Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

This paper examines inclusive education within the context of art education in a sample of primary school settings in Turkey. The main focus of this study is on the challenges and opportunities presented to key school staff in teaching children identifies as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) in art lessons within mainstream classrooms. The most suitable way to do this was to utilise a case study approach using semi-structured interviews. The study provided evidence of the positive role that art education can play in inclusive education. The study established that art education is seen as a vital subject to teach to students with SEN whilst there are several areas such as education policy and classroom environment that Turkey still needs improvement.