The Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMÜ) Disability Student Unit Sub-Working Team organized a "Inclusion in Higher Education: Training of Trainers" program for faculty members responsible for academic units. The two-day training aimed to create knowledge and awareness regarding the implementation of an inclusive education approach in higher education settings. Our faculty members Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mutlu KAYA and Research Assistant Dr. Taner AKKOÇ participated in the training.
Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten: “Inclusive education offers a strong learning foundation for all students”
Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten, Head of the Disability Student Unit Board and Vice Rector, emphasized the importance of inclusive education in his opening speech, stating:
“An inclusive educational environment aims to understand the diversity of students in the classroom and enable them to learn without needing any ‘adaptation.’ When teaching processes are structured in accordance with inclusivity and universal design, this benefits not only students with disabilities but all students. It also benefits all disadvantaged student groups who are not adequately represented in educational settings or who need more support.”
Comprehensive sessions by expert academics in their fields
After Associate Professor Meryem Vural Batık, Academic Coordinator of the Unit for Students with Disabilities, provided information about the unit's activities, the first session of the program was conducted by Coordinator Lecturer Dr. Uygar Bayrakdar. Bayrakdar addressed the topics of "Changing Paradigms on Disability and Inclusive Education." The training also included presentations by Research Assistant Dr. Ayşenur Çelik Şahin on "Accessibility in Higher Education," Research Assistant Dr. Osman Çolaklıoğlu on "Instructional Adaptations in Higher Education," and Lecturer Emrah Altun on "Technological Adaptations in Higher Education," providing both practical and theoretical information. The two-day program concluded with a panel discussion attended by student representatives from the OMÜ Disability Student Unit. Students shared their views on university life, accessibility, needs, and proposed solutions. The training aimed to increase academics' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of inclusive education approaches, and to improve their competence in structuring teaching processes in accordance with universal design principles.
