Report on the Activities of the Inclusive Education Support Centre at Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University in 2025
Inclusive education is a pressing issue worldwide that requires particular attention, as the number of children with special educational needs increases each year.
This issue also requires appropriate responses at Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, where 56 students with disabilities and special educational needs are enrolled. The university maintains records of individuals with special educational needs at the stages of admission, study and transition to employment.
The selection of educational technologies, teaching resources and methods used to support the delivery of educational programmes is guided by the need to achieve the intended learning outcomes, while taking into account the individual capabilities of students with special educational needs.
The formats of ongoing assessment, intermediate assessment and final state assessment for students with special educational needs—including oral examinations, written examinations, paper-based tests and computer-based tests—are determined with consideration for their individual psychological and physiological characteristics.
In 2025, practical seminars entitled “Mechanisms of Social and Pedagogical Rehabilitation for Children with Special Needs in the Learning Process” and “Aspects of Inclusive Education” were held for the university’s academic staff. More than 100 lecturers participated.
A practical seminar entitled “Innovative Technologies for Teaching Children with Disabilities” brought together school teachers and university lecturers.
From 6 to 17 January 2025, 103 academic staff members from the Turkestan campus and 114 academic staff members from the Shymkent campus completed professional development training.
Since January 2025, more than 800 academic staff members have participated in a two-week, 72-hour professional development course entitled *“Teaching Skills in Inclusive Education”*, organised by the university’s Professional Development Centre.
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*The course objectives are to:*
- Equip participants to support students with disabilities by creating conditions that enable them to study in mainstream educational institutions and taking purposeful action to support their development.
- Eliminate discrimination against students, ensure equal treatment for all, and provide appropriate conditions for learners with special educational needs.
- Create a supportive learning environment for students with special educational needs.
The university also welcomes individuals accompanying and supporting students in this category.
The Inclusive Resource Centre has operated at the university since 2020. To fulfil the requirement that “special educational conditions shall be provided for persons with special educational needs”, as set out in paragraph 38 of Order No. 595 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 30 October 2018, the university issued Order No. 1/243 dated 24 February 2022.
The Centre’s team includes:
- *Gulsara Tolebekkyzy Tokkulova*, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor and Regional Trainer, Head of the Inclusive Education Resource Centre.
- *Mariya Botaykyzy Dzhazdykbayeva*, Educational Psychologist, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor and Trainer.
In May 2025, an exchange of experience took place at Gazi University in Ankara, Türkiye.
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From 21 to 24 October 2025, the Head of the Centre participated in the conference “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Education: A Scalable Model for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Region”, held in Shymkent.
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The concept of the “Inclusive Assembly” project of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan was discussed, and the Inclusive Assembly was established.
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In cooperation with the Yntymak Public Association of Turkestan Region, a large-scale event entitled “Respect for Language, Respect for the Country” was held at the House of Friendship. Representatives of ethnic communities and the Inclusive Assembly participated.
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An *Optelec assistive device* was purchased and made available for use by students with visual impairments.
Head of the Inclusive Education Support Centre: G. T. Tokkulova, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences*
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