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Accessible School Furniture and Appropriate Technology Renata Eyer

Educação Inclusiva no Brasil 1 Banco Mundial – Cnotinfor Portugal

1.1. Accessible School Furniture and Appropriate Technology

A Contribution to Inclusive Teaching

Mady by: Renata Mattos Eyer de Araujo

This work on Accessible School Furniture and Appropriate Technology was developed from data and information gathered by the Instituto Helena Antipoff - IHA, a body linked to the Municipal Education Department responsible for special education, by the Centro de Vida Independente of Rio de Janeiro – CVI-Rio, an NGO providing services to disabled people, and by field research among professionals and beneficiaries in schools in the municipal system. This study was based on observations taken from reports on relevant experiences.

The Federal Constitution of Brazil guarantees the right of all the population to education, without any discrimination. Under Brazilian law the disabled pupil is considered in special education as a pupil with “special educational needs”.

“By special education, as specified in Law n0 9.394/96, of 20 December 1996 and Decree n0 3.298, of 20 December 1999, we mean an educational process defined on a pedagogical proposal that provides special educational resources organised institutionally to support, complement, supplement and, in some cases, substitute the common educational services, in such a way as to guarantee school education and promote the development of the potential of pupils with special educational needs in all stages and types of basic education.” (MEC - Ministry of Education and Culture, 2001)

With regard to disabled people, current legislation establishes their right to be educated preferentially in the regular schooling system, next to the other pupils in the “normal” schools whenever possible. The legislation considers that the schools should be ready to receive all pupils no matter what their specific characteristics and specifies technical help for this purpose. But the legislation does not specifically refer to school furniture as being a resource to be matched to the needs of inclusion.

“To eliminate the culture of school exclusion and put into effect the proposals and actions for the education of pupils with special educational needs it is necessary to use a consensual language that, based on the new paradigms, uses the following concepts:

1. Special education: A type of school education; educational process defined on a pedagogic proposal, guaranteeing a set of special educational resources and services, organised institutionally to support, complement, supplement and, in some cases, substitute the common educational services, in such a way as to guarantee school education and promote the development of the potential of pupils with special educational needs in all stages and types of basic education.

Renata Eyer Accessible School Furniture and Appropriate Technology

2 Educação Inclusiva no Brasil Banco Mundial – Cnotinfor Portugal

2. Pupils who present special educational needs are those who, during the educational process, show:

2.1. Accentuated learning difficulties or limitations in the development process that make it difficult for them to keep up with curricular activities. These difficulties and limitations are divided into two groups:

2.1.1. those not connected to any specific organic cause; 2.1.2. those related to conditions, dysfunctions, limitations or

disabilities. 2.2 Difficulties in communication and signalling that are different

from those of other pupils, requiring adaptations for access to the curriculum with the use of applicable language and codes;

2.3 High levels of skills / very gifted pupils, extreme ease of learning that enables them to rapidly master concepts and procedures. As these pupils are able to go into these contents in greater depth and detail they should receive supplementary challenges in the common class, a resource room or in other spaces defined by the inclusive teaching system to finish the school stage in a shorter time.

3. Inclusion: Representing an advance in relation to the school integration movement, that was based on disabled people making adjustments so that they could participate in the educational process undertaken at common schools, inclusion postulates a restructuring of the educational system, with a structural change being made to regular teaching with the objective of making the school inclusive, a democratic space where everyone can work, irrespective of race, class, gender or personal characteristics, and being based on the principle that diversity should not just be accepted but should be desired.” (MEC-2001)

The National Education Plan was approved in 2001 and this envisages the generalisation of taking care of pupils with special needs in infant and primary teaching levels within 10 years. The Plan also sets out the objective of offering special educational services to all children and young people who need them.

“This policy objective covers both: the social context, with the recognition of special children, young people and adults as citizens with the right to be as fully integrated in society as possible; and the educational context, with regard to administrative aspects (making the school area, equipment and teaching material suitable), and the qualification of teachers of other professionals involved. The entire school environment must be made aware of the issues involved so that full integration can be achieved. We propose an integrating school, one that is inclusive and open to diversity in its pupils and one in which the participation of the community is an essential factor. With regard to special schools, under the inclusion policy they are to be re-directed to provide support for the integration programmes.” National Education Plan –Federal Law nº. 10.172 , of 9 January 2001.

In this way it is not the pupil who is moulded or adapted to the school but rather it is the school, aware of its function, which makes itself suitable for the pupil, presenting an



inclusive space. In this context, special education is designed in such a way that pupils with “special educational needs” can reach the objectives of general education.

