Effects of educational policies on design of inclusive schools: SERÇEV case

Abstract

Universal design and inclusive education aroused as paradigms based on egalitarianism in the twentieth century. The countries are responsible to update the approaches on their own education policy including inclusive education. Updates on education policy become a problem to articulate spatial requirements of inclusive schools according to them. In this sense, universal design gives an opportunity to find effective and practical spatial solutions for problems of inclusive education environment through creating an interdisciplinary ground in design process. The aim of the study is to find out the effects of the inclusive educational policy of Turkey on the design of inclusive school environments under the umbrella of both universal design and inclusive education. In this scope, the laws, regulations, legislations, regarding the inclusive education in Turkey within the international discourse are reviewed. SERÇEV (Children with Cerebral Palsy Association) inclusive schools, which are Gökkuşağı Primary School and SERÇEV Accessible Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, are examined in the scope of universal design. These inclusive schools are chosen as the case studies to examine the spatial reflection of the current policies in inclusive school environment. The methodology of the study includes commentary of on-site observations on spatial requirements regarding universal design approach and interviews from site visits. The study contributes to determine the design approaches of inclusive school environment in the case of SERÇEV inclusive schools in Turkey.