SPECIALIZED EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AND AUTISM: AN APPROACH TO EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES

Abstract

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a high prevalence, resulting in an increase in cases of these students in schools settings. In this context, there are gaps about pedagogical practices that teachers can use in the intervention with these pupils, since the official government documents of special education lacks of guidelines of pedagogical practice for specialized teachers in educational institutions. This research aimed to report the interventions carried out in a Specialized Educational Service (SES) with students with ASD to analyze their theoretical foundations and consider them in the light of a set of practices that present evidence of effectiveness, so called, Evidence-Based Practices (EBP). The sample included 8 students diagnosed with ASD, enrolled in the regular school system in the state of [ANONYMOUS DATA], who attended Specialized Educational Services (SES) at [ANONYMOUS DATA]. Using footage and transcripts of the sessions, the actions of the teacher during the SES were analyzed through the Problematization Methodology, identifying problem situations in order to seek the theoretical elements that underlie them. The results show eight different types of practices related to EBP, which were conceptualized regarding their theoretical principles and reported as vignettes to take account the context the way it were originally developed. The identification and description of these intervention strategies can assist teachers in choosing pedagogical methodologies for students with autism in the Specialized Educational Service.