The standardising bodies for school facilities and furniture do not have specific recommendations for special teaching. The Brazilian Technical Standards Association (“Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas” – ABNT) 1994 technical standard NBR 9050: Accessibility of Disabled People to Urban Buildings, Space, Furniture and Facilities establishes standards for making accesses to buildings in general, physical spaces, furniture and urban equipment/facilities suitable for disabled people. This standard does not deal specifically with school furniture but defines conditions for the accessibility of disabled people that can be considered as references for projects in this area.

The school space, including furniture, should be prepared in such a way as to receive all pupils, offering favourable conditions where pupils – future citizens – can learn, exchange views and interact with each other. It is fundamental that this space should be thought out in such a way that it allows inclusion, making it feasible to receive and welcome pupils of all different physical forms, with different ways of expressing themselves, of communicating, of learning, .... treating them all equally as individuals, with respect and dignity, as foreseen in the legislation.

The situations involving disabled people are unusual, sometimes uncomfortable. Normally in such situations we see prejudice and discrimination, reflecting a society that excludes differences rather than recognising similarities.

The experiences lived in the municipal schools present initiatives for inclusion that strengthen the belief that we are really involved in this process but that we do not yet have inclusive spaces in the full sense of the term.

1.1.1. ACCESSIBLE SCHOOL FURNITURE

According to a document brought out by the Brazilian Centre for School Constructions and Equipment (“Centro Brasileiro de Construções e Equipamentos Escolares” – CEBRACE) in 1978, school furniture is defined as several sets of elements:

1. For working and sitting – school desks, seats, tables, work-tops.

2. For storage – objects for keeping and storing materials, such a cupboards and bookcases. In pre-school furniture this set is also considered as a support unit for teaching tasks, also taking on functions such as displaying materials.

3. For display – elements that are set up vertically, blackboards, wall charts, projection screens, easels, etc.

In 1997, ABNT published technical standards NBR 14006 and NBR 14007. The former sets out the standards for the types and dimensions of school seats and desks and the latter fixes the minimum conditions for ordering, manufacturing and supplying school seats and desks. These are used in all schools throughout Brazil, except in the special schools.

School furniture is sized taking collective use into consideration, without considering the specific nature of the public it is to be used by. Its definition has followed an average standard although this reference is abstract and arbitrary.

Furniture has evolved in parallel with the changes in teaching methods used. Historically, the teacher was the focus of the educational system and everything that took place in the school area reflected this. Today we have a system where the classroom is conceived as a joint exercise area, where teachers and pupils proceed together.



Therefore, static scenarios based on fixed desks set out in rows have given rise to furniture that can be used in a dynamic way, more suited to integrated and inclusive teaching.

The elimination of physical barriers and making access easier are vitally important for allowing physical spaces to be fully used by all individuals, such as the elderly, pregnant women, obese people, people with heart conditions, and children, whether they are pupils, teachers and/or family members. The Universal Design, used by architects and designers, recommends the prior preparation of an accessibility study as part of each and every project, whether a building or an item of furniture, so that the final design will be fully inclusive.

Aspects related to furniture and pedagogical materials are of fundamental importance for rendering feasible the pupil’s presence in the school. When we are dealing with disabled pupils, who do not conform to standards, their autonomy in all locations depends on the equipment and auxiliary objects available for their use.

1.1.2. APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

In the words of the Information Centre ICTA (1988), that works with International Rehabilitation organisations and the Institute for the Handicapped, of the Sweden, Appropriate Technology “is that which adds to a particular situation in which it will be used, satisfies people’s need, can be developed on site at the time needed using local resources, and does not cost more that the community can afford.” This technology, produced through using so-called appropriate techniques, takes social, economic and cultural aspects into consideration, as well as the technical aspects, when dealing with disabled people and their environment.

In Werner’s opinion (1998) “appropriate technical help can make a great difference in terms of personal determination, social integration and survival. However, to create appropriate equipment, we need to work with the disabled person. We must consider the unique combination represented by this person with respect to his/her experiences, wishes, opportunities, income and motivation, as well as the possibilities provided by that person and the environment. The design must vary according to local resources, cost, accessibility, means of transport to school or work, as well as support systems and the family and the community”.

In Rio de Janeiro, the Independent Life Centre (“Centro de Vida Independente”) of Rio de Janeiro – CVI-Rio, in partnership with the Arts & Design Department of Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro – PUC-Rio, has for about 13 years been developing projects for auxiliary objects to help disabled people. The increase in demand for these personalised objects led to the creation of the Independent Life Workshop, an example of the facilities that works on the development of appropriate technology.

Another example is the Educative Action Technical Help Workshop of the Instituto Helena Antipoff – IHA, the work of which with the municipal system pupils has been helped by the advice of CVI-Rio for many years. The direct experience of this institution with disabled people in the development of objects provided the foundations for the workshop and the assistance given to guide, indicate and manufacture the specific equipment made for each case.



