Students with physical disability in high school: analysis of accessibility in a public school

Abstract

The following research aimed to analyze the physical-architectural accessibility conditions of a state secondary school, in a municipality in the interior of the state of Pará, for students with physical disabilities or reduced mobility. Its execution was based on the analysis of the factors that hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of physical accessibility, to serve and include this growing population of students. In this sense, the main obstacles that could compromise and, consequently, put at risk adequate inclusion within the school context were described and analyzed. To achieve the proposed objectives, it was decided to carry out a descriptive study, carried out using the qualitative research method. For data collection, in addition to an Accessibility Evaluation Protocol in Schools, semi-structured interviews and the researcher's field diary were used. The analysis of the interview data made it possible to establish the analysis categories and subcategories necessary to define the characteristics and level of accessibility of the schools investigated. Difficulties in the use of equipment and furniture in the school environment for students with physical disabilities or reduced mobility were also analyzed. The application of the protocol made it possible to technically establish, based on current standards, the level of physical-architectural accessibility of the school. In conclusion, the study showed that the school studied does not have an adequate physical-architectural structure, equipment and furniture within the recommendations and requirements prescribed in the current technical standards and in the most recent legislation on accessibility.