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Social representations of childhood educators and the inclusion of students with special needs

2012; Associação Brasileira de Pesquisadores em Educação Especial; Volume: 18; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

1980-5470

Francisca M. Rocha Almas Fragoso, João Casal,

Educational Practices and Policies

This study determines the social representations of kindergarten teachers in the city of Evora, southern Portugal, on the inclusion of children with special educational needs in regular schools. The methodology was based on a survey research strategy in which a questionnaire was used to comprise the characterization of the study elements, the structuring the attitudes and the types of representations of kindergarten teachers in regular schools, the legal framework and feasibility of the inclusive process and the available human and physical resources. The data were treated using univariate statistical analysis and content analysis. The promotion of equal opportunities, mutual help and the paradigm of inclusive education have led to favorable attitudes for the inclusion of children with special educational needs, which is conditioned by technical and human resources and physical conditions in schools. In general a positive social representation of the inclusion process is adopted, but there is still substantial discrimination, which is associated with lack of information, education and social rules, social class and economic level, difficulty of acceptance of difference and physical limitations and lack of hygiene.