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MINISTRY
OF NATIONAL EDUCATION REGULATIONS
ON SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES DECREE LAW NO. 573 ON SPECIAL EDUCATION Aim Article 1 - The aim of this Decree Law is to
regulate the principles on enabling the individuals who are in need of special
education exercise their right to have general and vocational education in
line with the overall objectives and basic principles of Turkish National
Education. Scope Article 2 - This Decree Law covers the
individuals who are in need of special education; the educational services to
be provided to those individuals directly or indirectly; and the schools,
institutions and programmes which provide these services. Definitions Article 3 - The following terms have been
used in the following meanings in this Decree Law: a) Individual
in need of special education: The individual who is at a significantly
different level compared to his/her peers in terms of the individual
characteristics and educational adequacy, b) Special
education: Education which aims to meet the educational needs of individuals
who are in need of special education in an environment appropriate for the
deficiencies and characteristics of those individuals using the specially
developed educational programmes and techniques with specially trained staff,
c) Combining:
The special education environments developed in order to have individuals who
are in need of special education interact with other individuals and to
maximize their educational goals, d) Diagnosis:
The evaluation process performed in order to determine the characteristics of
individual in every field for educational purposes, e) Ministry:
Ministry of National Education. Basic
principles of special education Article 4
- The basic principles of special education are as follows in line with
the overall objectives regulating Turkish National Education: a) All the
individuals who are in need of special education will benefit from the
special education services in line with their interests, wishes, adequacies
and abilities. b) Education
of the individuals who are in need of special education will start at an
early age. c) The
special education services will be planned and provided without separating
the individuals who are in need of special education from their social and
physical environments as much as possible. d) It will be
a priority to educate those individuals who are in need of special education
together with other individuals by taking those individuals’ educational
performances into consideration and by making adaptations in the aim, content
and teaching processes. e)
Cooperation will be established with the institutions and organizations that
provide all types of rehabilitation for the education of individuals who are
in need of special education to continue their education at all levels and
with all types uninterruptedly. f)
Personalized education plans will be developed for the individuals who are in
need of special education and the educational programmes will be implemented
as personalized. g) Opinions
of the organizations working for the individuals who are in need of special
education will be asked for the development of special education policies. h) The
special education services will be planned so as to cover the social
interaction and mutual adaptation process of the individuals who are in need
of special education. Diagnosis,
Evaluation, Placement Article 5
- The individual’s educational performance level is determined at each
stage of diagnosis; his/her characteristics in the developmental fields are
evaluated; the educational goals and services are planned by taking these
evaluation results into consideration; and a decision is made in order to
place the individual in the most suitable educational environment. The family
opinion is asked the family participates in each stage of the process of
diagnosis, evaluation and placement and family. Early
childhood education Article 6
- The special education services in the early childhood period are
provided at home and in the institutions based on the principle of informing
and supporting the family. Preschool
education Article 7
- Preschool
education is compulsory for the children who are diagnosed as in need of
special education. This education is carried out in the special education
schools and other preschool institutions. The duration of preschool education
of children who are in need of special education can be extended by taking
their developmental and individual characteristics into consideration. Primary
education Article 8
- Prep classes
may be established for the children in need of special education who have
completed the preschool education or who are at the age of compulsory primary
education. The prep
classes aim to prepare the students for formal education in line with their
developmental and individual characteristics. The
individuals who are in need of special education have education in the
primary schools of special education and/or other primary schools. Institutions
are established where specially prepared educational programmes can be
implemented for those students who cannot meet the goals of compulsory
primary education in line with their performance levels in the developmental
fields. Secondary
education Article 9 - The students who are in need of
special education have secondary education in the special education
schools and/or other general, vocational and technical secondary schools.
Higher
education Article 10
- The necessary special measures are taken for the students who are in
need of special education benefit from the higher education possibilities in
line with their interests, wishes, abilities and adequacies. Informal
education Article 11
- Informal
education programmes are organized for the individuals who are in need of
special education in order to improve their basic life skills, meet their
learning needs and prepare them for work and profession in different subjects
and periods in line with the basic principles of special education. The
informal education programmes which aim to have the families and friends of
the individuals who are in need of special education take active roles in the
individual’s developmental process and improve their life skills together
with these individuals are emphasized. Combining Article 12
- The education
of individuals who are in need of special education is provided in the
schools and institutions at each level and with each type together with their
peers in line with the personalized educational plans. Education
in special education schools Article 13
- Education is
provided to the students who need to be educated in a separate school or
institution together with their peers who have similar inadequacies in
special education schools and institutions through making arrangement based
on the appropriate combining models. Special
educational support Article 14
- Special
education support is provided to the individuals who are in need of special
education in order to realize the goals of educational programmes at each
level and of each type. Individual and group education possibilities are
provided to meet this goal. Educational
programmes which aim to develop the basic life skills and meet the learning
needs are provided to those students who are in need of special education but
cannot be educated in any educational institution regardless of their level
of deficiency. Educational
programmes Article 15
- The special
education programmes are adapted to the individual in terms of the programme
goals and implemented by taking the individual’s educational performance into
consideration. Regular
school programmes are implemented in the special education schools and
classrooms. However, certain arrangements are made in the said programmes by
taking into consideration the student characteristics and learning adequacies
so that equality is not disrupted. Programmes of the special education
schools and classrooms are prepared with an approach which aims to have the
students acquire certain qualifications necessary to continue their education
with their peers in regular schools. Special