1.1.3. THE EXPERIENCES OF RIO DE JANEIRO MUNICIPALITY

Today the Rio de Janeiro municipal education system has about 1039 schools, distributed throughout ten education coordinating regions (“coordenadorias regionais de educação” – CREs), divided by geographical zones within the municipality and linked directly to the Municipal Education Department.

Among these schools there are 10 special schools, one in each region, except in the 1st and 6th CREs where there are no special schools and in the 2nd and 8th CRE’s, where there are currently 2 special schools in each region.

Image 1 - Map of Rio de Janeiro municipality divided by CREs

The coordinating regions are responsible for the areas covered by the following districts:

1st CRE – Praça Mauá, Gambôa, Santo Cristo, Caju, Centro, Cidade Nova, Bairro de Fátima, Estácio, Santa Teresa, Rio Comprido, São Cristóvão, Catumbi, Mangueira, Benfica, and Paquetá;

2nd CRE – Glória, Flamengo, Laranjeiras, Catete, Urca, Cosme Velho, Botafogo, Humaitá, Praia Vermelha, Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, Rocinha, Vidigal, Gávea, Leblon, Jardim Botânico, Alto da Boa Vista, Horto, Tijuca, Praça da Bandeira, Vila Isabel, Andaraí and Grajaú;

3rd CRE – Higienópolis, Engenho Novo, Rocha, Riachuelo, Del Castilho, Méier, Maria da Graça, Inhaúma, Engenho da Rainha, Tomás Coelho, Bonsucesso, Piedade, Sampaio, Jacaré, Cachambi, Todos os Santos, Pilares, Lins, Engenho de Dentro, Água Santa, Encantado, Abolição, Jacarezinho and Alemão;

4th CRE – Manguinhos, Bonsucesso, Ramos, Olaria, Vila da Penha, Brás de Pina, Cordovil, Parada de Lucas, Vigário Geral, Jardim América and Ilha do Governador;

5th CRE – Vicente Carvalho, Vila Kosmos, Vila da Penha, Irajá, Vista Alegre, Vaz Lobo, Colégio, Marechal Hermes, Rocha Miranda, Turiaçu, Oswaldo Cruz, Bento Ribeiro, Guadalupe, Madureira, Honório Gurgel, Campinho, Quintino, Cavalcante and Cascadura;

6th CRE – Parque Anchieta, Anchieta, Ricardo de Albuquerque, Guadalupe, Acari, Coelho Neto, Irajá, Honório Gurgel, Costa Barros, Pavuna and Barros Filho;

7th CRE – Jacarepaguá, Taquara, Cidade de Deus, Freguesia, Rio das Pedras, Tanque, Curicica, Pechincha, Praça Seca, Vila Valqueire, Barra da Tijuca, Itanhangá, Vargem pequena, Vargem Grande and Recreio dos Bandeirantes;



8th CRE – Guadalupe, Deodoro, Padre Miguel, Bangu, Senador Camará, Jabour, Santíssimo, Guilherme da Silveira, Vila Kenedy, Vila Militar, Jardim Sulacap; Magalhães Bastos and Realengo;

9th CRE – Inhoaíba, Campo Grande, Cosmos, Santíssimo, Augusto Vasconcelos, and Benjamin Dumont;

10th CRE – Santa Cruz, Paciência, Cosmos, São Fernando, Guaratiba, Ilha de Guaratiba, Barra de Guaratiba, Pedra de Guaratiba, Sepetiba and Jardim Maravilha.

Looking after disabled pupils - special education, is the responsibility of the Instituto Helena Antipoff (IHA), linked to the Municipal Education Department. The IHA, is a point of reference for special education and is represented in all the CREs through a set of teachers organised in teams, distributed by regions, and by groups of travelling teachers, linked to the CREs, who accompany the pupils in the schools and resource rooms, communicating directly with the class teachers and families as part of the integration process. Each travelling teacher monitors about 5 pupils.

Depending on their characteristics and needs the pupils are directed to the schools following the classification given below:

Pupils with hearing disability (“deficiência auditiva” - DA);

Pupils with physical disability (“deficiência física” - DF);

Gifted pupils (“altas habilidades” - (AH);

Pupils with typical behaviour (“condutas típicas” - (CT);

Mentally retarded pupils (“retardo mental” - RM);

Pupils with visual disabilities (“deficiência visual” - DV);

Pupils with multiple deficiencies (“deficiência múltipla” - DMU).

The formation of classes follows the criteria and rules established in the annual class formation decrees issued by the General Education Department (E/DGED).

