Formação e prática docente para inclusão de estudantes com TEA: desafios e possibilidades no IFMA - Campus Caxias

Abstract

This doctoral thesis analyzes aspects of teacher education and pedagogical practices aimed at the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the Federal Institute of Maranhão (IFMA) – Caxias Campus. Aligned with the research line "Education and Diversity," the study is grounded in the assumption that the successful implementation of school inclusion depends on qualified teacher education, effective inclusive strategies, and consistent institutional support. The general objective is to analyze aspects of teacher education and pedagogical practices aimed at the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Technical High School classes at IFMA – Campus Caxias. The specific objectives are: a) to analyze the initial and continuing education of teachers, focusing on their preparation to meet the needs of students with ASD; b) to understand teachers’ conceptions and experiences regarding the school inclusion of students with ASD, identifying perspectives, tensions, and possibilities for transformation; c) to describe pedagogical practices, with attention to the use of didactic resources, assistive technologies, and curricular adaptations; d) to evaluate the institutional support available to teachers, as well as the mechanisms of intersectoral collaboration within the campus. The relevance of this study unfolds in three dimensions: scientific, by contributing to the production of knowledge about inclusive education in technical high schools; professional, by offering insights to improve teacher preparation and inclusive practices; and personal, by reflecting the researcher’s ethical and affective commitment to the cause of neurodiversity. The research setting – IFMA’s Caxias Campus – represents a privileged space for analysis due to its student diversity and the concrete challenges it presents for educational inclusion. This is an exploratory case study with a quanti-qualitative approach, based on Yin’s (2014) methodological framework and supported by descriptive-interpretative analysis. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire, combining open- and close-ended questions, applied to twenty teachers from technical high school programs who had experience working with students with ASD between February 2022 and July 2023. The instrument explored teacher education, inclusive strategies, classroom practices, and understandings of institutional support. The results reveal significant gaps in teacher education, a lack of effective institutional policies, and structural barriers that hinder the full inclusion of students with ASD. At the same time, promising pedagogical experiences – driven by teachers’ creativity and sensitivity – were identified. The voices of these educators make it clear that the absence of multiprofessional support and the scarcity of continuous professional development programs directly impact the quality of inclusion. The study concludes that strengthening the inclusion of students with ASD in technical high school education requires more integrated policies, context-based teacher education, and sustained interprofessional collaboration. The thesis contributes to the development of pedagogical and institutional strategies aimed at promoting equity in federal technical high school education, establishing itself as a tool for critical reflection and practical intervention in Brazil’s public education system.