The inclusion of children with Down Syndrome in mainstream education: challenges and possibilities

O estudo teve como objetivo buscar evidências na literatura acerca da inclusão de crianças com Síndrome de Down na rede regular de ensino. Elaboraram-se revisão da literatura e busca dos artigos nas bases de dados PubMed e PsycINFO, utilizando as palavras-chave Down syndrome, schools, mainstreaming (education), education, infant, newborn, adolescent, child e preschool, no período de 1994 a 2007. Selecionaram-se oito artigos e sua análise permitiu a identificação do tema: experiências e recomendações para a inclusão. Os dados desta revisão, em sua maioria provenientes de relatos de experiências, indicaram que os fatores que colaboraram ou dificultaram o processo de inclusão da criança com síndrome de Down na rede regular de ensino relacionaram-se à escola, aos pais e ao professor. Os resultados deste estudo oferecem possibilidades para melhorar o processo de inclusão, apresentam os desafios e ainda apontam a necessidade do desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas, cujos resultados possam ser aplicados na prática.This study aimed to look for evidence in the literature about the inclusion of children with Down syndrome into the regular education system. A review of the literature was undertaken, looking for articles in PubMed and PsycINFO, using the keywords Down syndrome, schools, mainstreaming (education), education, infant, newborn, adolescent, child, and preschool, between 1994 and 2007. Eight articles were selected. The analysis of the articles enabled us to identify the following theme: experiences and recommendations for inclusion. Data from this review, which mostly resulted from experience reports, indicated that the factors that either collaborated with or made the inclusion process of the child with Down syndrome into the regular education network more difficult were related to the school itself, the parents and the teacher. The results of this study offer possibilities for improving the inclusion process, while also presenting the challenges and indicating the need for further research, the results of which have practical applications