Ergonomic suitability of special education kindergarten for children with special needs: pilot school example

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the ergonomic suitability of a special education kindergarten for children with special needs.

In this study, special education kindergartens were evaluated in terms of ergonomic suitability, based on the structure and standards guidelines determined by UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey for schools and kindergartens for the disabled. As a result of the evaluation process, ergonomically unsuitable interior and exterior elements of the special education kindergarten were identified and these findings were presented in detail.

According to the evaluation results, it was determined that the classroom, lighting, parent waiting area, toys, toilet, cafeteria and security standards were not fully met in the interior, but the heating/cooling, ventilation and hygiene criteria were met. It was determined that the garden, ground and security features in the outdoor area met ergonomic standards, and that there were minimal deficiencies in the play and recreation areas.

Universally accessible architectural designs should be made for all disability groups in special education kindergartens. In order for children to receive education in healthy, safe and comfortable conditions, teachers, school administration, health professionals, architects and engineers should come together to better identify the needs and plan interior and exterior designs. Future studies should focus on developing and validating standardized ergonomic assessment tools tailored to various disability groups in special education settings. Additionally, large-scale and multi-site research is needed to systematically evaluate kindergartens across different geographic regions and educational levels, thereby enhancing the applicability, inclusiveness, and generalizability of ergonomic standards.