Multidimensional assessment of quality in inclusive education: Stakeholder perspectives from Turkey

The purpose of this study is to reveal the quality of inclusive education in Turkey from the perspectives of parents, teachers, and educational evaluators. Using the holistic multiple case study design from qualitative research methods, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers, 10 educational evaluators, and 19 parents to gather rich data that reflected diverse experiences and perspectives. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, which combined both deductive and inductive coding strategies. The reliability and validity of the research were supported by participant confirmation and inter-coder agreement calculated at 79%. The findings were summarized under six main themes that affect the quality of inclusive education: family involvement and cooperation, teacher competencies and attitudes, social inclusive and interaction, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and practices, support services and resources, and improving quality in inclusion. Issues such as stakeholders' differing expectations regarding quality, inadequate in-service training, material deficiencies, risk of exclusion, and the need for expert support have come to the fore. It emphasizes the need for structural arrangements, such as systemic improvements, qualified in-service training, and addressing personnel needs, in addition to individual efforts to improve quality. Consequently, an attempt was made to develop recommendations aimed at improving the quality of inclusion education and to present a data-driven perspective that would contribute to its implementation. The goal is to contribute to the development of quality standards for inclusive practices in Turkey and worldwide, and to compare cross-cultural differences. The findings were discussed in relation to the relevant literature, and recommendations were made for implementation and future studies.