Achieving Accessibility on a Budget: Aksaray University's Strategy for Supporting Students with Disabilities

Abstract

AbstractMuch emphasis has been put on the inclusivity of educational opportunities in international agreements, conventions, and declarations, with the valuable work that continues to be done globally. However, one area needs more attention for disability-inclusive international development, that is, higher education, which is still limited and not fully inclusive or accessible for individuals with disabilities globally (Covas & de Luna, 2019). This chapter presents a case study of the Aksaray University in the  Republic of Türkiye. This chapter aims to deconstruct the Turkish social system with emphasis on education and employment first and show an example of how the current system is disrupted to ensure the proper application of international agendas that Türkiye is officially and legally a part of. For this chapter an eclectic approach is used combining a wicked problem frame with disability studies in education from a reconceptualist perspective. This chapter is arranged into four sections, including (a) background on education and employment in the Turkish legal and social system to understand the foundation of current systems that is a gateway or product of higher education for individuals with disabilities; (b) recent understanding of the inclusive, accessible, and nondiscriminatory higher education and where the Turkish higher education system stands in it for individuals with disabilities; (c) a case example of Aksaray University for how to disrupt the system by provision of the disability support services within the university; and (d) conclusion with future implications for policy, research, and practice.