Abstract

MINETTO, Maria de Fátima et al. Choosing the school for children with Down syndrome. Invest. Práticas [online]. 2018, vol.8, n.1, pp.75-97. ISSN 2182-1372.  https://doi.org/10.25757/invep.v8i1.153.

Schooling is a challenging phase for parents of children with Down syndrome. In this way, the research aimed to identify the criteria that subsidize parents in the choice of school for their child with DS. The method consisted of a predominantly quantitative approach that brings some qualitative aspects. We interviewed 71 families, 63 mothers, 3 parents and 5 parents, whose children are diagnosed with Down syndrome. After computing the data collected, the answers were classified into the following categories: 1) The Criteria Used in the Choice of the School of the Child; 2) School and its Advantages; 3) School and its Disadvantages. The results pointed out that 47% of the parents who chose the special school pointed out the specialized services offered as an advantage, while, among parents who chose the regular school, 27% did so for believing in the best development. In the comparison of the socio-demographic data with the choice of the regular school, there was a significant association with the mother's schooling. It was also clear that parents who opted for regular school were more familiar with the legislation. It is concluded that there are multiple factors that influence the decision of parents and that facilities with regard to daily routine and safety have great influence.

Keywords : Down Syndrome; Inclusion; Special School; Regular School.

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