Istanbul Medeniyet University Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Special Education faculty member Dr. Hatice ŞENGÜL ERDEM held a seminar on “The Importance of Vocational Education in the Transition of Individuals with Special Needs to Independent Living” on 25.05.2022 as an invited speaker at Haydarpaşa Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. Approximately 30 parents attended the online seminar organized for the parents of Haydarpaşa Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School.
In the seminar, first of all, the legal definition of individuals with special needs in order to reduce inequalities in public spaces and the legal basis for the vocational training of individuals with special needs were included. Then, information was given about the importance of vocational education as a component of independent living and what vocational education opportunities are available for individuals with special needs in our country. School-centered, business-centered and collaboration models, which are vocational education models of individuals with special needs, were included. In order to provide equal opportunities, information on the schools and institutions that provide vocational education to individuals with special needs in our country and the fact that vocational and technical high schools are very important educational institutions for individuals with special needs to include with the society, transition to independent life and acquire vocational skills were presented. Within the framework of social policies promoting equality, information was given about what can be done in schools so that they can be in a more inclusive vocational education for individuals with special needs, and what can be done in schools to facilitate the transition of the individual to an independent life after school. In particular, effective practices such as individualized education plan (IEP), transition plans, support training rooms, and implementation of the cooperation model were given with examples to support ending discrimination.
