Benjamin Constant

Expediente

Rodrigo Agrellos Costa — 2025-02-13

Editorial – Artigos do Fluxo Contínuo 2024

Rodrigo Agrellos Costa — 2024-09-25

Maker Culture to the Science Education for visual impaired people:

Priscila Valdênia dos Santos — 2024-08-14

In recent decades, due to the improvement of inclusion policies, such as Programa Universidade para Todos, Prouni, and Lei Brasileira de Inclusão da Pessoa com Deficiência, Brazil has observed an increasing number of people with disabilities accessing common schools, universities and the labour market. In the educational context, the Censo Escolar by Ministério da Educação e Cultura revealed that among students with disabilities enrolled in high school, approximately 15% had some type of visual impairment at the time. A similar scenario was revealed by Censo da Educação Superior. In this way, it is necessary to rethink methods and tools aimed at the educational inclusion of this public, allowing them to fully exercise their citizenship and live in society with autonomy. In this sense, scientific and technological education for these people can contribute to their formation as critical and reflective subjects, capable of questioning and modifying the environment in which they are inserted. However, what has been observed is that Natural Sciences classes, in general, are permeated by excessively visual language and primarily expository methods, which impose communicational and attitudinal barriers that prevent the effective participation and learning of people with visual disabilities. In this sense, this work aims to verify how Maker Culture in education has been used in Science classes for these individuals in the context of the Brazilian classroom. Through a mapping in important databases of scientific works, it was verified that elements of the Maker Culture have been used in Science classes in Brazil in the last decade with the main intention of developing resources of alternative and more financially accessible assistive technologies. The broad potential of Culture Maker, as a teaching and learning practice based on learning by doing, remains little explored in the context of science education for people with visual impairments in the country.

A A contribution to braille text production using 3d printing

Welber Duarte dos Santos — 2024-08-15

The quality use of the Braille system for individuals who are blind is fundamental to their access, participation, and independence in various daily activities. The introduction to the use of Braille for visually impaired individuals begins in school, unlike sighted individuals who experience written language from an early age in different social settings. Consequently, the first ones’ experience is often private or limited compared to individuals with sight. In this regard, this present work proposes a way to contribute to access to Braille texts by utilizing 3D printing technology to produce labels in a format closely resembling the Brazilian normative standards for such texts. This work is part of a master’s research project that sought to identify best practices for 3D printing through web resources and consultation with professionals in the field. Initially, digital models of Braille labels were created using 3D modeling software, followed by the production process using ABS and PLA filaments with a GTMax 3D A1V2 printer. The results indicate that it is possible to approximate standardized Braille text using 3D printing, ensuring quality and readability. However, it is
important to note that 3D printing is subject to various contextual factors, including climate and the equipment and materials used, which may affect the outcome. Therefore, further exploration of this activity in different contexts is necessary for effective implementation. For future research, it is recommended to develop/improve a system that can automatically generate Braille text labels following the standards set by the Ministry of Education.

Tactile floor plan puzzle: an assistive tecnhology resource for visually impaired students

Sérgio Renato Mendes Martins — 2024-08-15

Orientation and Mobility (OM) is extremely important for visually impaired students to develop skills and techniques that allow them better access to their independence. Through OM, the student can learn to move around safely and independently, not only within known environments, but also in unfamiliar environments. For this purpose, the vast list of assistive technology products grows every day as needs are perceived around the world. In order to compose this list, three boards that form a set of puzzles were developed. In addition to this set, a guide was also developed containing the step by step that teaches how to replicate the game for its application in other spaces, working on the players (students) with their mental maps, being used in the Orientation and Mobility discipline, with the monitoring of a professional seer who knows the physical space of the game. Developed to be easily replicated, with low financial cost, the game can be applied preferably to children over ten years old (students), with no maximum age limit, and can be played by young people, adults and seniors who attend the Institute’s rehabilitation Benjamin Constant. To validate
the educational product produced, the three boards were applied as a game for two reviewers and three students, all visually impaired and of legal age, who attend the IBC. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were used as data collection instruments. Data processing was carried out using the IRAMUTEQ software and its analysis resulted in different categories and subcategories. The material was approved by all the subjects involved in the research. The materials produced will be donated to the IBC for use by the Orientation and Mobility professors, and it is hoped that the material will be ready for application in the daily life of the Institute to facilitate the perception of spaces by people with visual impairment. We also emphasize that the production steps of the educational product of this research can be easily applied to any physical space in the most diverse places and institutions.

