Kindergarten age typically developing children's attitudes towards their peers with special needs in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes and behaviors of typically developing children toward their peers with special needs in two fully inclusive kindergarten classrooms in Turkey. The following research question guided the study: What types of beliefs and attitudes do typically developing Turkish kindergarten-age children have regarding their classmates with special needs? (a) What are the connections between children's responses to the interview questions and their observed interaction patterns? (b) What are potential contributing factors for these beliefs and attitudes?Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions and field observations were used to gain more insight related with children's attitudes toward their classmates with special needs with the support of field observations. Parent and teacher interviews were used mostly for the information regarding the possible contributing factors on typically developing children's attitude development.After learning about typically developing children's knowledge about disabilities, attitude-related themes, based on an analysis of both observations and interview data, were presented. These themes were categorized into two broad categories, according to being positive or negative framings. Positive topics mostly included responses of typically developing children regarding liking their peers with special needs, helping and protecting them, and involving them into their play. Negative topics generally appeared in the observations that focused on the typically developing children's low expectations regarding their peers with special needs, ignoring and rejecting them, and playing rough with them.Finally, the possible contributing factors regarding typically developing children's actions and ideas toward disabilities and disabled people were analyzed. Themes addressed in this part were the influences of families, school and classroom environment (teachers and friends), popular media, and religion and culture. These focus areas were validated by the responses of parents and teachers to the question of "How do children learn about disabilities? What are the most effective sources? Why?" The dissertation concludes with a discussion of findings and implications for future research and inclusive practice in Turkey.Participants in this study were ten children between the ages of 4 and 6 in two inclusive kindergarten classrooms, their parents, and their classroom teachers.