Inclusive Education and Literacy for Students with Learning Disabilities

Leticia Stefani Aranda; Sheila Cristina Da Silva Victório

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202603144

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

Inclusive education is configured as a fundamental principle of the Brazilian educational system, ensuring the right to learning for all students. In the context of literacy for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the study aimed to analyze inclusive pedagogical practices and the adaptation of materials and activities, in light of current educational legislation and the foundations of Neuroscience applied to Education. To this end, a qualitative and descriptive research was carried out, based on systematic observation and documentary analysis of pedagogical records. The study took place in a 3rd-grade class of Elementary School in a private institution in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, during the 2025 academic year, which included students with ASD. The analyzed data showed that the use of differentiated pedagogical strategies, combined with specialized teacher training and the theoretical basis of neuroscience, contributed significantly to the advancement of learning. It was concluded that these approaches promote a more inclusive and humanized school environment, favoring access to the curriculum and the development of independence for students with ASD.

Keywords: Literacy; School inclusion; Educational neuroscience; Pedagogical practices; Autism spectrum disorder.

1. Introduction

Inclusive education is established as a fundamental right in the Brazilian educational system, guaranteeing all students access to learning, regardless of their developmental conditions. This principle is supported by robust legislation, such as the Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (Law No. 9.394/1996), which advocates for the provision of special education within the regular school system, ensuring the common curriculum and the necessary resources for student participation and learning.

In this context, Brazilian legislation has advanced to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Law No. 12.764/2012 establishes the National Policy for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder, recognizing individuals with ASD as people with disabilities and guaranteeing their right to inclusive education. Complementarily, the Brazilian Law on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (Law No. 13.146/2015) reinforces the need for accessible educational environments, elimination of barriers, and continuous training for education professionals.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent alterations in social communication and interaction, accompanied by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. However, ASD manifests heterogeneously, which prevents the definition of a single profile for all diagnosed individuals, requiring consideration of different levels of development, skills, and support needs.

The classification of ASD, according to contemporary diagnostic criteria, encompasses three levels of support. Level one requires support for difficulties in social communication and behavioral flexibility, with greater autonomy. Level two demands substantial support, showing more pronounced challenges in social interaction and greater behavioral rigidity. Level three requires very substantial support, potentially involving significant impairments in communication, autonomy, and adaptation to daily demands. This diversity underscores the importance of individualized pedagogical practices.

In the school environment, students with ASD may face challenges in understanding abstract language, maintaining shared attention, social skills, and sensory processing. These aspects can directly impact the literacy process. Thus, organizing structured and predictable environments, adapting materials, flexible strategies, offering clear instructions, using visual resources, and breaking down activities into smaller steps become essential.

The implementation of inclusive pedagogical practices requires teaching practice based on mediation. Vygotsky (1998) argues that learning occurs through social interactions and mediation by others, highlighting the teacher’s role in knowledge construction. Mantoan (2003) complements this perspective, advocating that an inclusive school must value diversity, promote equity, and recognize the potential of each student.

Neuroscience offers a valuable perspective for understanding processes such as attention, working memory, and visual processing, contributing to the planning of pedagogical interventions more aligned with students’ needs. Fonseca (2008) emphasizes the relationship between the development of neurological functions and learning. Oliveira (2011) and Antunes (2014) highlight the relevance of pedagogical mediation and the stimulation of cognitive and socio-emotional functions for full development.

Montessori’s (1965) contributions also reinforce the importance of student-centered practices, which respect their individual pace, promote active learning, and progressively expand independence. This shows that there is no single adaptation model for all students with ASD, making it imperative to consider their unique characteristics. A truly inclusive school, therefore, transcends the mere guarantee of enrollment, creating conditions for the student to access the curriculum, participate in school experiences, and develop their potential through flexible practices, accessible resources, and coordinated action among all involved professionals and the family.

Given the complexity and importance of inclusive education for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially in the literacy process, and considering the need to align pedagogical practices with current legislation and advances in Neuroscience applied to Education, the present work aims to analyze inclusive pedagogical practices and adaptations of materials and activities used in the literacy process of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, in light of Brazilian educational legislation and the foundations of Neuroscience applied to Education.

