A inclusão de alunos com deficiência na UEPB: uma avaliação do Programa de Tutoria Especial

Abstract

The present study aims to assess the contributions of the Special Tutoring Program at the State University of Paraiba (UEPB) for the permanence and good academic performance of its students with disabilities in higher education. The research, made in this higher education institution, in Education, History, Philosophy, Social Communication, Social Work, Law and Physics courses, had as subjects: students with disabilities, their special tutors, teachers and the coordinator of the program. The investigation was developed using a quantitative and qualitative approach of the exploratory type and taking the form of case study. The methodological procedures for data collection were: document analysis, questionnaires, interviews and behavior s observations record. The documentary research happened during all the course of the study, through access and analysis of documents and information from the Special Tutoring Program. The questionnaire was used to identify and characterize the socioeconomic status of the students with disabilities. The semi-structured interview was applied to the twenty-six subjects of the research. On the other hand, the observation s sessions of the participants behaviors were conducted through twenty sessions shared between the classroom and in individualized pedagogical attendance of the program. At this moment, we specifically precede the case study of two of the students with disabilities, part of the students with disabilities sample. The interview results indicated, among other data, that the subjects evaluated the Special Tutoring Program positively, claiming that it contributes in both ways, to the persistence of students with disabilities in the academia, and for their good academic performance. In the analysis of observations record, and interviews, were detected aspects of the program which ratifies, contradicting points and points that need to be incorporated into its resolution of creation (CONSEPE/UEPB Resolution Nº. 013, of 07/07/2006). The data indicated, therefore, the need of review and redesign of this resolution to accommodate the new demands of the program s dynamic. Finally, the results of the research raise the argument that the UEPB s Special Tutoring Program is a type of Specialized Educational Service in higher education, with unique characteristics and adaptations, occurring in a different manner than the Specialized Educational Service (AEE) established by the Ministry of the Education, Culture and Sports (MEC) for basic education. Thus, this UEPB s experience, pioneer among Brazilian universities, may serve as a proposal to be socialized with other universities in the country, since the MEC does not have a policy of Specialized Educational Service (AEE) for higher education yet.