Prof.Dr.Yeşim GÜLEÇ ASLAN, a faculty member of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Special Education, made a presentation on “Overview of Physical Environment Arrangements in the Context of Barrier-Free School Model” at the 11th International Conference on Culture and Civilization held in Mardin on February 22-23, 2022.
In her presentation, Prof.Dr.Yeşim GÜLEÇ ASLAN first explained the educational environments for individuals with special needs and the barrier-free school model in special education. She defined inclusive schools in the context of the barrier-free school model for accessible education. Creating equal access opportunities for all individuals in the school is the basis of the barrier-free school model. In other words, it is necessary to ensure that individuals in the school have access to services, regardless of their individual differences. In this direction, special arrangements for the physical environment should be made in school and classroom environments on the basis of the needs of individuals with special needs. Prof.Dr. Yeşim GÜLEÇ ASLAN discussed the theoretical information about the basic arrangements that can be made physically in classroom environments, and finally shared examples of arrangements that can be made in the school environment in line with universal design principles. For example, arrangements such as additional measures that can be taken for individuals with physical differences to be able to move freely in school and for individuals with visual difficulties to follow the lessons are important for these individuals to access education. Other examples include the absence of elements that may pose a danger to students in the classroom, the size of the classroom, appropriate sound, heat and light, and taking precautions about conditions that may distract students. The presentation was concluded by giving suggestions for practice.