Atatürk University ensures that all students, academic staff, and employees with disabilities have equal access to education, services, and professional development through a fully institutionalized network of support services, coordinated by the Engelli Öğrenci Birimi (Disabled Student Unit) under the Rectorate.
These services are grounded in the Engelli Öğrenci Eğitim-Öğretim ve Sınav Uygulama Esasları and the Engelli Öğrenci Birimi Yönergesi, which derive their authority from Law No. 5378 on Persons with Disabilities and Council of Higher Education (YÖK) regulations.
🔗 Engelli Öğrenci Birimi – Kampüste Yaşam
🔗 Engelli Öğrenci Eğitim-Öğretim ve Sınav Esasları (PDF)
1. Inclusive Support Services and Accessibility Tools
Atatürk University provides a comprehensive set of assistive technologies and learning supports across all faculties and laboratories:
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Assistive Technologies: All computer laboratories are equipped with screen readers, magnification software, adaptive keyboards, text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools, ensuring accessibility for students with visual or motor impairments.
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Accessible Course Materials: Lecture notes, slides, and educational content are distributed in multiple formats (digital, large print, audio) according to students’ needs.
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Online Accessibility: The university’s distance learning platform (ATAUZEM) provides sign language interpretation, captioned videos, and transcripts for hearing-impaired students, guaranteeing digital inclusion.
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Physical Access Support: Building and classroom accessibility is maintained through ramps, elevators, tactile pavements, and accessible pathways, monitored by the Disabled Student Unit.
🔗 Faculty of Communication – Accessible Learning Practices
2. Specialized Counseling and Mentorship
Atatürk University offers personalized counseling, academic mentoring, and psychosocial support for individuals with disabilities, coordinated by trained professionals within the Engelli Öğrenci Birimi:
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Individual Counseling: Students and staff can access psychological and academic counseling to address disability-related challenges, stress, adaptation, or social integration.
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Mentorship Program: Volunteer academic staff and trained peers act as mentors for students with disabilities, assisting them in navigating coursework, administrative processes, and campus life.
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Community and Peer Networks: Regular group meetings and social activities foster community and reduce isolation for students with disabilities.
3. Examination and Assessment Accommodations
To ensure fair and equal evaluation, the university provides comprehensive exam and assessment accommodations:
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Extended exam time (up to +50% depending on documented need).
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Alternative exam formats (oral, Braille, large print, digital).
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Readers or scribes for visually or physically impaired students.
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Permission to use assistive technology during examinations.
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Flexible scheduling and rest breaks as required by medical documentation.
🔗 Atatürk University Exam Application Principles for Students with Disabilities
4. Staff and Faculty Awareness and Training
To maintain a culture of inclusion, the university provides training programs and awareness seminars for academic and administrative staff:
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Inclusive Education Workshops: Regular training sessions on communication with students with disabilities, use of interpreters, and classroom accessibility.
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Universal Design in Education Seminars: Conducted by the Engelli Öğrenci Birimi and the Toplumsal Cinsiyet Eşitliği Birimi, these sessions teach faculty how to design learning environments accessible to all.
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Human Rights and Sensitivity Training: Delivered by the Human Rights and Anti-Violence Awareness Center, focusing on disability rights and social inclusion principles.
🔗 Atatürk University Human Rights and Anti-Violence Awareness Center
5. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
The Disabled Student Unit maintains an institutional monitoring system that tracks requests for interpreters, assistive devices, and exam accommodations. Annual reports are submitted to the Rectorate and University Senate, ensuring ongoing improvement and compliance with national and international accessibility standards.
6. Social Engagement and Awareness Activities
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The university organizes annual events such as “Engelsiz Kampüs Günleri” and 3 Aralık Dünya Engelliler Günü exhibitions to promote awareness and celebrate inclusion.
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The “Eğitim İçin Engelsiz Yol Projesi” under the Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri Merkezi (TDP) aims to remove physical and social barriers for students with disabilities, combining accessibility infrastructure with community mentorship.
🔗 TDP Project Archive
