A visão da escola sobre a inclusão de crianças com autismo

Abstract

This research aims at discussing how schools view the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The topic is relevant once the number of students with special needs in regular schools has increased and there is now mandatory inclusion of these students in the education system. To investigate this issue, this qualitative research, of interpretative nature, analyses four semi structured interviews conducted with teachers and managers of two public schools and two private schools in São Paulo (SP). Based on this data, the information was organized according to its theme. The defined categories are around four axis: the relationship between the school, the family and the healthcare professionals of the autistic child; the teachers' preparedness; the learning process; the socialization of the students; the ways ASD interferes in the process of inclusion. The discussion of the data is established according to theoretical foundation, which debates over the different interpretations of the concept of inclusion and over Vygotsky's definitions of learning and development. After the analysis, it is concluded that the interviewees worried about the admission of students with autism, though the permanence of the students in school is still a challenge. The teachers show an emotional response facing the duty of modifying the classes and their tasks and they fear the autistic students' behavior in the classroom. These teachers seem to experience a personal failure when they don't see positive changes in the students and feel proud when notice some sort of achievement. As far as the comprehension of the concept of inclusion is concerned, this essay reveals that there are divergences between the real objectives of receiving na autistic student in class. It is common for the school to focus on socialization only, without showing the same diligence when it comes to the child's learning process