining the difficulties experienced by children with special needs during transition to pre-school education with regard to mothers' views

The purpose of this study is to determine the difficulties experienced by mothers of children with special needs when they transition the pre-school education and offer suggestions. The study has been carried out in the private education and rehabilitation center located in the province of Bayrampaşa in Istanbul, by means of half-structured interviews with 9 mothers of children with special needs, who receive pre-school inclusive education. The obtained data were analyzed on the basis of the inductive analysis method.The study?s findings show that the decision of families and the guidance of teachers giving special education have a determining effect on the initiation of pre-school education by children with special needs. Mothers stated that they received the most positive approaches from teachers during the pre-school inclusive education of their children with special needs, while the school management displayed the most negative approaches according to them. The study?s findings show that children with special needs face difficulties in activities applied in the education environment, that, according to the opinion of mothers, the aspects, in which their children differ from other students, are more than the aspects, in which their children are similar to other students, and that they believe that the inclusive education contributes to elementary education. Mothers expressed that they received the highest supports from special education teachers during the pre-school inclusive education of their children and that the inclusive education had positive effects on their children.It can be observed that families need to receive more information and social support during the initiation of inclusive education. It is thought that supports provided in this direction will be effective particularly in the elimination of anxieties experienced by mothers and to fill the lack of information on inclusive education. It is considered that, during the acceptance process to school, studies to be carried out to change the negative attitudes developed by school managers are of crucial importance and that the extension of in-service trainings so as to include, inter alia, school managers will be beneficial. The teaching of pre-school transition skills in early education programs are of crucial importance with respect to achieve an increase in the rate of success of children with special needs in activities executed during pre-school inclusive education.Keywords: Transition to Pre-school Education, Inclusive Education, Special Education, Children with Special Needs, Families.