Percepção de professores do Ensino Superior sobre a inclusão de alunos autistas

Abstract

The general objective of the research is to understand and analyze the perception of higher education teachers regarding the inclusion of autistic students. The specific objectives sought to verify whether and how the teacher thinks/feels about the teaching and learning process of students with ASD; identify whether teachers know the legislation on the subject and analyze whether teachers understand their possibilities for working in the classroom in favor of students with ASD, in terms of knowledge and belonging. This is a qualitative research study that included the collection and processing of data for exploratory and descriptive purposes. As a data production procedure, document analysis and interviews were carried out with five teachers, three from private higher education in the Psychology and Pedagogy course and two from public higher education in the areas of Humanities and Biology who teach students diagnosed with ASD. and a coordinator of the Psychology course at a private university. The theoretical foundation was supported by authors such as Vygotsky, who discusses the importance of the social environment in human development, and Chahini (2016), who addresses the difficulties faced in the inclusion of people with disabilities in different sectors, highlighting the lack of qualifications of professionals of education, among other authors whose studies enrich research. The research results indicate that there is a significant lack of information about ASD among the academic community, in addition to a deficiency in teacher training to deal with the inclusion of autistic students. Difficulties imposed by the diagnosis of ASD and a superficiality in the knowledge and communication of those responsible for the inclusion process in higher education were identified. The results obtained contribute to reflection and construction of new perspectives on inclusion, highlighting the need to implement teacher training programs, adapted assessments and better institutional exchange. It is expected that the research will contribute to the construction of bridges that help in identifying existing difficulties, in the intervention and care of teachers in their training to serve students in higher education with ASD, and also in the social development of the entire academic community and the society as a whole