School furniture is supplied to municipal schools by contracted companies through a bidding process. Distribution is made to schools making requests according to current rules and in the ages of the pupils. The special schools do not receive any type of special furniture. There is no distinction between furniture for regular schools and that for special schools. All the material is standardised.

For special education teachers, basic school furniture is the wheel chair or, in the case of infant education, the floor.

The posture, or the positioning of the chair is very important for concentration and pupils depend much on this for the alignment of their bodies and their stability. For example, all pupils whose feet are unsupported become distracted, wasting a large amount of energy that is necessary for concentration. This situation is found very frequently in classroom with children who are not disabled as well as those who are. The furniture in classrooms is, therefore, very often unsuitable for any child.

In the schools visited we observed the dynamics of the use of school space and we heard the views of pupils, teachers, coordinators, headmasters and family members. The stories we heard enabled us to identify some examples of school furniture and appropriate technology solutions adopted by educators in classroom routine.



“Doing this with love is what makes the difference.” A teacher. We visited nine schools in the municipal system. Two of these were special schools

and the others were regular ones, with integrated pupils and special classes.

The choice of furniture for the classrooms, be these regular, special or resource rooms, involves using the material offered by the Administration and specifying needs in accordance with the characteristics of the class that occupies that space, with that material being used as available. Teachers who have pupils in wheel chairs prefer to make arrangements involving the teachers’ tables. These are higher and allow the wheel chair to fit under them. The teachers use one of the pupils’ tables, even though these are lower.

Another important school activity that is of concern for school inclusion is feeding.

“In the school the physically disabled have a barrier (to eating) that is worse than the ramp for their wheel chairs. They don’t eat in the school because the nutritionist recommends that the meat should be just lightly cooked to stimulate chewing but this food is impossible for disabled pupils. They don’t have lunch in the school.” A teacher.

Refectory furniture is similar to that in the class rooms and is not suitable for wheel chairs. Tables for basic education and for teachers are too high for infant wheel chairs. In furniture for infant education the table is too low and the wheel chairs cannot be adapted to it.



1.1.3.1. Special SCHOOLS “Responsible for educational work with pupils with special

educational needs who require a large number of physical, material and curricular adaptations, as well as support staff, for their locomotion and hygiene.”(Special Education – Education Department of the City of Rio de Janeiro)

For a long time the special school was considered as the only option for disabled pupils as it was not believed that it was possible to have productive classes when these pupils mixed with non-disabled ones. Class sizes in special schools vary from 1 pupil up to a maximum of 6 or 8 pupils.

Some of the adaptations made initially for specific pupils have today been assimilated by teachers and are found in all class rooms.

Some examples of objects now in common use include the inclined surface, sometimes magnetised, tables with dark tops that contrast with paper, making it easier for pupils with sub-normal vision to read, and lateral wings on desks that make it more difficult for pupils to knock objects such as pencils or paper onto the floor with involuntary movements. Dark table tops, in addition to facilitating reading by children with vision differences, also bring comfort and safety.

The inclined surface is made of cardboard and can be made with the size and slope

desired. Putting a magnetised board on the inclined surface allows the use of magnetised letters and makes it easier to fix paper and other items. Cardboard is a resource used frequently also for floor chairs, “U” shaped tables, and other things.



Solutions such as these that have been adopted and used were observed in several

schools in the municipality, being useful for both disabled children and non-disabled ones. It is not only the disabled child who benefits from these solutions. By breaking the prejudice that limits objects to a specific public we can define a more inclusive school space.

1.1.3.2. Regular schoolS “To believe that a disabled pupil cannot participate in a regular

class room is common sense, opinions have to be changed.” A teacher. The pupil in the next photograph, who attends a regular class, was provided with

special furniture, including a smaller table and chair. Even in the regular class he has been given “special” treatment. Nevertheless, the table is still too high for this pupil. In this class we could observe other pupils, not disabled, with unsuitable furniture and some did not have their feet on the floor, which is bad for their concentration and learning.

The solution might be to use the same size of table and chair as used by other pupils

with a box of some kind to support the pupil’s feet and a cushion to distribute body weight. The cushion would raise the body and keep it in a suitable position for writing at the table. This solution would use the same furniture as used by the other pupils.

The concepts of integration and inclusion are frequently confused. We can see this even in the legislation. The inclusion process has not yet been concluded. Integration is “being together” while inclusion is “being a part of”.

In the schools, people speak essentially about integration, about integrated pupils and pupils with “special educational needs”. However, in regular classes these pupils are still treated differently. In some cases the mother stays with the pupil during the time he/she is at school.



