CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OF THE MUNICIPAL EDUCATION NETWORK OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ESTEIO/RS
Assistive Technology. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Autism Spectrum Disorder. Child education.
Including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in regular schools is a challenge that requires teachers' commitment and knowledge of Specialized Educational Assistance within the perspective of Inclusive Education. There are cases of children with this disorder who do not communicate orally, or their desire to communicate is
incongruent with their predisposition to speak, requiring teachers to use Assistive Technology resources to facilitate communication in other ways. Thus, this research aimed to map potential challenges perceived by teachers working in Early Childhood Education in the Municipal Education Network of Esteio/RS in implementing
Augmentative and Alternative Communication as a category of Assistive Technology for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who experience difficulties in their oral communication. The research subjects were the teachers working in Early Childhood Education in the Municipal Schools of Esteio/RS, who have students with Autism Spectrum Disorder with some difficulty in their oral communication. To achieve the proposed objectives of this study, a descriptive-exploratory, cross-sectional, qualitative, case study approach was used. The data collection instruments were semi-structured interviews and an assessment form for educators' training. Data
analysis and interpretation were conducted using content analysis, which subsequently led to the formulation of categories discussed in relation to existing literature. This study resulted in the development of Educator Training and an Orientation Guide, which is made available through a website using hypermedia systems. The Orientation Guide can serve as a guiding tool for educators working in Early Childhood Education in the municipality of Esteio/RS, contributing to inclusive educational processes.