2. Material and Methods

This research was characterized by a qualitative and descriptive approach, aligned with the objective of analyzing inclusive pedagogical practices and adaptations of materials and activities. The study’s focus was on the literacy process of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), seeking to understand the strategies employed in a specific educational context. This approach allowed for an in-depth investigation of the dynamics and pedagogical resources.

The research strategy adopted combined systematic observation with documentary analysis of pedagogical records. Classroom interactions and activities were observed, complemented by a review of documents detailing student planning and monitoring. The unit of analysis consisted of the pedagogical work developed in a 3rd-grade class of Elementary School.

The study was conducted at a private educational institution, located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. Data collection occurred during the 2025 academic year, covering the period when pedagogical practices and material adaptations were implemented and recorded. The choice of location allowed access to a school environment with experience in inclusive education.

The investigated class was composed of sixteen students, reflecting a diversity of developmental profiles and educational needs. Among the participants, there was one student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and one student with Intellectual Disability (ID), both with individual therapeutic support. Additionally, four students presented Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The other ten students in the class followed the regular curriculum, without the need for systematic individualized adaptations. The class teacher had ten years of experience in the field of Education, with a degree in Pedagogy. Furthermore, the educator was a specialist in Psychopedagogy and ABA Intervention applied to Autism Spectrum Disorder, which underpinned her pedagogical strategies.

For data collection, several documentary instruments were used, including weekly pedagogical plans and learning monitoring records. Adapted activities, didactic materials, visual resources, pedagogical games, and concrete materials were analyzed. The school’s textbook material, when adapted, was also considered part of the analyzed records.

The handout material was adapted according to the students’ needs and complemented by proposals made on sheets, notebooks, games, and playful activities. The collected data, from observation and documents, were organized to allow the identification of pedagogical strategies. This organization aimed to facilitate the understanding of how the practices were applied in daily school life.

The data analysis sought to understand how the pedagogical strategies adopted contributed to students’ cognitive and behavioral processes. The relationship between the practices and attention, working memory, information organization, content comprehension, and routine predictability was investigated. This process allowed for the evaluation of the functionality of the adaptations in the context of literacy.

The development of the study was structured in four distinct stages. In the first stage, all records and pedagogical materials used in the literacy process were surveyed and organized. Next, in the second stage, the observed practices were described and categorized. This categorization considered aspects such as routine organization, visual resources, and activity adaptations.

Still in the second stage, the categorization included teacher mediation, strategy flexibility, and the use of concrete materials. In the third stage of the study, the data were analyzed in light of current educational legislation and the theoretical frameworks of Inclusive Education and Neuroscience applied to Education. Relationships were established between the observed practices and the theoretical foundations related to learning processes.

Finally, in the fourth stage, the final considerations of the study were elaborated. These considerations highlighted the contributions of the analyzed practices, the identified challenges, and the possibilities for improvement. The research process was conducted with the objective of providing a clear and objective analysis of the methodologies employed in the context of inclusive education.

3. Results and Discussion

The analysis of pedagogical records and systematic observations revealed that the educational institution adopts a series of inclusive practices, carefully planned to facilitate access to the curriculum and promote the literacy process of students with specific educational needs, in line with the study’s objective. It was verified that the pedagogical adaptations implemented aimed to make information more comprehensible and accessible. This was achieved through the use of objective instructions, the fragmentation of activities into smaller steps, and the extensive use of visual resources, such as images, pictograms, movable letters, and illustrated cards, which served as concrete supports for learning.

The diversity of learning profiles in the class, which included students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), required a flexible and responsive pedagogical organization. The observed class dynamics consisted of an initial presentation of the content to the whole group, followed by individualized interventions during the activities. This approach allowed the collective moment of the class to be preserved, while specific support was offered to students who required more mediation, preventing them from distancing themselves from the shared experiences with their peers, a crucial aspect for effective inclusion.

The organization of the school routine proved to be a fundamental element for the predictability and safety of students. Music, for example, was used as a signal to mark transitions between different moments of the class or activities, helping students identify and anticipate changes. For those who require greater predictability, such as students with ASD, the presence of clear visual and auditory references facilitated the understanding of the sequence of activities, contributing to a more organized and autonomous participation in the school environment.

