Early Childhood Teachers’ Opinions about and Suggestions for Inclusion Programs

Helping individuals adapt to their environments and providing opportunities for their skill development, education should be integrated into everybody’s life as soon and systematically as possible in order to cope with the changing conditions, to supply resources for skill development, and to lead desired behavioral changes. However, individuals with different characteristics and across different groups cannot make use of education unless necessary arrangements are implemented. Accordingly, the definition of special education within the Decree Law # 573 states that it is the kind of education provided to individuals with special needs in appropriate settings. As stated in the Decree Law #573, both individuals with special needs and their educational settings differ across several parameters; and some individuals with special needs are integrated into the normal classes under the title of “inclusion”. Within the literature, inclusion is defined as “providing the least restrictive education to individuals with special needs through use of appropriate support and service systems as soon and appropriate as possible in order to restore their identities as active members of the society” (Kircaali-Iftar, 1992; Lewis and Doorlag, 1987; O.E.C.D., 1995; Olson et.al, 1999).