During the classes, the mother and the class mate sitting alongside helps the pupil,

putting some auxiliary objects on the table such as the inclined surface with magnetised letters, pens and paper. The girl uses her mouth to line up letters on the magnetised inclined surface and to secure the pen and draw, circle sentences and join points.

1.1.3.3. Regular schools with special classes “Regular school facilitates socialisation.” A teacher.

The so-called multi-series special classes are considered as one of the alternatives to inclusive education. Under this system the “pupils with special educational needs” have the possibility of sharing other activities provided by the school with the other pupils.

“Attendance in special classes can be transitory or permanent, and the pupils’ integration in regular classes will occur whenever the teacher in charge, together with the intermediate and central level teams, believes that the educational benefits of these classes will meet the pupils’ special needs. They will, therefore, see to the curricular changes that each pupil needs.” (Special Education – Education Department of the City of Rio de Janeiro)

In this example, the teacher set up 5 tables of the type supplied for teachers’ use because these are high and allow wheel chairs to fit underneath.

Even so, it was necessary for the teacher herself to make some other changes. On one of the tables, see photo below, she raised the feet of the table using wooden blocks and adhesive tape to raise the table height a bit more to allow a wheel chair with larger wheels to fit underneath.



It was also necessary to remove the wooden structure and a metal bar from the lower

part of the table to increase the access space for the wheel chair.

Both the inclined surface and the “U” shaped table for wheel chairs can be made out of cardboard by the teacher herself.



In the “integration” process the disabled pupil attends regular class rooms, where the

workshops are held, accompanied by the class teacher.

In addition to this furniture the special classes have specific objects such as “U”

shaped tables and magnetised boards.

Na foto a menina está usando uma mesa em “U” de madeira acoplada à cadeira de

rodas.



The table seen on the right was made by a teacher using materials and resources

available at the locale - rubber boards stuck together and cut with a knife – to meet a pupil’s needs.

The set of furniture elements for keeping and displaying items is set up at the correct height for children in infant education, including wheel chair users.

We saw lots of examples of adaptations and adjustments made by teachers, such as

table legs cut down to the right height and the transformation of two chairs into one with an arm.

As another example of accessible school furniture we have the “U” shaped table of adjustable height and inclination, seen in the photograph below. This can be used in a regular class by any child or with a wheel chair, as seen in the photograph below.



“There is nothing that you do in a disabled class that affects all of

them, all work is personalised, their ages are different even. While I am working with one of them, sometimes, two, I tell the others to pay attention because what I say to one is useful to the others.” A teacher.

In some classrooms the work also takes place on carpets on the floor.



When it is necessary to use tables, the teacher positions the pupil in the school chair with a seat and back. Without these he would not be able to sit properly.

1.1.3.4. Resource room “You have to always be daring” A teacher.

The objective of the resource room is to expand on the knowledge brought from the class room that stimulates the development and learning of the disabled pupils, while taking the specific aspects of each pupil into consideration. The resource room is not always in the school itself and mobility problems can make it difficult for pupils to attend.

“It is difficult for the teacher to make adaptations; there isn’t enough class room time to do everything.” A teacher.

Attendance in the resource room takes place at a different time from regular classes and can be done individually or in small groups.

In the resource room the teacher attends to the pupil, trying to make him/her more independent.



In this resource room, the teacher realised that the pupil was interested in music and

therefore he used this theme as a motivation for the pupil to develop several other activities. The solution to allow the pupil to be able to operate the CD player was to put the equipment on an infant’s school chair. The results obtained in the resource room are amplified in the class room as the pupil takes what he has developed into his everyday life.

“I have had to break down opinions that I have had about a class and then when I have been working with pupils with special needs, I have had to break down the opinion that I had about the pupil.” A teacher.

The photographs above show a solution for a computer mouse with three coloured buttons for the commands and two rollers that allow the cursor to be moved up/down and to the sides separately. A piece of cardboard was used to incline the keyboard.



The pupil uses a chair made from two others, making a chair like those of other pupils

except it has an arm. Another person helps him into his wheel chair. Out of choice he loses his independence of movement.

To use the computer independently, the pupil passes to the common chair, and uses an adapted mouse and inclined keyboard.

1.1.4. INSTITUTO HELENA ANTIPOFF - TECHNICAL HELP WORKSHOP FOR EDUCATIVE ACTION

The Technical Help Workshop for Educative Action, part of the Instituto Helena Antipoff, evaluates disabled pupils in the municipal system by carrying out individual examinations. The pupils are then directed to “regular” or special classes, with the equipment necessary for each pupil being indicated. When necessary, adaptations are made to the equipment.

The Workshop was created with the objective of providing a space with adapted equipment, furniture, toys and instruments to let pupils try out various possibilities and changes. The Workshop seeks to redefine strategies and resources for the development and



learning of physically disabled pupils, particularly those with cerebral lesions, enrolled in the municipal education system.