Structured and predictable environments are recognized as facilitators of emotional and behavioral organization for students with ASD, creating a safer context for learning, as pointed out by Mantoan (2003) and Fonseca (2008). The observation corroborated this perspective, showing that the predictability of the routine and the organization of information in the classroom contributed significantly to aiding students’ attention and memory processes, optimizing their capacity for engagement in pedagogical proposals.

Another relevant aspect of inclusive practices was the flexibility of time spent in activities. It was observed that, when showing signs of tiredness or sensory overload, students were allowed to take short breaks, walk around the room, or even leave for a few minutes and return later. This measure respected the individual limits of each student, ensuring that they were not excluded from the pedagogical proposal, but rather that their needs were met to optimize the learning process.

The institution also provided regulation materials within the classroom, which allowed for addressing students’ specific needs without the necessity of constantly removing them from the collective environment. Furthermore, during school events that could be more stimulating, a regulation room was offered, providing a space with a lower amount of stimuli. These resources demonstrate that inclusion transcends the adaptation of academic content, encompassing the organization of environmental conditions for the student’s full participation in school experiences.

Regarding the literacy process specifically, several adapted activities were identified. Among them, pairing images and words, manipulating movable letters and syllables, image-word association games, memory games, classification activities, cutting, pasting, guided tracing, and writing with visual support stand out. These strategies were implemented to address different learning styles and students’ specific needs, making the process of acquiring reading and writing more concrete and accessible.

The handout material used by the class was adapted according to the individual needs of the students and supplemented by proposals made on sheets, notebooks, games, and playful activities. This diversification of resources allowed the same pedagogical objective to be worked on through different avenues, offering multiple opportunities for engagement. The use of visual and concrete materials, in particular, proved crucial, as it enabled students to observe, manipulate, compare, and organize information before making more complex records, which is fundamental for cognitive development.

This diversified and adaptive approach demonstrates that inclusion is not about indiscriminately simplifying content, but rather about modifying the way it is accessed. Montessori’s (1965) contributions reinforce the importance of manipulating materials and the student’s active participation in knowledge construction. From a Neuroscience perspective, the gradual and organized presentation of tasks, combined with these resources, contributed to reducing excessive demands on working memory and facilitating attention direction, optimizing the learning process.

The teacher’s mediation constituted a central and indispensable element for the implementation of inclusive practices. Verbal reinforcement, modeling, repetition or reformulation of commands, and closer monitoring whenever necessary were observed. The level of support was adjusted according to the student’s response, allowing them to gradually perform a larger portion of the tasks autonomously. This practice aligns with the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development proposed by Vygotsky (1998), which argues that learning is favored when the support offered allows for progress that the student could not yet achieve alone.

The autonomy of neurodivergent students manifested itself not only in academic activities but also in everyday aspects of school life. They participated in regular and complementary classes, ate snacks, and used the restroom independently. These behaviors indicate that the support offered did not replace their actions but was directed towards moments when it was genuinely necessary, promoting independence and active participation in the school environment.

The social relationships observed in the class were predominantly positive. Neurodivergent students coexisted harmoniously with their peers, participating in different moments of the school routine. Affectionate behavior and the establishment of bonds with teachers and peers were observed, without recurring episodes of aggressiveness. It is important to emphasize that these characteristics are specific to the analyzed group and should not be generalized to all individuals with the same diagnoses, given the heterogeneity of ASD.

From the perspective of Inclusive Education, the participation of these students in collective experiences assumes significant importance. Development is not restricted to the individual completion of tasks, but is strongly influenced by the interactions established in the school environment. In this sense, inclusion goes beyond mere physical presence, involving the feeling of belonging and the creation of real possibilities for social participation and interaction, as defended by Mantoan (2003).

Regarding public policies, the institution demonstrated practices compatible with the principles set forth in the Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (Law nº 9.394/1996), Law nº 12.764/2012 (National Policy for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with ASD), and the Brazilian Inclusion Law (Law nº 13.146/2015). The permanence of students in regular classrooms and the implementation of pedagogical adjustments are clear evidence of the commitment to legislation, guaranteeing the right to inclusive education.

The presence of a therapeutic companion for students with ASD and ID, combined with material adaptations, break opportunities, and available regulation resources in the classroom, significantly expanded the conditions for effective participation in daily school life. However, it is fundamental that therapeutic support always considers individual characteristics, as students with the same diagnosis can present quite distinct needs, requiring a personalized and flexible approach.

