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Special Education Teacher

The Special Education Teacher Education Undergraduate Program at Istanbul Aydın University Faculty of Education is a four-year undergraduate program that prepares special education teachers through an inclusive, ethical, and scientifically grounded approach to the education of individuals with special educational needs. The program is implemented in alignment with the Turkish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and the General Competencies for the Teaching Profession determined by the Ministry of National Education. Accordingly, graduates of the program complete their education equipped with the knowledge, skills, values, and professional attitudes required to work successfully as special education teachers in public and private formal and non-formal support education institutions. The curriculum of the program offers a holistic and practice-oriented structure that integrates subject-matter knowledge, professional teaching knowledge, and general education courses. It enables teacher candidates to develop their professional competencies in authentic educational settings through individualized instructional practices tailored to the learning characteristics and needs of students with diverse special educational needs, assessment processes, instructional material design, and teaching practicum experiences. The integration of theory and practice, active learning approaches, and systematic feedback processes constitute the core academic framework of the program. The program is delivered by an academic staff specialized in the field of special education, with strong practical experience and a high level of scientific productivity. Faculty members take an active role not only in teacher education processes but also in national and international academic activities.

The Special Education Teacher Education Undergraduate Program is a candidate for EPDAD accreditation, in line with its quality assurance–oriented structure. In this respect, the program provides a reliable, high-quality, and continuously developing learning environment for prospective students, families, partner institutions, and academic stakeholders. In addition to teacher education, the program also carries out community-oriented awareness and educational activities related to special education on a voluntary basis. Within this scope, voluntary consultancy, training, and practical support are offered to special education teachers working in the field, families, and all stakeholders involved in special education. Moreover, the department contributes to national and international scientific knowledge through research activities and projects across all areas of special education.

The Undergraduate Program in Special Education Teaching is built upon a strong academic foundation shaped by an inclusive, scientific educational philosophy that places human dignity at its core. The primary aim of the program is to educate qualified special education teachers who perceive individual differences among learners with special educational needs not as deficiencies but as sources of educational richness; who not only possess knowledge of individualized instructional approaches but are also able to implement them effectively and develop innovative practices.

For prospective students, Special Education Teaching represents not merely a profession, but a lifelong journey that entails ethical responsibility, social sensitivity, and continuous professional development. Within a robust instructional process that integrates theoretical knowledge with practice, our current students and teacher candidates are educated as individuals who are inquisitive, reflective, critical thinkers, and open to collaboration.

Our academic activities are conducted with an approach that closely follows national and international developments, values interdisciplinary collaboration, and aims to contribute scientifically to the field of special education. In this context, we regard the development of collaborative work with distinguished scholars at both national and international levels as an essential academic responsibility.

For families, the program is grounded in the principle of educating reliable and highly qualified teachers who believe in the potential of every child and support their academic, social, and emotional development through a holistic perspective, while also laying the foundations for future scholars in the field.

As the Undergraduate Program in Special Education Teaching, we remain committed to assuming responsibility with a humanistic, academic, ethical, and universal perspective in pursuit of a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society. Our program is pleased to walk alongside all those engaged in education and learning—particularly within the field of special education—and we warmly invite you to join us on this journey.

Prof. Dr. Ahmet KURNAZ

Special Education Teaching

Head of Department

Bölüm Başkanının Mesajı

Eğitim Fakültesi Geleceğin Sınıfları Atölyesi

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