Although 13 percent (8.5 million) of the Turkish population has a disability, it is hard to see them on the streets not only because of the lack of accommodations but also due to the mindset of the society. This presentation will focus on the challenges experienced by people with disabilities and the role of counselors in terms of advocating for the provision of better services for them, with particular attention given to the students with disabilities in Turkey. Another objective of the presentation is to provide a comparative perspective for counselors and other participants who are interested in people with disabilities in the US.

About the Presenter: 

Elif Çimşir recently joined Anadolu University after receiving her PhD degree in Counselor Education and Supervision at Penn State University in the US. Her research interests include disadvantaged groups including people with disabilities, international students, and internationalization of the counseling profession.