“All the children in their different colours are hand in hand.. We came together and are overflowing with Love! We became a beautifully coloured rainbow.”
Tohum Autism Foundation and Starbucks Turkey, in a long term cooperation to raise awareness about Autism in the community, have jointly prepared the “Rainbow School” animated film through which they attempt to bring to our notice individuals who have special needs and to allow us to notice these features.
As well as the joint work that has been done since 2009 and with the support of Starbucks Turkey, the Rainbow School” animation has been filmed under the Direction of Idil Ar and has been given voice by Ceyda Düvenci as part of social responsibility. The “Rainbow School” animated film was shared by the Tohum autism foundation’s social media accounts and has reached very wide audiences. In addition to this, the efforts to widen the dissemination have included the Ministry of Education’s integrated education for the year 2013-2014 showing the video at all of the primary schools which offer integration based education.
Why is Integration based education important?
In 1997 Statutory Decree number 573 and the subsequent year 2000 Specialist Education Services Act  offers far clearer clauses which allow for practical application on how integrated education should be provided.
One of the basic necessary conditions for providing integrated education is that their classroom peers should be aware of the special needs of autistic, hearing or mentally impaired children such as their behavioral and learning requirements. Only then can positive communication be formed between students and only then can the special needs child be deemed a member of the class.
Together with Starbucks we believe that at the “Rainbow School every child is a different colour! Every different colour is beautiful… All the colours come together to chase away dark clouds! At the Rainbow School everyone is respectful towards people who are different from them and learns to live together with them in harmony. Because together we are stronger and more beautiful.”