educational programmes may also be implemented in the special education
schools and classrooms in which the durations and contents are prepared
according to the students’ characteristics. Issues such as the recognition of
diplomas or certificates to be given to those who complete these programmes
and transition to an upper level of educational institution as well as the
rights exercised by the students will be determined by the Ministry. The business
and vocational education programmes which prepare the individuals who are in
need of special education for business life in line with their interests,
needs and abilities are provided by emphasizing the practice so as to enable
the individual perform the job or profession with the necessary
qualifications. Evaluation Article 16
- The students in
need of special education who are educated together with their normal peers
are evaluated according to the class passing and exam regulations of the
school they attend and in terms of realizing the goals determined by the
educational plan. However, the necessary measures are taken and the
arrangements are made during the exams by also taking the individual and
developmental characteristics and deficiencies into consideration. The
evaluation is primarily based on the progress in terms of realizing the goals
of personalized educational programmes for the evaluation of students who are
educated in the special education schools and classrooms. Special
education, guidance and psychological counselling services Article 17
- Special education guidance and psychological counselling service units
are established in each province in order to organize the guidance and
psychological counselling services and special education services in
education and training institutions; to make sure that the services are coordinated;
and to monitor and evaluate the services. These units are affiliated to the
directorate of national education and chaired by the provincial director of
national education or branch director. The special
education guidance and psychological counselling services are provided by
this unit in the provinces. Special
education schools Article 18
- Special education day or boarding schools are established for the
individuals whose conditions force them to have special education in a
separate school in line with their deficiencies and characteristics. Special education classes
may be established in the special education schools for students who have
more than one deficiency. The room and
board expenses of the individuals who participate in informal education
programmes established in special education schools and the students who
participate in family training programmes in the said schools are borne by
the Ministry throughout the educational period. Special
Education Institutions Article 19
- Special educational day institutions may be established in order to
provide special education support to the individuals who are in need of
special education or to prepare them for business and profession, or to
improve the basic life skills and meet their learning needs for those whose
condition does not enable them to benefit from the formal education
programmes. The students
in need of special education who participate in business and vocational
courses in the special education institutions which aim to prepare them for
business life exercise the rights given to the apprentice students by the Law
No. 3308 on Apprenticeship and Vocational Education dated on Special
education in other schools and institutions Article 20
- The individuals in need of special education whose conditions enable
them to have education together with their normal peers continue their
education in the public and private preschool education, primary education
and secondary education schools. Supplementary classrooms are established in
these schools in order to provide special education support to the
individuals who are in need of special education; special tools and equipment
are provided; and other preventive measures are taken. Special education classes
may be established in the preschool education, primary education and
secondary education schools for students whose conditions force them
to have education in a separate classroom. Such
implementations are also made in the apprenticeship and informal education
activities. Guidance
and research centres Article 21
- The guidance
and research centres determine, examine, and diagnose the individuals who are
in need of special education; suggest the most suitable educational
environment for placing those individuals; and provide supportive education,
guidance and psychological counselling services as well as working to make
sure that the guidance and counselling services in education and training
institutions are provided in the most efficient and effective way possible. Guidance and
research centres may also be established in the centre and other
sub-provinces according to the population and service potential. Guidance
and psychological counselling service units Article 22
- Guidance and
psychological counselling service units are established in order to provide
guidance and psychological counselling services to the individuals who are
educated in the formal and informal educational institutions. They also
provide those services to the individuals who are in need of special education.
These units
cooperate with the other guidance and research centres within their region
while providing the guidance and psychological counselling services. Establishing
schools and institutions Article 23
- The special
education schools and institutions are established by the Ministry. The real and
artificial persons may establish special schools or institutions in
accordance with the Law No. 625 on Special Education Institutions in order to
provide education and training to the individuals who are in need of special
education. The Ministry
can provide support such as personnel for education and training services and
programme support to the institutions and schools whose shares belong to the
associations and foundation working entirely for the benefit of society which
are established in accordance with Law No. 625 on Special Education
Institutions in order to increase the quality level of these institutions’
services and lower the students’ costs.. Special
education in public and private educational institutions Article 24
- The public and
private primary schools and secondary schools and informal education
institutions are responsible for providing special education services to the
individuals living in their periphery who are in need of special education. The necessary
measures are taken in the mentioned schools and institutions to make sure
that the individuals in need of special education are educated or trained. Personnel Article 25
- The education
and training class personnel needs of the special education schools and
institutions and the institutions which support special education are met as
a priority; the needed personnel is assigned directly or through establishing
cooperation with the other institutions and organizations. Inspection
and Control Article 26
- Inspectors who
are experienced in special education and/or guidance and psychological
counselling perform the inspection and control activities in the special
education schools and institutions and the institutions which support special
education. Special
education tools Article 27
- All the tools and
equipment required for the individuals who are in need of special education
to continue their education and training efficiently in the public schools
and institutions are provided by the Ministry. Repealed
regulations Article 28
- Law No. 2916 on
Children in Need of Special Education dated on Provisional
Article - The issues regarding the implementation of this
Decree Law will be determined in the regulations to be prepared by the
Ministry. The said regulations will be published within one year after this
Decree Law comes into force. Validity Article 29
- This Decree Law
will come into force on the date of publication. Execution Article 30
- The provisions of this Decree Law will be
executed by the Council of Ministers. |