Evaluation of Attitudes of University Students for Handicapped Individuals

Abstract

Education has an important role in humans' behaviours. Undergraduate education has headed among factors that influence maturation period before vocational lifes of individuals. The purpose of this study is to determine whether attitudes of university students for handicapped individuals differ according to some variables. This study which was carried out in screening model was done with 1167 people including 646 females 521 males who maintain their education at faculties taking initial teacher training in 2016 spring term at Yuzuncu Yil University. As data collection tool, Attitude Scale for Being Educated of Handicapped Individuals and Personal Information Form, which was developed by Kosterilioglu [12], was used. As statistical method, Duncan's multiple range test was used in determining different groups following one-wat analysis of variance. Among these variables, pearson coefficients of correlation were calculated separately in groups in determining relation. In determining relationship between groups and categorical variables, chi square test was used. In calculations, value of p was taken as 0,05 and SPSS statistic program was used for calculations. While point average of attitudes of male students, who maintain their educations at Yuzuncu Yil University, for handicapped people was ascertained as 54.27 +/- 23.54, point average of attitudes of female students was determined as 55.86 +/- 26.34. A significant difference between male and female students according to gender variable was not seen in attitudes for being educated of handicapped individuals (P>0,05). It was observed that attitudes for being educated of handicapped individuals in starting and end of undergraduate term were higher than intermediate classes (P<0,01). Although a significant difference in kind of high schools from which students graduated was not seen, attitudes of graduates from science and sport high schools were found higher than graduates from other high schools. Those of students who has low and intermediate academic success were found more significant and different than those of students who has high success. (P<0,01). Whereas a significant difference between students, who took lessons related to education of handicappeds and the students who did not take those lessons during education period was not seen, attitudes of those who took the lesson were found higher. A significant difference was found in attitudes of those who took Handicapped and Sport lecture among lessons learned in comparison to those who took other lectures (P<0,01). Attitudes of those who do not use social media were found more significant and higher (P<0,05). It is thought that addition of practice along with theoretical lectures for individuals with special needs during university education and including public service ads related to handicappeds in social media will make a significant contribution to vocational experiences of teacher candidates.