A blind cosmology on celestial phenomena

Marcelo Luiz Bezerra da Silva — 2024-08-15

It is estimated that 20% of the Brazilian population falls under the clinical definition of visual impairment. For this reason, visually impaired individuals constitute an important target audience for public policies aimed at social and educational inclusion. This article suspends the concept of disability, seen as a historical construct, and instead introduces the word-concept “blindness”; it also contextualizes inclusive policies within the framework of subjectivities shaped by the neoliberal economic model, aiming to present a blind person’s perception of the Universe based on the question: What are the constitutive aspects of the cosmology of a particular native blind person regarding astronomical phenomena? To achieve its goal, the study presents an interview conducted with an educated blind individual. To adequately reflect on the information provided by the research participant, it was necessary to address inclusive education as a public policy in Brazil, along with its respective laws, prejudice and stigma against blind individuals, and the teaching of astronomy. The set of cosmic elements outlined in the interview includes the sky, the Sun, comets, asteroids, planets and Earth, shooting stars, the Moon and its phases, and the Universe. The elements were analyzed through the investigative lens of the archeogenealogical method proposed by Michel Foucault, which results from an enhanced combination of the archaeological and genealogical phases (which investigates the origins of what is considered normal) that the author traversed throughout his epistemological journey. The conclusion is that there is a need for the inseparability of Cosmology and Cosmogony in astronomy education, as it is within this epistemic inseparability that the keys to teaching practices lie. There is a need for a new approach to teaching astronomy, with teaching practices that are able to integrate various cosmologies and cosmogonies as an enriching factor in this type of education.

Interdisciplinary teaching sequence for sighted and low vision students – an inclusive proposal

Monica de Lima Bastos — 2024-08-28

The present work aims to propose an interdisciplinary didactic sequence (DS), to be applied in a first-year high school class, with sighted and low vision students. This objective is justified due to the importance of accessibility during classes for students with visual impairments (VI), the interaction between subjects and the speeches produced during activities on the topics studied, in accordance with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). Given this context, we bring to the centrality of our study the following question: how to include students with low vision, who arrive in common regular school classrooms, in pedagogical activities? The DS theme will be Ethics in Relationships, and the proposal is that it be developed through active teaching methodology, in the station rotation model. The accessible resources used must be a board game, developed especially for this class, in addition to video, text and audio. The work will be based on the literature by Zabala (1998), which deals with didactic sequences, Gagliardo and Nobre (2001), who address the importance of early stimulation, Cobo, Rodriguez and Bueno (2003), who explain about visual impairment, Moran (2003), who proposes active methodologies, and Vygotsky (2007), who approaches social and cultural aspects in learning and in mediated relationships between subjects. We will conclude by proposing the role of the teacher, in accordance with Nóvoa (2009), in implementing classes that are consistent with the specificities of students with low vision, consequently enabling everyone to learn, based on social interactions in the classroom and the different speeches produced by students.

The discourse on public policies related to the education of people with visual impairments in the first Brazilian Magazine for the Blind (RBC)

