Accessibility policies and the inclusion of people with disabilities: the case of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro.
Keywords: Higher Education, Nucleus of Accessibility and Inclusion, People with Disabilities
The following study was realized at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) with the objective of analyzing its accessibility and inclusion policies and identifying the support offered by UFRRJ to guarantee the effective participation of students with disabilities in classroom, research and extension activities through the Nucleus of Accessiblity and Inclusion (NAI). For this study, we engaged with the current legislation as well as theoretical references, such as Paulo Freire (1997), Cabral e Melo (2017), Melo e Araújo (2018), Lima e Cabral (2020), Pletsch (2020, 2020b) Rabelo (2020), among others. Methodologically, this study employs descriptive qualitative methods, using a semi-structured questionnaire among NAI faculty and staff and among students it supports. The results reveal the various sides of inclusion in higher education, as well as the challenges and prospects of accessibility for people with disabilities in this stage of education. They also show the importance of the Nucleus of Accessibility and Inclusion at UFRRJ as an organ that has assumed a leadership role in promoting policies of accessibility and inclusion, as well as offering educational support to people with disabilities enrolled in this institution of higher education.