PUBLIC POLICIES AND SUPPORT INTERNS: BETWEEN LEGISLATION AND THE SCHOOL REALITY OF OLINDA-PE

Abstract

The school inclusion of people with disabilities remains one of the greatest challenges of our time, but it also represents one of the most significant achievements of Brazilian education. Since the 1970s, with Law No. 5,692/71, and especially after the 1988 Federal Constitution, the right to education has been recognized as a social right guaranteed to all. This process is supported by documents that have shaped the path of inclusion: internationally, the Salamanca Statement (1994); and nationally, the LDB (Law No. 9,394/96), the National Guidelines for Special Education (2001), the National Policy on Special Education (2008), and the Brazilian Inclusion Law (2015). All reinforce the proposal of an inclusive school, grounded in equity, respect for diversity, and the guarantee of access to learning.Despite these normative advances, the reality of Brazilian public schools still shows obstacles to the effective implementation of inclusive policies. In the municipality of Olinda-PE, the support role for students with disabilities has largely been carried out by undergraduate or high school interns, who play an important role in pedagogical and social mediation. For this work to be carried out with quality, it is necessary that these professionals receive clear guidance about their responsibilities and have access to training that enables continuous student monitoring, in collaboration with the classroom teacher and, when present, the special education teacher (AEE) in resource rooms. It should be noted that not all schools in the municipality provide this structure, which makes the integration between intern, teacher, and family even more essential to strengthen the inclusion process and provide greater clarity about the role of these professionals in training. Authors such as Mantoan (2003), Mendes (2006), and Carvalho (2013) argue that the effectiveness of inclusion is not limited to enrollment, but depends on the creation of pedagogical practices that ensure participation, permanence, and meaningful learning. Sassaki (2009) understands inclusion as a continuous social process that requires investment in professional training and cultural change. Glat and Pletsch (2012), in turn, point out that the success of inclusive policies is directly linked to the preparation of educators and the support provided by school systems. Thus, this bibliographic and documentary article aims to analyze the main legal frameworks and theoretical references that sustain school inclusion in Brazil, relating them to the reality experienced by support interns in the municipality of Olinda. It seeks to show that the reality of schools does not always follow what is established in legislation, highlighting the urgency of more consistent public policies, professional recognition, and structural investments to ensure a truly inclusive education.