Avaliação do atendimento educacional especializado para estudantes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista: um estudo de caso em três escolas de tempo integral em Fortaleza

Abstract

This research is configured as a case study conducted with the objective of evaluating the Specialized Educational Assistance (SEA) in three Full-Time Schools (FTS) in Fortaleza, with an emphasis on Lower Secondary Education and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The case study combined the In-Depth Evaluation (Rodrigues, 2008) and the Experiential Perspective (Lejano, 2012), allowing for a comprehensive analysis of SEA policy in these schools. The methodological approach, of a qualitative nature, involved document analysis, in loco participant observations, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with agents involved in the program. The data were interpreted through Content Analysis (Bardin, 2016), in light of theoretical frameworks such as Freire (2007), Vygotsky (1983, 1989, 1994), Mantoan (2003, 2010), and Bueno (2008), in addition to contributions on inclusion (Sassaki, 1998; Mazzotta, 1996; Whitman, 2015). The triangulation of methods highlighted the main attitudinal and structural barriers faced by autistic students and the challenges encountered by teachers and administrators in including students within the spectrum in the routine of full-time schooling. The main issues identified include: (1) insufficient teacher training for inclusive practices targeting students with ASD; (2) difficulty in reconciling the specific demands of students with ASD in large and heterogeneous classrooms; and (3) lack of ongoing training in adapted pedagogical strategies. Although the policy has advanced with the creation of Multifunctional Resource Rooms (MRRs) in the researched FTSs, the expansion of SEA professionals and the hiring of inclusion assistants, barriers to full inclusion persist, especially those related to behavioral resistance and didactic limitations. The investigation highlighted the most relevant and/or developed actions in SEA, among which stand out: effective communication between SEA and classroom teachers; partnerships with families; and support for adapting activities and assessments for students with ASD. The evaluation also revealed that in full-time schools it is possible to implement inclusive actions through initiatives and collaborative work among SEA, teachers, and students, whether or not they are autistic. It is concluded that the effective inclusion of autistic students demands transformations in educational practices and requires not only structural adaptations, but mainly changes in attitudinal and training paradigms and, above all, in the relationships among all agents involved in the educational process, from an inclusive perspective.