Musical and artistic practices with disabled children and young people: possibilities and challenges

Abstract

This paper aims at sharing the outcomes obtained from research carried out with the community of an extension project developed in the Parents and Friends of Disabled Children Association of Ituiutaba (APAE), whose goal was to try to understand the way disabled children and young people engage in musical and artistic practices and which are the educational processes derived from such practices. The research building process held two moments: intervention methodology and research methodology; having the pedagogical principles of Paulo Freire as a reference. The theoretical reference mainly sustained itself on the social practice and intercultural concepts. Of a qualitative nature and phenomenological inspiration, the main data collection tool were the field journals, besides photographs, filming footages, drawings, written texts and interviews, which were all later analyzed (ideographically and nomothetically). Three categories were identified: A) Want to do; B) Know how to do; C) Consider others. The performance construction in musical and artistic practices with disabled children and young people showed their latent power in light of the educational processes derived from them. As protagonists, it was possible to tell and retell stories, memorize lines, learn songs, percuss sonorous objects, Interact with the people and institutions involved (APAE, day care, music school and university), learn new contents, methodologies and ways to express oneself. Such practices may contribute to the formation process of disabled people; ensure the exercise of their rights; raise reflection and constitute themselves as integrating parts of the formation process (personally and professionally) in Special Education