ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES IN THE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT OF SÃO GONÇALO, SOUSA-PB

Abstract

The school inclusion of students with disabilities in rural contexts constitutes a challenge involving specific pedagogical, structural, and social conditions. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of the legal guardians of students with disabilities regarding the school inclusion process in rural schools in the District of São Gonçalo, Sousa, Paraíba, Brazil, considering access, infrastructure, support resources, barriers, and family participation. This was an exploratory and descriptive case study with a qualitative approach and complementary quantitative procedures, conducted in two public schools. Thirteen legal guardians participated, corresponding to 81.3% of the eligible families, through a semi-structured questionnaire. The results revealed high socioeconomic vulnerability: 92% of the families had an income of up to one minimum wage, and 100% received social benefits. Autism Spectrum Disorder was present in 62% of the students. Regarding inclusion, 77% identified the lack of adequately trained teachers as the main barrier, 54% reported a lack of adapted materials, and 31% mentioned insufficient support professionals. Furthermore, 69% were unaware of the Individualized Education Plan, and 46% rated the infrastructure as inadequate. It is concluded that, although progress has been made in welcoming students and promoting family participation, significant weaknesses persist, requiring teacher training, strengthening of Specialized Educational Services, improved accessibility, adapted resources, and greater school-family collaboration.