Avaliação de políticas públicas de inclusão escolar de alunos com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA): olhares heterogêneos

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the implementation of public policies for school inclusion for students with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) through the parameters of access, retention, participation, and learning, based on the experiences of school management, teachers, specialized care professionals, and families. Specifically, it proposed to: a) identify the laws and guidelines that support the educational rights of autistic students; b) investigate the actions carried out in a municipal school in Fortaleza to promote the inclusion of students with ASD; c) identify the main challenges faced by the school and the families of autistic students to guarantee their access, retention, participation, and learning in the final years of elementary school. The evaluative perspective adopted for this work was the experiential evaluation model proposed by Raul Lejano (2012), with an exploratory and qualitative approach. The study was conducted at a municipal school in Fortaleza, located in Regional 1, where the actions promoted by the school to guarantee the rights of these students were investigated. Thus, interviews were conducted with a member of the management team, a professional from the Specialized Educational Service, six family members of autistic students enrolled in the institution, and a focus group with six teachers in order to identify the main challenges faced in ensuring the educational rights of these students. The results observed point to progress in promoting inclusive education at the school, through the provision of the Specialized Educational Service, the development of the Individualized Education Plan, and activities to combat discrimination within the institution. On the other hand, the testimonies reveal numerous obstacles that challenge the effectiveness of this policy in the school context. Among them, the inadequate structure of the school, the scarcity of inclusion assistants, and the precarious training of school professionals for the development of inclusive practices stand out.