Opinions of the academicians training special education teachers on the applicability of inclusion in Turkey

The aim of this research is to determine the opinions of academicians training special education teachers on inclusion practices. In line with this aim, 28 academician from 18 different universities working in the field of special education were interviewed. The professional experiences of the participants in the field of special education vary between 5 and 44 years. The interviews lasted between 14 and 63 minutes. The research was designed according to the qualitative research design and was organized according to the case study design. The data obtained through semi-structured interviews were analyzed with the descriptive analysis technique. The research findings were divided into 14 main themes and 48 sub-themes. In addition, findings were also presented quantitatively by using frequency in the numerical analysis of the data. According to the findings of the research, most of the academicians stated that inclusion is not implemented today and the required base regarding its implementation is not available. They also stated that the concept of inclusion is not fully understood and there is an incomprehensibility, and integration and inclusion are two different concepts. Estimations stating that the social acceptance of society will increase and its perspective will change, families' quality of life will increase, and their burden will lighten at the same time, teachers will have the opportunity to develop and adapt themselves, accepting what is different will increase among the students and they will be more tolerant and patient, and academic contribution will be provided through peer teaching thanks to the inclusion practices are the findings of the study. The fact that there are only a few studies on inclusion practices, that there are descriptive studies but there is a need for applied studies, are among the findings of the research. Academicians stated that teachers do not receive sufficient training on inclusion and that teachers should undergo serious in-service training, and special education-related courses should be included in all departments in the faculty of education. They emphasized that the laws and regulations on inclusion are sufficient but they are not being implemented. They also stated that the staff involved in supportive education is unqualified. According to the suggestions of the academicians, in order to ensure a successful inclusion, physical and educational adjustments should be made, supportive educational services should be provided, teachers should be trained according to their perspectives on inclusion and their manners should be changed, accessible courses should be designed, the physical environment of schools should be suitable for all children, it is compulsory to make adaptation regarding the child's incompetence during the processes of content, material, program and evaluation, academicians should carry out practical studies, senior decision-makers and institutions should carry out coordinated studies, administrators should be eager, follower and supervisory during the inclusion process, and we should examine and follow the footsteps of the best examples in the world. Key Words: Inclusion, Mainstreaming, Special Education.