Abstract/Summary

The study examines inclusive education within the context of art education in a sample of primary school settings in two countries: Turkey and the UK. The main focus of this study is on the challenges and opportunities presented to primary school teachers, head teachers and Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) in catering for the needs of SEN children in art lessons within mainstream classrooms. This is examined under the main research question: How effectively does art education facilitate inclusive education? The most suitable way to understand the similarities and differences between the sample of Turkish and UK school settings and their inclusion policy and practice with a reference to visual arts classrooms was to utilise a comparative case study approach using qualitative data collection methods, namely, semi-structured interviews. In total 18 school staff participated in the data collection process. Themes that emerged from the classroom data included: inclusion policy, benefits and constraints of inclusion, assessment, supporting agencies, teacher training, issues related to the teaching and learning environment, budget and the wellbeing of pupils. The data supported the importance of inclusive education in the education system in the UK and Turkey and overall revealed positive outcomes for pupils. The study provided evidence of the positive and enabling role that art education can play in inclusive education. Several constraints were identified including class size, budget, training, resources and having a coherent policy framework. The study data highlighted the positive impact that having a coherent policy framework and implementation has had on the provision of inclusive education in the UK schools. The study established that whilst there are many differences between the two countries studied, there are several areas that Turkey can learn from the UK example