Ensino de Biologia e inclusão, experiências e reflexões através do olhar de uma aluna com deficiência visual

Abstract

Education is an extremely important pillar, providing crucial mechanisms in the lives of human beings, capable of moulding character, broadening horizons and enabling people to become agents of change in their communities. Given its importance, this modality is guaranteed and supported by laws and articles contained in Brazil's federal constitution. However, the lack of activities and subjects that refer to special education and inclusion in teacher training creates a disadvantage and causes many difficulties in learning for people with visual impairments. Problems such as precarious school structures, lack of materials and devaluation of the teaching profession are also factors that interfere with students' education. Students with visual impairments, in addition to suffering these losses, are subject to other conditions that create even greater difficulties in their education: lack of accessibility, lack of adapted materials and accessible structural environments are some of these factors. The concepts of interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity are very important tools because these methodologies make it easier for students to absorb science and biology content. However, if these methods don't offer the minimum accessibility for people with disabilities, they won't be able to enjoy the benefits of these methods. With this in mind, there are tools that have been developed to promote accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Audiodescription, magnifying glasses and screen readers for mobile phones and computers are just a few examples. As a result, the aim of this work is to generate discussions and reflections on science teaching and inclusion, as well as to propose adaptations to some of the subjects on the Biological Sciences course at the UFC, with the aim of making these activities more accessible to the visually impaired. Chapter 2 of this work was motivated by the experiences acquired during the academic career of a visually impaired student studying for a degree in Biological Sciences. Classes in laboratories, field classes and visits to external spaces such as museums are very common activities in Biological Sciences courses, and adaptations are fundamental in these activities. However, social barriers such as attitudinal and communication barriers, although they are not capable of cancelling out the points mentioned above, they override them in terms of their relevance. During my degree, I faced many challenges, and some adaptations such as: support from monitoring, help from the teacher in the field, availability of adapted materials in high relief, audio description, and especially the support I got from my colleagues, breaking down social barriers, were fundamental for me to be able to graduate. Finally, we can conclude that the lack of accessibility in education is a crucial factor that hinders the learning of people with visual impairments, creating disadvantages for them. People with disabilities are not incapable, but it is the lack of inclusion that causes them these disadvantages. Finally, there are numerous tools that can help in the process of inclusion and accessibility.