The Effects of Preparations of Joining into the European Union on Legislation of Services to be Provided Individuals with Special Needs in Turkey

Turkey applied for membership of the European Union (EU) in 1959 and gained the title of “candidate country†in 1999. Furthermore, in order to meet the criteria set in the Copenhagen Summit of the EU, Turkey has been shown progress to pursue the harmonisation of legislation and practice and to attempt to reach the standards of European countries in every field connected with modern and democratic life. These attempts naturally include the services to be provided for individuals with special needs and their legislation. In this paper, we have tried to present the legislation related to the services necessary for individuals with special needs and to describe the state of the existing services according to their quantity and quality. Even though there have been important developments in the legislation relating to education, special education and rehabilitation services which have to be provided for individuals with special needs, these services have only reached a small propotion of individuals with special needs. It is essential to examine and enhance the quality of services and the compatibility of legislation.