Educação inclusiva e formação continuada de professores através da EAD: a experiência da UFAL

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the contribution of the Continuing Education of Teachers for the Treatment of Students with Mental Disabilities, through the distance learning (EAD) modality, to the teachers-students for a re-evaluation of the knowledge about school inclusion. For the accomplishment of this general objective there were established the follow specifics objectives: to outline the perspectives of the teachers-students for the course and if those perspectives were achieved at the end; to know the possible changes about the concepts of inclusion and mental disability; to understand the teachers-students experience and related it with their participation in this course as well as their difficulties and their considerations about this modality. The research is qualitative with study of the case as a methodological approach. The continued education was held by Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) and had 20 centers of study. The participants in this research were 25 teachers-students of a center at West of Sao Paulo. The data collection was performed through two surveys (one in the beginning and other in the end of the course) and through the readings of the activities taken at the virtual learning environment (AVA) conducted by the teachers-students. The data was studied through content analysis in three steps: the teachers-students profiles and theirs expectations, the teachers-students preview knowledge and theirs efforts to re-build their own knowledge. In each step of this research were formed categories to be analysed. As results we obtained a re-evaluation and an expansion of the knowledge about school inclusion and mental disability, as a consequence changes in the teachers-students attitudes about the diversity, individuality, difficulties and possibilities of students with mental disability, apart from breaking down barriers and prejudice. We also noted that the learning process was facilitated by the interactions through the EAD and reading online debates that enabled opportunities to re-thing the teachers-students theoretical knowledge, their experiences and pedagogical practices. Another important point of this research was the experience of the use of computer and to break down technological barriers that before were seen as an obstacle. It is through the continuing education with a perspective of inclusion by EAD that can offer opportunities to cogitate and to debate relevant subjects about continuing education of teachers and education of students with disabilities while delivering digital inclusion of the teachers.