Attendance to pupils during Workshop assessment.

1.1.5. CVI – INDEPENDENT LIFE WORKSHOP

The Independent Life Workshop is one of the services offered by CVI-Rio. There, assisting technology objects are developed on the basis of the disabled person’s own motivation to carry out a certain activity with greater independence using the material, labour and technology available locally.

In this workshop the following type of items are developed and manufactured: hand adapters, walking frames, body frames and items for posture improvement including moulded cushions, rigid seats, back supports and head support cushions.

Hand adapters



Walking frames

Moulded cushion

1.1.6. PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CVI-RIO WORKSHOP AND IHA

In 1993 the Instituto Helena Antipoff established a partnership with the CVI-Rio to develop a project for the inclusion of disabled pupils in the regular education system.

Throughout the intervening years several stages have been carried out. Initially a survey was carried out to identify the children to be attended to. A course on the making of objects was given to municipal teachers. A large number of pupils in the municipality have been attended to by the CVI-Rio team, brought by travelling teachers, or by their families, for the making of personalised items. During the assessment by the CVI-Rio many children have been fitted out with auxiliary objects and personal adaptations have been carried out.

The work has included giving directions to users, in accordance with their needs and wishes, for using the appropriate equipment in the correct position, many with regard to writing and independent locomotion.

The CVI-Rio has also directed the IHA team with respect to the project for setting up the Technical Help Workshop, indicating the best equipment and resources for the experimental room as well as giving advice on the buying of suitable equipment and materials, specifying and illustrating these and giving the contacts of the suppliers. The Independent Life Workshop has made objects to be used in the Technical Help Workshop during the advice period. The children attended have received advice for the acquisition of equipment and have



been directed to specialised services. These assessments have generated a series of equipment requests. Some of these objects have been manufactured in the Independent Life Workshop – CVI-Rio.

During the assessments, auxiliary objects were requested for wheel chairs, for school

chairs and for equipment used in the school.

As the focus of the project was the classroom where the pupil should find suitable

conditions for development, it was necessary to visit schools to try out the materials to be used there.

In attending to disabled pupils the most important thing is to listen, because each of them has their own potential, needs and ideas. It is necessary to be attentive and receptive to interact at all times, seeking solutions for each new situation.



The pupil in the photographs above has a motor problem that prevents her from

lifting her arm and using the classroom furniture. The solution found to enable her to remain next to the other pupils was for the Independent Life Workshop to make a moulded cushion, back support, lap board and foot support.

1.1.6.1. National Initiatives – Technical Help Portal In August 2002, at the Instituto Helena Antipoff no Rio de Janeiro, the Special

Education Department of the Ministry of Education held the 2nd Technical Meeting on the Disabled with the objective of preparing documents to back up the teaching systems. Invitations to participate were sent to representatives of schools, physical disability associations, universities and technical institutes all over Brazil. Divided into groups, these participants produced the following documents: a technical help catalogue, a project for providing teachers with skills and a Reference Centre for physically disabled people.

This initiative of the Ministry of Education promoted a debate on how technical help and equipment can facilitate the presence of the disabled pupil in the school context and promote the child’s development. Another subject tackled was how to present teachers with solutions found to everyday problems. The work group responsible for the technical help catalogue produced a document containing the basic structure for publication. This document was the basis for a series of catalogues containing different examples of technical help: Technical Help Portal – special equipment and pedagogic material for the education of disabled people, providing them with skills and items for their recreational needs.

The publication has three parts. The final one is a list of ideas covering a range of technical help areas: adapted pedagogic resources, hand adaptors, computer related items, adapted furniture, mobility and resources for alternative communication.

The first volume was launched at the end of 2002 with adapted pedagogic resources for infant education, teaching of mathematics, logical reasoning and reading and writing. Other volumes are planned to be published this year.

This material should motivate those educators who believe in the potential of their pupils who have ideas and who would like to make them possible. The purpose is to support these professionals through the presentation of actual objects and real examples.



1.1.7. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Inclusion is a process set in motion and fed on a daily basis by each citizen when we recognise, respect and live with differences.

Discussions and reflections on inclusive schooling and how this can be achieved are fundamental when thinking about accessible school furniture. The fundamental aspects provide the basis for the review of designs and the establishment of new standards that take account of differences with the flexibility necessary for actions that consider individuals and the overall picture.

Individual actions should be made known to everyone so that they can be copied, changed, and strengthened for everyday use.

The beliefs, thinking and actions of each individual modify society and its values and, in turn, society defines behaviour and gives continuity to the movement for change.