The adaptation of the handout material, the diversification of activities, the use of concrete materials, regulation resources, and the flexibility of the routine constituted effective strategies for reducing pedagogical barriers. This demonstrates that the inclusive nature of the analyzed context was not based on a single isolated action, but rather on the articulation of different measures aimed at allowing students with diverse profiles to share the same school environment and access the curriculum through different paths, promoting equity.

However, the absence of a permanent teaching assistant in the classroom warrants in-depth reflection. Although students with ASD and ID had individual therapeutic support, the presence of four other students with ADHD increased the demands on the lead teacher. This suggests that, even with consistent pedagogical practices, the full realization of inclusion also depends on institutional conditions that offer adequate support to the professionals responsible for the class, ensuring more individualized and effective care for all students.

The in-service teacher’s training proved equally relevant to the success of the observed practices. Her 10 years of experience in Education, along with training in Pedagogy, Psychopedagogy, and ABA Intervention applied to ASD, constituted a framework of knowledge that helped her identify students’ needs and choose the most appropriate intervention strategies. However, the presence of specific training does not eliminate the need for continuous updating, considering the growing diversity in classrooms and the constant evolution of knowledge related to learning and inclusion.

In summary, the results indicate that the pedagogical and environmental adaptations observed expanded the possibilities of access to content and favored the active participation of students, respecting their individual needs for pace, attention, organization, and regulation. The analyzed school demonstrates inclusive characteristics by seeking to modify its practices, materials, and environmental conditions to respond to the diversity present in the classroom, although there are still opportunities for improvement regarding institutional support and continuous professional development, crucial elements for the consolidation of truly inclusive and effective education.

4. Conclusion

The present study aimed to analyze inclusive pedagogical practices and adaptations of materials and activities used in the literacy process of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, in light of Brazilian educational legislation and the foundations of Neuroscience applied to Education. It was verified that the literacy of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder was favored by a set of inclusive pedagogical practices. The implementation of objective instructions, the fragmentation of activities, and the extensive use of visual and concrete resources, such as images, pictograms, and movable letters, were identified, which made access to the curriculum more understandable. The organization of the school routine with visual and auditory references, the flexibility of time spent on activities, and the provision of regulation materials contributed to a predictable and safe learning environment. Teacher mediation, based on verbal reinforcement and modeling, adjusted support to individual needs, promoting student autonomy and their active participation in collective experiences. These approaches demonstrated that inclusion transcends mere physical presence, creating conditions for the development of independence and the effectiveness of learning.

The main contribution of this study lies in demonstrating that the articulation between adapted pedagogical practices, grounding in Neuroscience, and compliance with current educational legislation can promote a truly inclusive and effective school environment for the literacy of students with ASD. However, the analyzed context presented limitations, such as the absence of a permanent assistant teacher in the classroom, which increased the demand on the lead teacher, despite the presence of individual therapeutic companions. This observation suggests that the consolidation of inclusive education also depends on more robust institutional support. For future studies, it is recommended to investigate the implementation of co-teaching models or the presence of more support professionals in classrooms with a high diversity of needs, as well as to deepen the analysis of the impact of continuous teacher training on the effectiveness of inclusive practices in different school contexts.

Bibliographic References

Antunes, Celso. 2014. Estimulando a inteligência: estratégias para o desenvolvimento de competências cognitivas e socioemocionais. Petrópolis. Editora Vozes.

Fonseca, Vitor da. 2008. Educação inclusiva: fundamentação e prática. Editora Artmed. Porto Alegre, Brasil.

Mantoan, Maria Teresa Eglér. 2003. Inclusão escolar: O que é? Por quê? Como fazer? Editora Moderna. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Montessori, Maria. 1965. A mente absorvente. Editora Record. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.

Oliveira, Marta Kohl de. 2011. Vygotsky: aprendizado e desenvolvimento – um processo sócio-histórico. 6. ed. Editora Scipione. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Vygotsky, Lev Semionovich. 1998. A formação social da mente: O desenvolvimento dos processos psicológicos superiores. 6 ed. Editora Martins Fontes. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Article originating from a Final Course Work on Neuroscience and Learning in Education

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