Jefferson Gomes de Moura — 2024-09-25

The present study was dedicated to analyzing the discourse of the first copy, published in 1942, of the Brazilian Magazine for the Blind, a Braille periodical from the Benjamin Constant Institute. Upon initial reading, it was noticed that the publication presents content about public policies of the time, related to the education of people with visual impairments, the effects of which will be observed decades ahead. From then on, the aim was to reconstruct, through the discursive marks present in the periodical, the memory of current policies, reflected in the magazine’s pages. There were three public policies used in the observation, produced by the Federal Executive Branch for application nationwide: National Policy on Special Education (Brasil, 1994); National Policy on Special Education from the Perspective of Inclusive Education (Brasil, 2008); and National Policy on Special Education: Equitable, Inclusive and with Lifelong Learning (Brasil, 2020). The choice of these policies occurred due to their scope and influence on the development of other policies in other federative entities. The tool used to investigate the corpus was French discourse analysis, whose main exponent is the French philosopher Michel Pêcheux (1938 – 1983). The choice of analysis methodology occurred considering that discourse, for Pêcheux, is constructed in society, in the process of struggle between antagonistic social classes, with their different ideologies. The magazine’s analysis revealed that the content on political actions linked to the theme of visual impairment, in the 1940s, brings with it discursive marks of different public policies (welfare, specialized education, inclusive education), which intertwine or clash, producing effects, namely, the realization of the rights of people with visual impairments as citizens. It´s important to note that this process continues today, reflected in the public policies of 1994, 2008 and 2020. This article presents itself as an outcome of the research carried out during the master’s degree, completed in 2020, of the Postgraduate Program in Social Memory at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Promoting socialization and inclusion of a blind student through an adapted braille card game: a Review of Powers and Roots

Aline de Souza Muniz — 2024-08-28

This work aims to present reflections in the context of inclusive education involving a blind student and her process of socialization and improvement of her mathematical knowledge through the development of a game called Pife adapted into Braille. The purpose of developing the game was to provide opportunities for the inclusion of blind students and to improve their learning of mathematical content. The game was developed in the context of a municipal public school in the city of Pelotas located in the south of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), currently known as the largest municipal school in Latin America. The game development process involved an analysis of the specific needs of the blind student and the adaptation of the Pife game rules and materials to make it accessible through the use of Braille. This included using the Braille code on the cards and adapting the moves to ensure that the student could participate independently in the activity. The research was carried out by collecting data from a questionnaire containing five questions and carried out with 20 students in the 9th year of Elementary School. The questionnaire was administered after the game was developed. The questions were designed with the aim of observing students’ perception of the effectiveness of the game in promoting inclusion and socialization among students and in learning mathematical content. The results obtained from the analysis of student responses show that games are an important tool for the socialization process, learning mathematical content and inclusion of blind students in Mathematics classes, promoting a more collaborative environment and making classes more dynamic and participatory.

Implantação de serviços de reabilitação da pessoa com deficiência visual na 7ª região de saúde do Rio Grande do Norte

Luzia Guacira Santos Silva — 2024-09-16

A reabilitação como um processo que passa pela busca de independência nas atividades da vida diária requer uma prática multiprofissional sob o olhar interdisciplinar para atender a uma demanda crescente de complexidade cultural, tecnológica e científica. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar o processo e as ações desenvolvidas no Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa Alberto Santos Dumont (ISD) – Organização Social vinculada ao Ministério da Educação (MEC), atuante nas áreas de saúde materno-infantil, saúde da pessoa com deficiência, neurociências e neuroengenharia –, localizada em Macaíba/RN, quando da implantação de serviços de reabilitação para pessoas com deficiência visual – cegueira e baixa visão, no período de 2022 a 2023. Sob os preceitos da pesquisa de natureza quali-quanti, do tipo exploratória, utilizou-se da escuta ativa qualificada de profissionais oriundos da Saúde e da Educação e, da análise dos dados, com base na Análise de Conteúdo. Entre os resultados alcançados constatou-se: a implementação da Linha de Atenção e Cuidado ReVer; a oferta de serviços em reabilitação visual, palestras, cursos e oficinas para os profissionais da Saúde e da Educação; o ingresso de adultos com cegueira adquirida decorrente de retinose pigmentar, glaucoma e retinopatia diabética, nos serviços de Orientação e Mobilidade, Tecnologia e Informática Acessível, Atividades de Vida Diária. Considera-se que os resultados alcançados no campo de pesquisa têm causado efeito positivo na população atendida, impactando na melhoria da qualidade de vida e nas práticas dos profissionais envolvidos, dentro e fora da instituição. Assim, paulatinamente, o vazio assistencial em reabilitação para pessoas com deficiência visual na 7ª Região de Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte será preenchido.