Furniture cannot be taken care of without knowledge of the entire school environment or without considering the relations between people and between people and their environment. It is not enough for furniture to be accessible, the school space must be planned and organised in such a way as to receive and welcome everyone - it must be truly accessible.

We have not yet reached the situation where school inclusion is generalised but we can see through several individual initiatives that the process is alive and making progress.

To what extent are the physical barriers the fruit of emotional barriers? To consider this type of issue we need to examine accessibility to collective spaces and, before this, question the accessibility to our hearts when recognising and accepting differences.

If we are internally capable of recognising and welcoming individual aspects, accepting differences, with the flexibility that is inherent to life, we are capable of developing inclusive thinking. Following that we are capable of designing objects from the exchanging and sharing relations that man is capable of and that determine his actions in relation to the environment. Thus we build the form from building ourselves.

In the evolution of school furniture we have an example of this collective movement towards the individual since the design of these objects has been modified as the teaching process has evolved, being established with the pupils and individual discoveries over time.

Furniture design operates in harmony with society’s values that also include pedagogical beliefs and principles.

Conceptually the essential furniture for any pupil in school is a place to sit, taking into account his/her size and the correct posture in order to allow the pupil to pay attention and to concentrate, and a place to write. If the furniture is accessible this facilitates mobility and helps to eliminate barriers, whether external physical ones or internal emotional ones.

What determines school furniture design is the school itself - and its function, purpose and operation. Established human values determine the actions involving man and objects in space. In this way these objects are defined by these values and by this system of actions.

To design the form of these objects we must recognise the reality of the schools and the practices of the teachers and the pupils. It is possible that each region, in accordance with its ethnic, cultural, social and anthropometric characteristics requires a different design or adaptation.

The survey carried out in the schools with disabled pupils highlighted two types of furniture, principally that to be used by the physically disabled: equipment for individual use and equipment for collective use.



Equipment for personal use must be acquired by the person him/herself in accordance with his/her possibilities and wishes. Its use is exclusive, with the auxiliary objects for standard wheel chairs and walking frames being chosen specifically for that person.

The indication of the type of equipment should be made by people who know what kinds of material are available and, together with the user, can identify and suggest the appropriate equipment, giving information and clarifying the reasons for making such a suggestion. The decision regarding the final choice should be the user’s. There should be a logistical structure to facilitate the obtaining and distribution of individual equipment. An example of this is the partnership of the Municipal Education Department of Rio de Janeiro and the Municipal Health Department for the distribution of wheel chairs.

The essential objects for collective use are those that allow pupils to sit and work, such as chairs and tables, including wheel chairs. It should be possible to join these to the furniture. We do not include fixed furniture, where the table and chair constitute just one part, in this.

The presence of equipment such as wheel chairs and walking frames in class rooms should be planned for in the designing of spaces and other teaching equipment. It should also be considered in the rules for the approval of school furniture, making these accessible to all pupils, disabled and non-disabled, in the school space.

From the observations made in the field it is possible to think of furniture built with rounded edges where the elements are independent and can be joined together if necessary. The support for school work (table) should be high enough to allow a wheelchair to fit underneath and should also contrast with paper to facilitate visibility.

With the school spaces made accessible and with the collective use elements prepared to receive pupils with their personal objects, ranging from glasses and hearing aids to wheelchairs, the “special” situations will be taken care of. This is fundamental if we are thinking of a space where people can share their realities, reflections, investigations and thus seeing that they are capable of recognising their possibilities and searching for what they want.

We cannot expect the school environment to be prepared to attend to all special situations but it should be prepared to receive these and be sufficiently flexible and dynamic to meet the human movement.

Proposing a change in posture is proposing a change in emotional, body and social attitude. Postural attitude shows internal preparedness to learn, to exchange and to interact with the environment.

The directives, targets and objectives of the National Education Plan, approved in 2001, can be used to orient a participative action proposal that unites disabled people, their families, and education professionals to universities, non-government organisations, public authorities and private initiative.

These targets determine the need and opportunity to provide the tools for the initiative involved, strengthening and producing the development of a school space that is inclusive overall, featuring “regular” schools, special classes when necessary, training teachers, physical space and furniture in equal amounts.

One way is to create reference centres and disseminating experiences and information. In this regard, disabled people’s organisations are important partners since in disabled adults the children, their parents and teachers can see the future of the pupil in question and exchange experiences.



We can think of partnership centres, where technical-practical experience and life experiences can be shared by parents, pupils and educators, with space for the development of projects, exchange of information, data bases, experiments with equipment, and development of wished-for objects in an integrated manner with the coming together of several areas of knowledge. Places where individual movements can be strengthened, where people can grasp everyday experiences that make sense for them and motivate projects and production of things. It is also possible to think of regional spaces for storing materials that can be shared in concomitant or continuous fashion, depending on the estimated useful life of the object in question.

