Fatores que afetam a inclusão acadêmica dos estudantes surdos da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)

Abstract

Research concerning the experiences of hearing-impaired individuals in higher education is fundamental for understanding academic inclusion, as people with disabilities frequently face socioeconomic and educational vulnerabilities. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the academic inclusion and retention of deaf students at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). Methodologically, this is an applied research with a descriptive approach, structured as a case study that combined qualitative and quantitative elements. Data collection was conducted via an online questionnaire administered to undergraduate and graduate students from both the capital and the state's interior campuses. The results reveal that inclusion is conditioned by a triad of factors: socioeconomic, pedagogical, and institutional. It was identified that 81.1% of students belong to families with an income of up to three minimum wages, highlighting that social vulnerability is a primary obstacle to student retention. In the pedagogical sphere, the lack of visuality in teaching methods and communication mediated almost exclusively by interpreters generate a "dialogic isolation," compromising the construction of knowledge. The most significative data indicates that 71% of students consider dropping out of their courses ("Always" or "Sometimes") due to accessibility barriers, confirming the concept of "internal exclusion." It is concluded that the main factors affecting inclusion at UFC are the extreme dependence on financial aid and pedagogical rigidity. Effective retention depends on transitioning from an integration model to a universal accessibility model, respecting the linguistic and cultural specificities of deaf students as mandated by the Brazilian Inclusion Law (2015).