Tactile symbols for teaching geometric optics to students with visual impairment

Adriana Gomes Dickman — 2024-09-16

In this work, we developed and tested tactile symbols to represent geometric optics diagrams, as a way to help visually impaired students learn. The process involved three stages: creating and testing embossed symbols, using the symbols in the classroom, and conducting interviews with the participants. A braille reviewer provided valuable input, suggesting improvements such as using relief glue to highlight specific points, which were successfully implemented. In May 2018, we applied the symbols in two situations. The first was in Physics classes for second-year high school students in a private school, with 27 participants, including a blind student who lost his sight at eight years old. The second application was in a resource room of a specialized school for the visually impaired, with a student and Mathematics teacher, both blind, and a student with severe low vision, all congenital conditions. The results showed that the symbols helped students better understand the content, and the participants, including the braille reviewer and the teacher, praised their didactic potential. The students found the symbols interesting, and easy to feel and understand, allowing them to recognize and differentiate the characteristics of mirrors and light rays. The presence of visual memory records was not decisive for understanding the concepts of light, as observed in students with acquired blindness or low vision. The interviews revealed insufficient support, materials, and teachers prepared for inclusive education. In conclusion, tactile symbols can be a valuable tool for teaching geometric optics and can contribute to the inclusion and autonomy of visually impaired students. Additionally, the creation of more complex symbols to represent other contents can further enhance learning possibilities, as well as the construction of a glossary.

Editorial - Dossiê Temático “A produção científica voltada à acessibilidade da pessoa com deficiência visual no contexto escolar: um recorte regional”

Maria do Carmo Lobato da Silva — 2024-12-03

The understanding of writing and reading of visually impaired individuals: a teacher’s perspective

Rosinete dos Santos Rodrigues — 2024-12-03

This work originates as result of a PhD research in Language Development and Disorders, at the Fernando Pessoa University, in Porto, Portugal, in the year 2022. It was based on Vygotsky’s Socio-Historical theory, as it enables a better understanding of his concepts about the process of inclusion and construction of knowledge by children with visual impairments. It also addresses the concept of literacy. For Soares (2001), in this concept there is the idea that, for those who learn writing, social, cultural, political, economic, and linguistic transformations will be presented; for Tfouni (2010), initial reading instruction presents writing and its codes to the learner, while literacy will present the history of the construction of writing by society. Our objective is to analyze the conception of the teacher in the common class and in specialized assistance regarding children with visual impairments learning to write and read. Applying action research as a method, information was obtained through the training group, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire. Ten teachers who had visually impaired students participated in the research. The results were organized into categories, and, here, the challenges for initial reading instruction and literacy for children with visual impairments will be addressed. It was possible to infer that not all teachers who are working with students in initial grades are pedagogues, also, not all of them have training to assist visually impaired students, and not all training offered to teachers in initial reading instruction addresses relevant content regarding visual impairment. Thus, it is possible to understand the need for combined and collaborative work between the participating teachers, as neither the Specialized Educational Assistance teacher training nor the common class teacher training are sufficient to isolated mediate the initial reading instruction process of children with visual impairments.

In-service Mathematics teacher training: activity planning for students with visual impairment

Geisa Veregue — 2024-12-03

The present research is an excerpt from the master's thesis, on the training of mathematics teachers: expectations and pedagogical practices on teaching and learning for students with visual impairments. This study aims to show the material resources for students with visual impairments recommended by mathematics teachers in the Middle School, after reflective in-service training. The material resources were indicated by the teachers, after studying the pedagogical area of visual impairment, aiming to develop skills involving the subject of mathematics. For the selection, the teachers' goal was to indicate resources that can be used by all students, directing their attention towards an inclusive pedagogical practice. This is an excerpt of data produced in the context of qualitative research in which collaborative research was carried out, being an excerpt from a master's thesis. The instruments used in the research were: characterization questionnaire; semi-structured interview scripts; field journal; and in-service training evaluation script. The collected data was analyzed and organized based on the categorical content analysis technique. The results indicate that reflections on one's own practices, considering the reasons and consequences of one's pedagogical choices, promote confidence in planning strategies and defining the most appropriate material resources for the development of a teaching and learning process in the subject of mathematics, that leads the greatest number of students to academic success.

