BEYOND OBSTACLES: INCLUSION, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND SPECIALIZED EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE – AEE

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide a historical overview of Special Education with a focus on Specialized Educational Assistance (AEE), especially for students with intellectual disabilities in a public school in Bahia. Throughout history, people with disabilities have gone through various phases such as extermination, segregation, integration, exclusion, and after years of struggle, they have entered the arduous process of inclusion. Despite having rights guaranteed by laws and decrees, most of the time theory and practice don't match up in the inclusive process. In the past, special education was supplementary to ordinary education through specialized educational care provided in special institutions or classes, a factor that contributed to the exclusion of these people. With the advent of inclusion, this service began to be offered in regular schools, as well as the schooling of these people. A qualitative bibliographic and field research methodology was used to draw up an overview of special education and inclusion in order to gain a better understanding of the inclusive process for students with disabilities, following the stages developed in implementing the theme. It can be seen that inclusion brings about a change in our actions as educators, as we need to transform the reality of the school and work with difference, with opportunity for all.