EXAMINATION OF PERCEPTION OF PEERS CONCERNING INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BASED ON NARRATIVE EXPRESSION

Teachers, school management and families have important impact as factors on the success of inclusive teaching which can be explained in general as providing education to students with special needs in the same environment with their peers without any incompetency. Probably one of the most important factors is the perception, attitude and opinion of students concerning their peers with special needs and the inclusive education who show normal develop-ment sharing the same classroom with students with special needs. The purpose of this study is to determine the atti-tudes, behaviours and perceptions of peers in elementary schools with inclusive education towards individuals with special needs and to identify the ways of ensuring sustainable social acceptance by peers. Data collection was based on qualitative approach in the study, and the opinions of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students of an elementary school with inclusive education on peers with special needs were determined through examinations based on completing an un-finished story. According to the findings obtained in the study, it can be claimed that perception and attitude towards individuals with special needs is positive in elementary schools in Northern Cyprus but it should be supported with law and training.