Barriers experienced by blind public servants in a public institution in Minas Gerais

Nadir Rodrigues dos Santos — 2024-12-03

Historically, people with disabilities have had their rights neglected due to ableist attitudes. Among these rights, the right to work has long been questioned due to the mistaken association between disability and competence. Access to employment through public service entrance examinations can pose additional challenges considering the process, which may impose barriers. In this context, we conducted this qualitative research, a case study, aiming to investigate, from the perspective of visually impaired public employees working in a Federal Institution in the state of Minas Gerais, the presence of barriers influencing their job performance. Results are presented concerning two visually impaired participants who took part in semi-structured interviews, with the script elaborated by the researchers. Data were categorized and analyzed based on literature in the field. The results of this research reveal that most barriers experienced by the participants exist due to a medical model of disability still deeply rooted in current society. We identified attitudinal barriers: supervisors and colleagues still lack awareness of the full rights of people with disabilities in public service. Architectural barriers were also noticed, as well as difficulties faced by employees during the job allocation process and during probationary evaluations. Through analysis and reflections, we identified a need for public institutions to strengthen their institutional policies, contemplating actions and initiatives towards the establishment of an inclusive culture in spaces, so that employees with disabilities can be heard in their demands and can perform their duties without barriers.

Teaching braille writing and reading in emergency remote education: the effects of teacher performance

Kelly Guedes Soares — 2024-12-03

This study aims to describe the pedagogical practice in remote and in-person teaching for the instruction of reading and writing in braille for students with blindness. A qualitative study with a descriptive approach was conducted. The participants were three special education teachers working in Specialized Educational Services (AEE) who accompanied students with blindness during remote learning participated, as well as three regular education teachers from the classes where these students were enrolled and attended upon the return to in-person teaching. The research sites were three public schools in Amapá (AP). The following tools were used for data collection: a semi-structured interview script, and a form to characterize the teachers’ profile and practice. The collected data was analyzed and organized using the content analysis technique. In the first category, “Pedagogical practices in remote teaching”, the teachers’ statements consistently highlighted the use of technology-mediated activities, sent via WhatsApp, the use of slates, styluses, and low-cost concrete and recyclable materials for activities aimed at refining and enhancing tactile discrimination. In the second category, “Learning of reading and writing in braille by students with blindness in remote education”, it was observed that the students had become familiar with the Braille System, though they required more support to catch up with their peers in achieving dynamic reading and fluent writing. The third category, “Reading and writing in braille for students with blindness, according to regular education teachers after remote learning”, there was consensus regarding the delay in the literacy process, resulting from the pandemic, the blackout, and the lack of teacher training.

Formative experiences in the development of accessible resources for Braille literacy in congenitally blind children

Maria do Carmo Lobato da Silva — 2024-12-03

The present experience report entitled “Formative experiences in the construction of accessible resources for Braille literacy in congenitally blind children” aims to demonstrate the central relationship between the production of accessible teaching materials and the learning of individuals with blindness. It also addresses the development of a concept notebook to foster reading and writing skills in Braille, demonstrating that ongoing teacher training is essential for effectively using the produced tool in the literacy and writing process of individuals with blindness. Furthermore, it offers tools that enable the development of teaching based on differentiation, catering to the specific needs of all students. To achieve these objectives, we carried out the development of the pedagogical instrument concurrently with classes and courses offered to teachers in the public education system, academics, and the community at large. Thus, it was possible to continually refine the notebook and adapt it to the educational needs of the target audience. Among the results achieved, a series of activities were developed in the creation of the didactic resource using everyday materials, such as reusing containers, packaging, as well as sports and recreational materials like ping pong balls. Eventually, the completed concept notebook became part of the Course Plan of the Pedagogical Support Center for the Visually Impaired (CAP) as a tool for the institution’s courses, considering it a relevant pedagogical resource for the acquisition of essential concepts for reading and writing in Braille. Throughout the ongoing training process, the development of accessible teaching materials contributed to inclusive pedagogical practices in regular education, allowing students with blindness to access the curriculum.

