THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF COMPLEX THINKING TO THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in basic education constitutes one of the main contemporary challenges of inclusive education. Although legislative advances have expanded these students’ access to mainstream schools, difficulties related to pedagogical practices, teacher education, and the organization of school environments still persist. In this context, Edgar Morin’s Complex Thinking emerges as a theoretical framework capable of contributing to the understanding of the singularities of autistic students and to the development of inclusive pedagogical practices. The aim of this study was to analyze the contributions of Complex Thinking to the inclusion of students with ASD through a literature review. The research was conducted in national and international databases using descriptors related to Complex Thinking, autism, and inclusive education. The analysis of the 6 studies that comprised the corpus of the literature review indicates that the dialogic, recursive, and hologrammatic principles foster a broader understanding of human diversity and educational processes, making it possible to overcome fragmented and reductionist approaches to autism. Furthermore, the epistemology of complexity contributes to the development of more flexible, collaborative, and contextualized pedagogical practices, strengthening the construction of more inclusive school environments that are sensitive to students’ singularities. It is concluded that Complex Thinking constitutes a relevant theoretical framework for the construction of more democratic and humane educational systems committed to the right to learning and participation of all students.