Professional guidance for tertiary students with disabilities: concepts, policies and practices

Abstract

The discussions promoted by researchers and professionals that recognize the current challenges facing the higher education institutions and the world of work, when considering the need to raise elements inherent to the professional guidance of university students with disabilities. In order to contribute to the debate, this research had, as general objective, to identify, to gather, to systematize and to analyze scientific productions and documents that approach the referred subject. In this sense, through the method of systematic integrative bibliographical revision, we had as specific objectives: a) to identify national and international scientific productions that had the thematic focus the professional orientation of university students with disabilities; b) to analyze the inter-relation between the contents of scientific productions and national official documents (legal diplomas, policies and government programs); and c) to identify and analyze elements that may constitute the preparation and implementation of professional guidance services. This is an integrative systematic bibliographic review, using Thesaurus descriptors and Boolean operators. Through the Capes and Redalyc Journal Portal, it was possible to identify, analyze and discuss the following thematic units: Government Guiding Documents; Institutional Administrative Measures; Didactic-Pedagogical and Curricular Strategies; Extension Programs and Activities; Actors and Training for Vocational Guidance; Materials and Instruments. The integrative analysis indicated that an adequate professional guidance program for university students with disabilities should be proposed from a biopsychosocial perspective, involving educational institutions and the world of work, promoting autonomy, the recognition of their identities, differences, professional expectations and from the perspective of lifelong learning.