The experiences of parents with children receiving inclusive education during the Covid-19 pandemic and the distance education process

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the experiences of parents with children who received inclusive education during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent distance education process. In line with this purpose, the study seeks answers to the questions related to issues such as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the children receiving inclusive education, the effects of the distance education process on the children receiving inclusive education, the difficulties experienced by the parents in this process, and the expectations of the parents in the distance education process. This study, which aims to examine the views of parents with children who receive inclusive education about the covid-19 pandemic and the difficulties they experience in the distance education process, is a qualitative research. Among the qualitative research designs, the phenomenology design was used in the study. The interview method was used as a data collection tool in the research. The study group was composed of eight parents who had children receiving inclusive education in Turkey. The data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by the content analysis method. It was revealed in the study that the children who received inclusive education in the distance education process experienced different emotional problems due to their inability to socialize, and they had difficulties in adapting to the distance education process. Similarly, it was revealed that the parents also experienced different problems in terms of both having changes in their routine life and taking full responsibility of their children because of the change in their children’s education life.