Trajetórias e vivências de alunos com baixa visão na escola comum: experiências e desafios na inclusão

Abstract

This paper is a reflection on the process of schooling of people with low vision in regular education. For this purpose, the only source of data used was the report of 12 students who attended or currently attend regular elementary school, according to the Life History methodology (Glat, 2009). The statements were explored according to content analysis (Bardin, 1977), resulting in thematic categories. As a basis, a brief history of the education of people with visual impairment is presented, focusing on low vision and some of the contexts involving special education and inclusive education in Brazil. Among the topics addressed by the research participants are accessibility; learning; exclusion; curricular flexibility; school failure; inclusion; reading and writing; and interpersonal relationships. The main findings of this investigation were that students with low vision, despite being the largest group of visually impaired students, still have some difficulties in terms of access, retention and learning. The use of blackboards in schools is a major obstacle in their academic development, in addition to the obstacles to having the necessary support. It is worth noting that even with all the issues that are included in the school context, they are able to learn and understand that when this does not happen, it is a reflection of the lack of the necessary resources.