Editorial - Dossiê Temático "Educação Física, Jogos e Atividades Físicas para Pessoas com Deficiência Visual"

Arlindo Fernando Paiva de Carvalho Junior — 2025-02-06

Baixa visão e Educação Física Escolar: a efetivação de práticas pedagógicas inclusivas

Paulo Clepard Silva Januario — 2025-02-06

O presente relato é fruto de planejamentos sistematizados durante três anos nas aulas de Educação Física Escolar (EFE), em uma escola pública na região metropolitana de São Paulo, no atendimento a turmas do Ensino Fundamental – Anos Iniciais. As experiências descritas ocorreram no período escolarizado do 3º ano ao 5º ano e a escola contava com uma estudante com prótese ocular e com baixa visão. As atividades foram planejadas considerando esse contexto, traçando estratégias com a equipe gestora e docente para sua efetiva participação. Para esse objetivo, a estudante e os(as) demais colegas da turma foram convidados(as) a compor os planejamentos das aulas, os quais ocorreram por meio de diferentes práticas corporais, incluindo diversificação e confecção de materiais. Nesses três anos, foi possível observar a ampliação do entendimento dos(as) estudantes acerca da diferença, da inclusão e da participação nas aulas como direito de todos(as) eles(as). A estudante com baixa visão, por sua vez, que no 3º ano evitava se aproximar dos(as) colegas nas práticas corporais, apresentou uma construção de vínculo, confiança e pertencimento, o que potencializou sua participação nas aulas de EFE e reverberou em outras atividades escolares. Dentre as diversas atividades realizadas, destacamos a sua participação nos festivais internos da escola, nas temáticas de lutas e futebol. Além disso, pontuamos a participação da família da estudante nas atividades escolares, que outrora apresentava certo distanciamento. Muitos avanços foram observados nesse período, principalmente no vínculo entre os(as) estudantes, no respeito às diferenças, nas adaptações das atividades e nas parcerias estabelecidas nos planejamentos com os(as) demais profissionais. Essa experiência reforçou a necessidade de práticas pedagógicas inclusivas e colaborativas no ambiente escolar, pois mobilizou diferentes agentes e possibilitou evidenciar que as transformações ocorrem sob um planejamento construído por diferentes mãos.

(Re)CREATE inclusive practices for people with visual impairments in physical activities and sport

Maria João Carvalheiro Campos — 2025-02-06

Despite inclusive education being a matter of human rights rather than privilege, individuals with visual impairments (VI) often experience situations of isolation and exclusion, particularly in physical and sport activities. However, their feelings towards Physical Education (PE) classes depend on the actions, beliefs, and efforts of their teachers. Specifically, when teachers treat students with VI differently from their peers, sidelining or excluding them from activities, they perpetuate negative interactions among peers, leading to debilitating feelings. These feelings are similar in the sports context, where negative experiences in PE also create apprehensions about engaging in sports and recreational activities in adulthood. Therefore, it is important that Sports and PE professionals feel prepared to include participants with VI in physical and sports activities. With the aim of contributing to the improvement of professional training and developing more equitable and inclusive sessions, we intend to present pedagogical resources that can be used to engage participants with VI in physical and sports activities, specifically the “CRIE” Inclusion Model (Campos, 2019), Lieberman and Haibach (2016) instructional strategies, guidelines for children with visual impairment (Lieberman, Cowart, 2011) and Inclusion Spectrum (Black, Stevenson, 2012). Empowering PE and sport professionals is essential to promote recognition, appreciation of differences, and the effective participation of all. In this sense, it is crucial for the professional to (RE)CREATE their practices through the implementation of facilitating resources in the inclusion of participants with visual disabilities.

