Professional development of Natural Sciences teachers on Assistive Technology: convergences and divergencies

Abstract

This study has as a general objective to characterize Natural Sciences teachers’ comprehension on Assistive Technologies (AT), in a way to point out possible implications for educational processes involving students with disabilities in the curricular components of this area of knowledge. This research had a qualitative scope and opted for the use of questionnaires with open and closed questions as the instrument for data collection. The analysis of the perceptions derived from written narratives applied to 10 Natural Sciences teachers who work in a public federal institution in the south of the country. The Textual Discourse Analysis (TDA) was the instrument of analysis. The data analyzed pointed out a detachment in relation to AT discussions in the professional development of Nature Science teachers, even if the participants interpret it as responsible for the solution of possible problems that they may face in the classroom.