Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era

Şeydanur Dereli; Nurcan Cansız

TR EN

Kriz Dönemlerinde Özel Gereksinimli Öğrencilerin Eğitimi: COVID-19 Döneminden Öğretmen Yansımaları

Abstract

COVID-19 salgını, dünya çapında eğitim uygulamalarını değiştirmiştir. Bu değişim özel gereksinimli öğrenciler ve öğretmenleri için birtakım zorluklar ortaya çıkarmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, fen bilgisi öğretmenlerinin özel gereksinimli öğrencilerin eğitimi açısından salgın dönemini nasıl yorumladıklarını incelemektir. Türkiye'nin çeşitli bölgelerinden on iki fen bilgisi öğretmeni yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelere katılmıştır. Bulgulara göre, öğretmenler fen eğitiminde etkili öğretim ve öğrenim açısından teknolojiye erişim, ebeveyn desteğinin eksikliği ve öğrencilerin çevrimiçi derslere katılımını devam ettirme gibi birçok zorlukla karşılaşmıştır. Yapılan veri analizi, öğretmenlerin yöntemlerini uyarlama, öğretmen-ebeveyn iletişimini iyileştirme ve bireyselleştirilmiş yardım sağlama çabalarını da ortaya koymuştur. Sonuç olarak, öğretmenlerin gelecekte acil durumlarla daha iyi başa çıkabilmeleri için daha fazla kapsayıcı dijital kaynakların, özel mesleki gelişim programlarının ve destek sistemlerinin gerekliliği vurgulanmaktadır. Bu araştırma, uygulayıcılar ve politika yapıcılar için yararlı çıkarımlar sağlamakla kalmayıp, acil durumlarda kaynaştırma eğitimi üzerine yapılan araştırmalara da katkıda bulunmaktadır.

Keywords

Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the educational practices worldwide, presenting particular difficulties for students with special needs and their teachers. The purpose of this study is to examine how science teachers interpret the pandemic period in terms of education of students with special needs. Twelve science teachers from various regions of Turkey participated in semi-structured interviews. According to the findings, teachers encountered many challenges regarding effective teaching and learning in science education, such as issues about access to technology, lack of parental support, and maintaining student engagement online. The data analysis also revealed teachers' attempts to adjust their methods, improve teacher-parent communication, and provide individualized assistance. The results highlight the necessity of more inclusive digital resources, specific professional development, and support systems that foster teachers to become better equipped to handle emergencies in the future. This research not only provides useful implications for practitioners and policymakers but also adds to the research on inclusive education in emergency situations.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Science Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Şeydanur Dereli
0000-0001-9572-9213
Türkiye

Nurcan Cansız ^*
0000-0002-2336-3205
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

December 29, 2025

Publication Date

December 29, 2025

Submission Date

October 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 29, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 9 Number: 2

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Dereli, Ş., & Cansız, N. (2025). Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era. Studies in Educational Research and Development, 9(2), 224-245. https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB

AMA

1.Dereli Ş, Cansız N. Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era. SERD. 2025;9(2):224-245. https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB

Chicago

Dereli, Şeydanur, and Nurcan Cansız. 2025. “Educating Students With Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era”. Studies in Educational Research and Development 9 (2): 224-45. https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB.

EndNote

Dereli Ş, Cansız N (December 1, 2025) Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era. Studies in Educational Research and Development 9 2 224–245.

IEEE

[1]Ş. Dereli and N. Cansız, “Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era”, SERD, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 224–245, Dec. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB

ISNAD

Dereli, Şeydanur - Cansız, Nurcan. “Educating Students With Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era”. Studies in Educational Research and Development 9/2 (December 1, 2025): 224-245. https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB.

JAMA

1.Dereli Ş, Cansız N. Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era. SERD. 2025;9:224–245.

MLA

Dereli, Şeydanur, and Nurcan Cansız. “Educating Students With Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era”. Studies in Educational Research and Development, vol. 9, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 224-45, https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB.

Vancouver

1.Şeydanur Dereli, Nurcan Cansız. Educating Students with Special Needs in Times of Crisis: Teachers’ Reflections from the COVID-19 Era. SERD [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 1;9(2):224-45. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA59GL84JB