Training of Physical Education teachers for teaching students with visual impairments: perceptions and experiences in the inclusive school context

Fernanda Carolina Toledo da Silva — 2025-02-06

Physical Education has been questioned on its effectiveness in being inclusive; and initial and continuing education is one of the barriers that has been pointed out by the literature in studies carried out with Physical Education teachers. The insecurities reported by these teachers influence the perceptions of competence and quality of the experience and are related both to the lack of contact with people with visual impairment during the training process and pedagogical monitoring in the context of supervised internship and to the precarious conditions of accessibility and adaptation of spaces and materials in Physical Education classes. In this context, the objective of this study is to compare the perceptions of competence and quality of experience of Physical Education teachers for the teaching of visually impaired students. The participants were 105 Physical Education teachers who work in public schools in Portugal and 72 Trainee Teachers. This is an exploratory research; and the collection of information was carried out with the application of the questionnaire Self-Efficacy for Inclusive Physical Education, Portuguese version of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Education Teacher Education Majors towards Children with Disabilities. The analysis of the information has been done with the statistical analysis software “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” (SPSS 30.0). The results showed that both Physical Education teachers and Trainee Teachers have positive self-efficacy for teaching students with visual impairment, with significant differences in the perception of the quality of the experience. It is concluded that the teaching experience lived in the school context can be influenced by structural issues, such as accessibility to class spaces and materials, but above all by the process of continuous reflection on the practice of teaching and learning. Thus, the perceptions of competence and quality of experience are positive for both Physical Education Teachers and Trainee Teachers, with significant differences when compared to the perception of the quality of the experience of Physical Education Teachers.

Teacher training in and for an inclusive perspective: making voices visible from Physical Education graduates with low vision

Michele Pereira de Souza da Fonseca — 2025-02-06

Brazilian law No. 13,409 is an important legal framework regarding the reservation of positions for students with disabilities in public higher education institutions, for the first time. In this sense, this article emerges as a part of a longitudinal research that seeks to monitor students with specific needs in the Degree in Physical Education at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). To achieve this, we are theoretically based on a broad, procedural, dialectical and endless concept of inclusion. We understand that the exclusionary history still leaves marks on teacher training and action; seeking to counter this historical trajectory, we base ourselves on elaborations on teacher training in and for an inclusive perspective. This concept seeks not only to train teachers to deal with differences in future actions, they are also considered as unique beings even during graduation. Within this context, the objective of this article is to reflect on inclusive and exclusionary situations in school Physical Education and in the teaching training of students with visual impairments actively enrolled in the Physical Education course at UFRJ. For this, semi structured interviews were used as a collection instrument, with two students with low vision who were actively enrolled in the course. From the analysis of these data, we discussed about the identification of their singularities regarding potentialities and barriers in relation to visual impairment, inclusive/exclusive situations at school and in teacher training. Dialoguing with the theoretical framework, we identified that the main barriers both in the school environment and at the university are intrinsically linked to the action of teachers who do not observe each student singularly, associated with a structure that does not consider the countless ways of being in the world.

The Practice of yoga during times of social isolation: limits and possibilities related to the life quality of individuals with visual impairment

Julia Mofati Azevedo — 2025-02-06

This study aims at acknowledging, understanding, and analyzing the possible living contributions of Yoga regarding health and life quality in an inclusive perspective, for adults and elderly with visual impairment, members of the extension project named “Pedagogical Practice of Adapted Physical Education for Disabled People”, within the social isolation context due to the Covid-19. The work discusses the several senses and meanings attributed to the practice of Yoga, based on the need to adapt/adjust to multiple resources necessary to this new context of education, such as technological accessibility, adaptation of residential spaces for classes, audio description of the activities, and the personal availability to experience the new class format. We adopt theoretical-methodological assumptions of a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive research, in pursuit of promoting direct and analytical engagement with the research field. Twelve adults and elderly people with visual impairment, from the district of Vitória, enrolled in the Adapted Physical Education Lab of the Federal University of Espírito Santo’s Physical Education and Sports Center (Laefa/Cefd/Ufes), participated in the study. To collect the data, we use analysis and investigations of field diaries, the project’s internal evaluations, and photographs and video recordings from the years of 2020 and 2021. The results indicate that practicing Yoga contributes significantly for the health and life quality of the participants, positively influencing in physical and psych emotional dimensions, favoring a greater body control, the comprehension of varied feelings caused by the pandemic and the maintenance of social interactions.

