CURRICULAR CONSEQUENCES OF TUTORIAL SUPPORT FOR PORTUGUESE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN AN INCLUSION CONTEXT (CASE STUDY)

Abstract

Decree-Law No. 54/2018, of July 6, allows the learning and inclusion of Portuguese students with specific needs, benefiting from Tutorial Support. The scope of the qualitative methodology used, in the case study modality, aimed to understand the contribution of tutorial support in accessing the curriculum by those students in a School Group. It is an exploratory research (observational, transversal, descriptive, analytical, interpretative) based on the objectives: understanding the meaning of tutorial support; and characteristics of the teacher-tutor; identify the knowledge of the subjects under study about the role of the teacher-tutor; characterize the intervention methodologies developed in tutorial support; understand the advantages of tutorial support for students’ access to the curriculum; get to know various areas of skills worked on in tutoring. The sample includes 4 students, intentionally selected, beneficiaries of the 2022-23 academic year of that normative support measure, their parents, class directors and coordinator of the support and special education team. We used data collection techniques: participant, non-participant and documentary observation; semi-structured interviews; field notes. We submit the data to content analysis, grouping relevant information into categories and subcategories, interpreting them on the basis of triangulation. We comply with ethical and legal research procedures. The results confirmed that tutoring is a mediator and enabler in accessing learning for students with specific needs, as long as it is adjusted, considered, structured and monitored. We found that Tutorial Support contributes to access to the curriculum, relational compensation, promotion of skills, adaptation to the curriculum, an effective exercise of autonomy and curricular flexibility.