Concepções de professores de Ciências sobre deficiências e problemas de escolarização: desafios e contradições no cotidiano da inclusão

Abstract

This study analyzes the conceptions of Science teachers from a school in southern Amazonas regarding disability and schooling challenges, examining how these conceptions influence pedagogical practices within the context of Inclusive Education in lower secondary education (Junior High School), developed in the municipality of Humaitá, Amazonas. Historically, the marginalization of people with disabilities has imposed barriers to their development—whether psychological and/or physical— leading to the establishment, by law, of their inclusion in mainstream education, without a division between special and regular education. This research adopts a qualitative approach and is designed as a case study. Data were collected through group discussion-style interviews and classroom observations, which were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicate that biologizing conceptions and processes of medicalization permeate teaching practices, highlighting gaps in teacher training and tensions between inclusive policies and school realities. It is concluded that teacher education and institutional organization are central elements for the effective implementation of inclusive practices in Science teaching.