THE ACCESS FOR STUDENT WITH VISUAL DISABILITY TO HIGHER EDUCATION: ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL EXAMINATION (ENEM) MICRODATES

Abstract

The National High School Examination (ENEM) is the main instrument of access to Brazilian higher education, and its results are also used by public policies for state-subsidised places. The aim of this study was to analyze the promotion from high school to higher education of students with visual impairments, through the analysis of ENEM microdata from the 2017 and 2018 editions. Based on the descriptive research methodology, with a quantitative approach, the present study assessed and analyzed the participation, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and the performance of people with visual impairments (PwVI) in the exam compared to participants without disabilities, in order to identify vulnerabilities in the access of PwVI to higher education. The results showed the low participation of PwVI in the exam, in addition to the fact that they have lower family income, older age, less female participation and less concentration in the South and Southeast regions in relation to participants without disabilities. The performance analysis points out that PwDs had similar results to people without disabilities, thus demystifying the concept of disability related to PwD. However, the results varied according to the severity of the disability, signaling possible accessibility issues in the exam, thus harming participants with more severe visual impairment. It was concluded that the educational policies of access to higher education, which use the ENEM score, do not apply to part of this population, excluded from the benefits of higher education subsidised by the State.