Inclusive Classroom: how non-disabled students understand relationships with a student with disabilities

Abstract

Much has been produced about the impact of inserting a student with a disability in a regular school, understanding its educational specificities, the pedagogical adaptations and necessary materials, teacher training and public policies that guarantee this right. Given this context, this research sought to investigate how students without disabilities react and understand the relationships of the classroom with a student with a disability, having as research field two elementary school classrooms in a public school located in Grande Sao Paulo. The theoretical foundation chosen to assist in this path is the Socio-Historical Cultural Theory, developed by LS Vygotsky (1924-1934), having as methodology the Critical Collaboration Research (MAGALHÃES, 2006) which aims to organize research that has transformative activities and reflexive, in addition to the researcher being an active participant in the research process. For this, two tools were used: semi-structured interviews, and Reflective Sessions carried out from guiding activities with students aged 6 to 11 years. The results of the research occurred by carefully listening to students without disabilities, who pointed out the numerous benefits that coexistence in diversity offers to everyone involved, including: students recognizing themselves as mediators of the development processes of colleagues with disabilities, becoming their own more experienced peers, putting them in a leading position. It is evident how the students are affected by living with a colleague with a disability, who transforms them and is transformed by them.