Necdet Karasu

Innovative Educational Technology for Special Education and Usability Issues

The purpose of this study is to introduce educational technology project, OZTEK, for special education students and present usability issues related to those developed technologies. With the OZTEK, the researchers intend to develop innovative, technology enhanced learning environments to support the education of children with such special needs and to investigate effectiveness of such learning environments.

Guidance and Research Centers of Turkey: From the Perspective of Parents.

Active participation of parents in every step of their children with special needs’ education is crucial, and it begins with the educational assessment of the children. The parents experience with the professionals who are responsible of assessing children’s abilities might be crucial for the services that will be provided for the children with disabilities. The Guidance and Research Centers (GRCs) of Turkey are the key organisations for the services for children with special needs. This study focused on identifying the experience of the parents at the GRCs and applied qualitative research principles. The findings showed that the parents have reflected both positive and negative experience, but the majority focused on negative experiences. It might be drawn out that GRCs must be improved from several perspectives.

Usability study of a smart toy on students with intellectual disabilities

Abstract This paper introduces a smart toy (SmartAnimals) which provides a mixed reality environment for children with intellectual disabilities. SmartAnimals includes a virtual space including computer based animations, sounds and characters, and a real space including plastic toys, and a receiver panel. SmartAnimals with a flexible context leads children to learn daily life concepts easily. To test usability of SmartAnimals, an empirical study was carried out with 6 children having intellectual disability (ID) and four special education teachers. The findings indicated that smart toys could be beneficial for children with ID especially who have limited concentration. It enables children with easy and fast learning. Smart toys also affect childrens performance in a positive way while learning cognitive concepts.

Effectiveness of smart toy applications in teaching children with intellectual disability

Abstract Play is an important element in a childs social and intellectual development and toys are indispensable play tools. This study investigates the effectiveness of smart toys in teaching social studies concepts to children with intellectual disability (ID). A single-subject design is used to identify such effects on teaching social studies concepts to children with ID with the help of smart toys developed within this study. The smart toys are also developed within the scope of present work. Three special education teachers and three children with moderate ID participated in the study, which was carried out in two schools in Turkey. According to the results, smart toys have a positive effect in teaching social studies concepts to children with moderate ID which is significant in development of academic and social skills for individuals with ID.

Zihin Engelliler Öğretmenliği Adaylarına Ders Anlatma Becerilerinin Kazandırılmasında Kendini Değerlendirme Yönteminin Etkisi

Kendini degerlendirme yontemi, alanyazinda kisilerin davranislarini yonetmede siklikla kullanilan yontemlerden birisidir. Bu arastirmada, zihin engelliler ogretmenligi adaylarina, ders anlatma becerilerini kazandirmada kendini degerlendirme yonteminin, ders anlatma becerilerini kazandirmaya, surdurmeye ve genellemeye olan etkisine bakilmistir. Arastirmanin deneklerini, 2010–2011 ogretim yilinda Gazi Universitesi Ozel Egitim Bolumu Zihin Engellilerin Egitimi Anabilim Dali’nda dorduncu sinifa devam eden, 3 ogretmen adayi olusturmustur. Arastirmanin deseni, deneklerarasi coklu yoklama modelidir. Arastirma sonucunda, kendini degerlendirme yonteminin uc ogretmen adayinda da ders anlatma becerisini kazandirmada, surdurmede ve farkli bir disiplin alanina genellemede etkili oldugu sonucuna ulasilmistir. Arastirmada bulgular tartisilmis ve ogretmenlik uygulamasina yonelik onerilere yer verilmistir