The route to ‘inclusive counselling’: counsellors' perceptions of disability inclusion in Turkey

Abstract

The present research highlights new challenges and opportunities faced by counsellors in relation to the movement to include students with disabilities within mainstream schools launched by the Ministry of Education in Turkey. The main purpose of the study was to examine perceptions of counsellors in relation to this movement. Interviews were conducted with 12 counsellors working in public schools and in guidance and research centres. Data were collected through interviews which included open-ended questions. Findings from the thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggested that: (a) counsellors held positive attitudes towards students with disabilities and the attempts to include them through counselling services; (b) understandings of disability were largely based on the deficiency model and difficulties; and (c) counsellors perceived that there were inherent problems in the translation of conceptual and methodological knowledge into practices. Findings of this study might be used to guide policy makers and inform training literature that can help counselling practices be more supportive of disability inclusion in schools.

Keywords:

• inclusion
• counselling
• Turkey
• disability
• thematic analysis

Notes on contributors

Halis Sakız is a doctoral student at the University of Manchester and former counselling specialist in the Turkish Ministry of Education. His research focuses on education of learners with disabilities.

Charlotte Woods is a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester. Her two main research interests are emotion in the workplace and educational leadership and policy.

Hande Sart is an assistant professor at Bogazici University. Her main areas of interest are neurodevelopmental disabilities; behaviour problems and disorders in children and inclusion.

Zehra Erşahin is a doctoral student at the University of Manchester and former counsellor in the Turkish Ministry of Education. Her research focuses on multicultural issues in counselling.

Raiha Aftab is a lecturer at the Quaid-i-Azam University. Her research interests are social-emotional development and autism.

Nizamettin Koç is a doctoral student in Auburn University and former counsellor in the Turkish Ministry of Education. His research interests are counsellor training and counselling approaches.

Hakan Sarıçam is a lecturer in Dumlupınar University. His research focuses on measurement and evaluation, statistics and assessment.