Injuries in judo athletes with visual impairment: psychological implications

Regina Brandao — 2025-02-07

Sports injuries in Paralympic judo athletes can have significant psychological implications, affecting both their mental well-being and athletic performance. Like in any sport, injuries can be painful and debilitating and result in prolonged recovery. However, these injuries can take on additional significance for Paralympic athletes as they already face additional demands due to their visual impairment. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the psychological implications of sports injuries in visually impaired judo athletes. Thirteen athletes of both genders, with an average age of 29.5±8.25 years, were evaluated through a semi-structured interview consisting of 13 questions. The interview responses were analyzed following a set of procedures that included: a) verbatim transcription of the athletes’ judo responses; b) thorough reading of the interviews to fully understand their content; c) initial selection of relevant information, using phrases and/or statements as units of analysis; d) data reduction through coding, followed by grouping of various phrases and/or statements into common analysis categories; e) validation by judges who classified each statement into a category. The results revealed five categories of responses: Physical and Functional Impact of Injuries, Psychological Impact of Injuries, Predisposition to Quitting Training, Psychological Rehabilitation, and Return to Training. Fear, frustration, anger, and sadness were the most experienced emotions. Psychological stress during the rehabilitation process, impatience for returning to training, concerns over being unable to perform previously executed movements, fear, and insecurity about experiencing a new injury, and feelings of anxiety regarding the return to competitions and performance were also reported. It can be concluded that coping with pain, uncertainty, and the pressure to return to competition can be a journey filled with emotional and psychological challenges for Paralympic judo athletes. Therefore, the psychological impact of sports injuries should not be underestimated, as it can contribute to the development of symptoms such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

Chess for people with visual impairment: knowledge from a unique day at the Benjamin Constant Institute

Arlindo Fernando Paiva de Carvalho Junior — 2025-02-07

Each relationship with others and each (de)construction of knowledge is unique and typical of everyday life and human identity and complexity. Therefore, teaching strategies are diverse and plural, created and (re)thought according to the needs and potential of students, making every day pedagogical practice rich. This text, from a qualitative perspective, based on an autobiographical narrative, seeks to present knowledge from the experience of pedagogical practices in teaching the game of chess to students with visual impairment (VI) at the Benjamin Constant Institute (IBC). This experience report aims to share, through writing, the adaptations used in the game for students with VI, including the main rules and specific strategies for teaching the game in IBC classes. These rules, as well as their respective adaptations, are presented based on the chess laws of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the International Chess Federation. The teaching strategies illustrated here are (de)constructed based on the uniqueness and identity of students with VI at IBC. It is concluded that chess is an important recreational and pedagogical tool for developing concentration and emotional balance, for creating strategies, as well as improving self-control. Furthermore, this practice helps in learning other knowledge and enables social interactions and inclusion through leisure, educational training and professionalization. It is hoped that the knowledge presented can resonate in other daily lives, disseminating chess to people with VI and contributing to the construction of more dignified, fair, and inclusive practices.

University students with visual impairments and physical activity during the covid-19 pandemic

Phelipe Lins de Moura — 2025-02-07

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted humanity’s way of life in a way that has not been seen for a long time, forcing social isolation so that contagion could be controlled. The consequences have been of various kinds, with the most notable being those affecting general health and people’s well-being. In the realm of physical activity, the closure of gyms and other sports and leisure facilities limited the maintenance of an active lifestyle during and after the pandemic. In light of that reality, this study aimed to investigate the barriers to physical activity encountered during and after the COVID-19 pandemic by visually impaired university students at the Federal University of Alagoas. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted, utilizing semi-structured interviews with students of that group. The results highlighted various challenges faced by individuals with visual impairments in maintaining an active lifestyle amid the challenging circumstances imposed by the pandemic and society. Among these were the lack of accessibility in sports facilities and transportation systems, the absence of programs aimed at individuals with disabilities, and social prejudice. Given the role of physical activity in improving mental health, increasing socialization, and promoting autonomy for individuals with visual impairments, it is imperative to ensure inclusion and accessibility in all spheres of physical activities for people with disabilities, including within university settings.