Any of these initiatives should be rendered viable using a methodology starting with field research and knowledge, obtained directly in the schools, accompanying the teachers’ work with pupils in school spaces, surveying work situations, identifying objectives, generating ideas, carrying out experiments, developing alternatives and accompanying actions and the breaking down of initiatives from the point of view of the user situated in the overall situation.

1.1.8. Bibliographical References

Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas. NBR 14007: Móveis escolares – Assentos e mesas para instituições educacionais – requisitos. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: ABNT,1997.

Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas. NBR 14006: Móveis escolares – Assentos e mesas para instituições educacionais – classes e dimensões. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: ABNT, 1997.

ARAUJO, Renata Mattos Eyer de. O Desenvolvimento de Objetos Auxiliares de Apoio à Vida Independente no CVI-Rio/LOTDP. Dissertação de Mestrado em Design. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 1999.

BONSIEPE, Gui. A Tecnologia da tecnologia. São Paulo, Brasil: Edgard Blücher, 1983.

BORG, Johan, TURNER-SMITH, Alan e WÄNN, Jan-Erik. Assistive Technology: An Introduction. Suécia: Swedish Handicap Institute, abril 1995. Parte 1

CUNHA, José Ronaldo Alves da, ESTEVES, Ricardo Grisolia. Manual Prático do Mobiliário Escolar. São Paulo, Brasil: ABIME – Associação Brasileira das Indústrias de Móveis Escolares, 2001.

CEBRACE. Móvel Escolar. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: MEC/CEBRACE/IDI, 1978.

CEBRACE. Mobiliário Escolar – Pré-Escolar. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: MEC - Secretaria de Ensino de 10 e 20 Graus/CEBRACE/, 1978.

Fundepar. Modelo padrão de carteiras escolares. Paraná, Brasil: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Educacional do Paraná. dezembro de 1998.

ICTA Information Centre, AHRTAG (Org.). Appropriate technical aids for disabled people – ways and means for their production in the third world. [Seminário em Bombaim]. Suécia, set. 1986.

KELEMAN, Stanley. Anatomia Emocional. Trad. Myrthes Suplicy Vieira. São Paulo, Brasil: Summus, 1992.

LAGERWALL, Tomas (Ed.): Appropriate aids and equipment for disabled people in Africa – ways and means for local production in the third world. [Seminário em Harare, Zimbabue]. Suécia: ICTA Information Centre, mar. 1988.



LIMA, Niusarete Margarida. Pessoa portadora de deficiência – Legislação Básica, Brasília, Brasil: Ministério da Justiça, Secretaria de Estado dos Direitos Humanos, 2001. 242p.; 21 cm. (Série Legislação em Direitos Humanos. Subsérie Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência).

MANN, Willian, LANE, Joseph, STONE, John (Ed.). Technology and Disability: International perspectives. v. 2, n. 2. EUA: Andover Medical, 1993.

BRASIL. Diretrizes Nacionais para a Educação Especial na Educação Básica. Ministério da Educação, Secretaria de Educação Especial, Brasília: MEC; SEESP, 2ª edição, maio de 2002.

BRASIL. Portal de Ajudas Técnicas para educação – equipamento e material pedagógico especial para educação, capacitação e recreação da pessoa com deficiência física. Recursos pedagógicos adaptados. Secretaria de Educação Especial , Brasília: MEC: SEESP, 2002, fascículo 1.

BRASIL. Direito à educação: necessidades educacionais especiais: subsídios para atuação do Ministério Público Brasileiro. Organização e coordenação: Francisca R. Furtado do Monte, Ivana de Suqueira, José Rafael Miranda. ___ Brasília: MEC, SEESP, 2001-11-09, 300p.: il.

PIRET, S. e BÉZIERS, M.M.. A Coordenação Motora: Aspecto Mecânico da Organização Psicomotora do Homem. São Paulo, Brasil: Summus, 1992.

WERNER, David. Guia de Deficiências e Reabilitação Simplificada. Brasília, Brasil: Coordenadoria Nacional para Integração da Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência - CORDE, 1994.

WERNER, David. Programs for and by disabled persons in developing countries. In: LAGERWALL, Tomas (Ed.): Appropriate aids and equipment for disabled people in Africa – ways and means for local production in the third worl. [Seminário em Harare, Zimbabwe). Suécia: ICTA Information Centre, mar. 1988.

WERNER, David. Nothing about us without us: – developinginnovative technologies for, by and with disabled persons. Palo Alto, EUA: HealthWrights, 1998.

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