INCLUSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IN THE CITY OF RIO BRANCO, ACRE

Abstract

This research addresses the theme of children who, upon entering the process of formal schooling, present some disorders that are still in the process of being identified in early childhood education. Thus, the general objective of this work is to investigate teachers’ pedagogical actions regarding the inclusion process of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Early Childhood Education in Rio Branco. It seeks to understand how the pedagogical practices developed by Early Childhood Education teachers for the inclusion of children with ASD in educational institutions take place. The methodological procedures adopted in this study were of a bibliographical nature, with a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach. The theoretical framework is based on authors such as Mantoan (1997, 2003), Cunha (2017, 2019) and Da Silva (2021). In addition to these studies, a survey of current legislation was carried out, such as the PNEEPEI (2008), Law No. 12.764/2012, among others that guarantee the rights related to the theme in question. For data collection, an online questionnaire composed of open and closed questions was used. The seven (07) participants in the research were teachers from the municipal public school system, each with at least three years of experience in Early Childhood Education. The results of this research show that, despite advances in the provision of education for children with ASD, significant challenges regarding the inclusion of these children still persist. It is hoped that this study will foster greater concern with recognizing the importance of inclusion, as well as promoting awareness of the specific needs of these children, considering that there are several documents that claim to protect people with ASD in their educational and formative process.