My current research interests include examining the impact of various professional development practices on preschool teachers’ implementation of evidence-based naturalistic instruction approaches; conducting applied research studies focused on improving development, engagement, and learning of young children with or at-risk for developmental disabilities, their families and teachers; identifying evidence-based practices using systematic reviews and meta-analytic methods; and examining treatment effect estimates in single-case experimental research.

I have authored over 50 articles and book chapters; have edited three books in Turkish; have been the translation editor of two books from English to Turkish (Educating Exceptional Children, Doing Ethical Research with Children); and have written the national autism and special education report of Turkey along with two other researchers. I have served as the principal investigator for five research grants funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey or Scientific Research Projects Unit of Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.

I am currently the co-editor of Turkish Journal of Special Education and serve on the editorial/advisory board of the Journal of Early Intervention and Educational Psychology. I have received several awards and recognition for my work including Academic Research Achievement Award (2017) and Post-Doctoral Research Award (2016) from the Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey; Glenda Ward Caro Fellowship in Education (2011) and Outstanding International Student Award (2010) from the University of Florida; and Marg Csapo Scholarship (2009) from the International Association of Special Education.

I received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey; a master’s degree in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Pittsburgh; and a doctoral degree in Special Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Studies/Early Intervention and minor in Research Evaluation and Methods at the University of Florida. I completed a one-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida.

She was born in Eskişehir and completed her primary education in Eskişehir. She graduated with honors from Bursa Health Vocational High School in 1995 and worked as a nurse within the Ministry of Health for four years. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1999, master’s degree in 2002, and doctoral degree in 2007—each with honors—from the Intellectual Disabilities Teacher Education Program of the Department of Special Education at Anadolu University. Between 1999 and 2007, she worked as a research assistant and lecturer in the department from which she graduated, and between 2007 and 2011, she served as Vice Chair of the same department. She was appointed as Assistant Professor in 2007, Associate Professor in 2014, and Professor in 2020.

Between 2014 and 2018, she served as Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities at Anadolu University. Within the scope of the Erasmus teaching staff exchange program, she spent time at the University of Cologne, and she worked for one year as a visiting researcher at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Yücesoy-Özkan has supervised five master’s theses and four doctoral dissertations. She has published over 30 articles in national and international journals, authored three books, served as editor of one book and one translated book, contributed to two international book chapters and nearly 40 national book chapters, and presented more than 70 papers at national and international conferences. She serves as editor or associate editor for three international journals and acts as a reviewer for numerous national and international journals, including SSCI-indexed and Q1-ranked journals.

Her awards include three project competition awards (one second-place award and two honorable mentions), five article performance awards, the Women in R&D and Innovation Summit 2020 Award, and the 2021 Eskişehir Osmangazi University Science Award. Dr. Yücesoy-Özkan also became the first Turkish researcher to receive the 2021 International Development Grant awarded by the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.

She currently serves as Head of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Division in the Department of Special Education and as Dean of the Faculty of Education at Eskişehir Osmangazi University. Dr. Yücesoy-Özkan is also a graduate of the Department of Sociology at Anadolu University.

Dr. Erbaş is a Professor of Special Education at the Faculty of Education, Yeditepe University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Anadolu University in 1991, her master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (USA) in 1998, and her doctoral degree in Special Education from Anadolu University in 2001.
She began her professional career as a special education teacher at Anadolu University and later pursued an academic career as a research assistant at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University and Anadolu University. Dr. Erbaş was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2005 and promoted to Professor in 2010. She has held faculty positions at Anadolu University, Erciyes University, and Marmara University. She is the first academic in Türkiye whose undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees are all in special education to earn both Associate Professor and Professor titles.
Dr. Erbaş has supervised numerous graduate theses and has an extensive publication record, including articles in leading national and international peer-reviewed journals, as well as books and book chapters. She is the first Turkish researcher to publish in Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and Remedial and Special Education. She has served as a principal investigator and researcher on projects funded by TÜBİTAK and various universities, and her work has received national awards.
Her research interests include evidence-based instructional practices for children with developmental disabilities, applied behavior analysis, positive behavioral support, and single-subject experimental research methods.

ANKARA YILDIRIM BEYAZIT ÜNİVERSİTESİ SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ DİL VE KONUŞMA TERAPİSİ BÖLÜMÜ

After graduating from the Elementary Education Undergraduate Program at Selçuk University Faculty of Education in 2001, he worked as a classroom teacher at Büyük Sarıkaya Village Primary School in the Bahşili district of Kırıkkale province between 2001 and 2003. In 2003, he went to the United States to pursue his master’s and doctoral studies in special education with a government-funded overseas scholarship provided by the Turkish Ministry of National Education under Law No. 1416. He completed the Master’s Program in Special Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2005 and the Doctoral Program in Special Education at the same university in 2009. In the same year, he began working at the Faculty of Education at Muğla University. In 2011, he left his position at Muğla University and started working at the Faculty of Education at Eskişehir Osmangazi University. After leaving his position at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, he joined the Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences at Boğaziçi University as a faculty member in 2024, where he is currently employed.

Görme Engellilerin Eğitimi, Kaynaştırma ve Bireyselleştirilmiş Eğitim Programı Hazırlama, Çoklu Yetersizliği Olan Çocukların Eğitimi, Görme ve Ek yetersizliği Olan Çocukların Eğitimi, Körsağır Çocukların Eğitimi 

After graduating from the Elementary Education Undergraduate Program at Selçuk University Faculty of Education in 2001, he worked as a classroom teacher at Büyük Sarıkaya Village Primary School in the Bahşili district of Kırıkkale province between 2001 and 2003. In 2003, he went to the United States to pursue his master’s and doctoral studies in special education with a government-funded overseas scholarship provided by the Turkish Ministry of National Education under Law No. 1416. He completed the Master’s Program in Special Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2005 and the Doctoral Program in Special Education at the same university in 2009. In the same year, he began working at the Faculty of Education at Muğla University. In 2011, he left his position at Muğla University and started working at the Faculty of Education at Eskişehir Osmangazi University. After leaving his position at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, he joined the Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences at Boğaziçi University as a faculty member in 2024, where he is currently employed.

Kübra Sayar was born in 1987 in Germany. She completed her primary and secondary education in Germany and gained her first experience working with individuals with special needs through the “Voluntary Social Year” program, providing support in adaptive skills to individuals aged 24-62 at a residential care facility affiliated with Lebenshilfe in Nuremberg.
She moved to Turkey to complete her undergraduate education in Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities at Anadolu University in 2016 and earned a thesis-based Master’s degree in Special Education from Eskişehir Osmangazi University in 2020. Between 2019 and 2021, she worked as a special education teacher at a private special education and rehabilitation center.
In 2021, she enrolled in the joint doctoral program in Special Education at Eskişehir Osmangazi University and Anadolu University, where she is currently pursuing her PhD. Her doctoral research investigates how the use of evidence-based practices in schools can be improved through a model developed based on Active Implementation Frameworks using an action research approach. Her academic interests include autism spectrum disorder, inclusive education practices, evidence-based practices, and preparation for independent living.
Kübra Sayar has published articles in national and international journals, authored a book chapter, and presented papers at various national and international conferences. She has also participated as a researcher in TÜBİTAK- and BAP-funded projects.