Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer mentioned the projects of his Ministry for students with special needs during an interview with the Anatolian News Agency.
Özer stated that the Ministry carries out different projects in special education kindergartens, practice schools and vocational schools for children with special needs.
Noting that they have been carrying out "Special Materials For Special Children Project" under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's spouse Emine Erdoğan adding that, "We have registered the patents of more than 50 education materials for special students and we have developed more 146 products. We are planning to respond to all education material needs of special education schools until the end of 2022 and all these materials will be distributed to children for free."
Material production campaign in five different skills in special education
Minister Özer stated that different skill practice workshops were founded in 1,007 special education schools about different activities varying from visual arts to horticulture and from animal care to sports activities. The Ministry has been carrying out a campaign to produce required education materials for these workshops.
"We plan to produce and send 1 million new education materials to special schools until the end of this year," said Minister Özer.
"The Ministry continues to increase its digital platform capacity"
Noting that that Ministry focused on digital platforms for special education students during the Covid-19 pandemic and its "I am Special, I am in Training" digital platform has taken as example by some international institutions, Özer stated, "The Ministry continues to increase its digital platform capacity and its priority is the special education."
Recently, the Directorate General for Special Education and Guidance Services of the Ministry developed digital materials and founded a first of its kind digital platform for hearing impaired students. The platform which can be viewed at 'orgm.meb.gov.tr/icdep' address includes enriched and interactive books, animations in sign language as well as other digital materials.
Animations in sign language
In addition to "Children of the Special Street" story book which can be read in the "Interactive Academy" section of the platform, there are sign language dictionary, text books for hearing impaired students and animations in sign language in this new digital plat.