Reestruturação da educação superior e ações direcionadas à permanência e diplomação do estudante com necessidades educacionais especiais

Abstract

Higher Education has been gaining space in the discussions and research developed in recent years. The number of enrollments has grown considerably, mainly, after the implementation of Program for Restructuring and Expansion Plans of Federal Universities in 2007. Despite the increase in the number of actions aimed at access and entry into Higher Education, this educational scenario still poses many challenges for students. Differently from thinking about access and entry, discussions on planned actions are still limited considering the permanence and course conclusion. In this context, the objective of this research was to understand how the actions directed to students with special educational needs influence, since 2008, the permanence and course conclusion of these students in federal universities of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. With this purpose, we sought to defend the thesis that the academic success and course conclusion of university students with special educational needs is directly influenced by the development of actions and by sectors that contribute to minimize their difficulties and offer conditions of permanence. The theoretical foundation of the research presents the historical constitution of Higher Education in Brazil; the trajectory of people with disabilities, presenting important legislation; and the student with special educational needs and the difficulties of the university context. The qualitative research and dialectical perspective was developed from data collected with the State of Knowledge; of documentary research of national policies Special Education and inclusion; in the Institutional Portal of the UFPEL, UFSM e UNIPAMPA; questionnaire by instrument Google Docs with the managers of the Pro-Rectorates of Planning; interview with the coordinators of the sectors responsible for support, student assistance and accessibility; discussion group, in person and by Skype, with members of the sectors interviewed. The data were analyzed from the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin (2011). The research made it possible to know the spaces of the researched institutions and to approach the work developed by the sectors. It was evidenced that the researched sectors develop an essential work in the Institutions and that directly interfere in the trajectory of the academics in the university: in the reception, in the learning, in the permanence and in the course conclusion. It has been found that the restructuring of the institutions is still in process. It was driven by Program for Restructuring and Expansion Plans of Federal Universities, but still with a long way to its real effectiveness in relation to the actions that contribute to the permanence in Higher education institutions, because, currently, institutional changes are still insufficient in the face of the increasing demand presented by these policies, quotas and the unified selection system and National High School Examination. It is believed that this research can contribute to broaden the discussions about the permanence of students with special educational needs in Higher Education, helping to understand the actions and work developed by the support, student assistance and accessibility sectors. Finally, it is expected that the difficulties pointed out by the sectors will be overcome by the restructuring of the universities, and that the actions developed can be disseminated among the sectors of these and other institutions, expanding their reach towards the students' permanence and pointing out new proposals.