Inclusion of students with down syndrome in Brazilian schools

Abstract

Down syndrome, or chromosome 21 trisomy, is a genetic change that occurs at the time of conception of a child. People with Down syndrome have intellectual disabilities, this fact contributes to social exclusion, isolation and impairment in their development, since there is much social prejudice regarding this syndrome. Considering the need to include children with Down Syndrome In schools this research aimed to promote a reflection on the process of inclusion of these people in Brazilian schools through the assistive technologies used. This research is an integrative literature review where the search took place in databases of greater relevance to the subject. The exact descriptors of medical subject titles were used in English using "Mainstreaming (Education)", "Down Syndrome" and "Schools" and in Portuguese the exact descriptors in the health sciences "Educational Inclusion", "Down Syndrome" and Schools”. The results showed that the insertion of the child is only physical and only due to the obligation promoted by the current national legislation. Social inclusion does not occur in such a way as to integrate students, teachers and technicians, and teachers are unprepared to drive inclusion due to limitations in their education, lack of incentive to qualification, school infrastructure and large numbers of students in the classroom. In accordance with this reality, this paper aims to promote a reflection on the inclusion of students with Down syndrome in Brazilian schools, through the discussion and development of appropriate assistive technologies for this process to occur effectively.