PARAPROFESSIONAL AS MEDIATOR OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

All students have the potential to develop and for inclusive education, support is needed for schooling to occur with quality, including the paraprofessional or caregiver to take care of the food, hygiene and transportation of students with multiple disabilities or who have a profile of greater commitment. The objective of this qualitative descriptive research is to discuss the possibilities of the caregiver of students with disabilities as a mediator of Assistive Technology (AT) in the school context. A questionnaire was applied to 46 caregivers who worked in elementary schools. Participant observation was carried out in two schools and semi-structured interviews with caregivers. At the end, a focus group was held, with 13 participants. The data were analyzed by content analysis and gave rise to five categories: Mediation of AT in feeding activities, Mediation of AT in locomotion situations and attention to the positioning of students to participate in school activities, Mediation of AT in hygiene activities, Mediation of AT in communicative interactions and AT that enhance human development: strategies and practical applications of AT in collaborative partnership with teachers and other professionals.