Permanent Faculty member

Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/5622440291569151

Associate Professor in the Department of Education and Society, in the Graduate Program in Education, Contemporary Contexts, and Popular Demands (PPGEDUC) and in the Graduate Program in Digital Humanities at the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ). Coordinator of the Observatory of Special Education and Educational Inclusion (ObEE) and of the Accessibility and Inclusion Nucleus at UFRRJ. Vice President of the Brazilian Association of Researchers in Special Education (ABPEE). Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) – Level 1D.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail: marcia_pletsch@ufrrj.br

RESEARCH LINE

• Line 1: Contemporary Studies and Educational Practices.

RESEARCH GROUP

• Observatory of Special Education and Educational Inclusion – ObEE

Coordination: Marcia Denise Pletsch and Maira Gomes de Souza da Rocha.

The Observatory of Special Education and Educational Inclusion (ObEE) was created in 2009, linked to the Center for Technological Innovation and Inclusive Education (CITEI), based at the Multidisciplinary Institute of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) – Nova Iguaçu Campus. Since its creation, ObEE has been dedicated to developing research and extension programs in the field of Special Education, focusing on topics such as inclusive education policies in Basic Education and Higher Education, teaching and learning processes of individuals with intellectual and multiple disabilities, curricular practices, teacher training, accessibility, and technological innovation applied to Special Education.

Research Group Website: https://obee.ufrrj.br/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ObservatorioObEE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ufrrj.obee/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCFzBYk0Vg9xL2eVA0MsaElg

RESEARCH PROJECTS

• Inclusive Education in an Intersectional Perspective: Communication, Participation, and Learning of Children with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome
  Period: (2022 – Present)

In the 2015-16 biennium, Brazil experienced the Zika Virus epidemic, which affected pregnant women whose babies were born with microcephaly. Since then, health efforts have expanded to include research, primarily focused on the first few months of life for these children, who often have multiple disabilities due to Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome (SCZV) and are mostly non-verbal. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, these children began their journey in Early Childhood Education. However, in a context of school closures or deep restructuring through remote learning, with few exceptions, education systems have not developed proposals to address the communication, participation, and learning needs of these children. This project continues previous research supported by a CNPq productivity grant (2018-21), which focused on the continuous training of teachers to accommodate children with SCZV in schools. In this new project, we aim to analyze the communication, participation, and learning of these children in public schools in the Baixada Fluminense region, considering inclusive education from an intersectional perspective, as outlined in the National Policy on Special Education in an Inclusive Perspective and the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI). We propose two interconnected phases to structure the field research. In the first phase, we will analyze the children’s participation in school activities using the Participation and Environment – Children and Youth (PEM-CY) tool. We will also assess the types of pedagogical supports and technological resources used by teachers. In the second phase, based on a participatory and collaborative methodology, we will implement and evaluate an alternative communication program with teachers, the families of children with SCZV, and healthcare professionals, using low-tech resources. This phase will utilize the school adaptation of the Juntos Program, initially used in Brazil in the health sector with SCZV-affected babies and their families, aiming to develop the functionality of the children through early stimulation activities, thus promoting well-being and care for the babies at home. The project is justified by its triple novelty: an intersectional approach, methodological innovation (involving the children’s caregivers, teachers, and healthcare professionals), and technological innovation (developing a low-cost alternative communication app for use on mobile phones and tablets). The research is expected to have scientific, technological, and social impacts, as it could significantly enhance the communication and participation of these children in school and at home, improving their quality of life. Additionally, the study could inform public policy development and provide the foundation for focused training programs for professionals working with children with multiple disabilities, with or without SCZV.

Funding: CNPq – Productivity Grant 1D, Process 307437/2021-3.

Keywords: Multiple Disabilities; Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome; Inclusive Education; Assistive Technology; Quality of Life; Teacher Training.

• Intersectoral Research and Actions between Education and Health in Promoting Schooling and Development of Children with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome in Baixada Fluminense
  Period: (2019 – Present)

According to the Ministry of Health, in 2019, 17,041 suspected cases of growth and development alterations potentially linked to Zika Virus infection and other infectious etiologies were reported. Of these, 3,332 (19.6%) were confirmed, primarily considering the presence of microcephaly. The Southeast region accounted for 20% of all cases, with 43.7% of them in Rio de Janeiro, most of them in Baixada Fluminense. Since then, health initiatives and research have focused on the first months of life for these children. In 2020, these children began their school journey in Early Childhood Education. With few exceptions, education systems have not provided intersectoral proposals to meet the development needs of these children. This multidisciplinary project involves researchers from different institutions (UFRRJ, UERJ, PUC-Rio, and FIOCRUZ – Ensp and Instituto Fernandes Figueira) to develop studies and intersectoral actions between education, health, and social assistance, promoting the schooling and development of children with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome (SCZV) in Baixada Fluminense. We propose two interconnected studies. The first aims to monitor and analyze the schooling processes of children with SCZV in Early Childhood Education classes in public schools, understanding how inclusive education policies are structured, the types of pedagogical supports and technological resources used by teachers, and the cognitive development of these children. The second study, based on action-research methodology, aims to build, implement, and evaluate a pilot program in Baixada Fluminense focusing on comprehensive education and care for children with SCZV, analyzing intersectoral collaborative actions in the daily routines of key education, health, and social service actors. The project is justified by its novelty in approach, methodology, and the integration of education and health. It is expected to have both scientific and social impacts, contributing to public policy formulation and providing a foundation for initial and ongoing training programs for professionals in these fields.

Funding: Faperj – Emerging Groups Call Process E-26/010.002186/2019.

Keywords: Zika Virus; Intersectoral Actions; Inclusive Education; Health.

• Pioneers of Special Education in Brazil: Institutions, Characters, and Practices
  Period: (2019 – Present)

Special Education in Brazil has a history marked by significant figures: Helena Antipoff in Minas Gerais; Ulisses Pernambucano in Pernambuco; Ana Maria Poppovic in São Paulo; Olívia Pereira in Rio de Janeiro, to name a few. However, many other figures remain unknown to researchers in the field. How many initiatives are still hidden in other states of the federation? The goal of this project is to map individuals, initiatives, institutions, and practices in special education across different regions of Brazil. Revisiting this history is particularly relevant at this moment when the Ministry of Education is proposing changes to the Policy on Special Education in an Inclusive Education Perspective from 2008. Understanding the role of these individuals over time and across different locations is crucial for recovering their influence on public policy and contributing to the understanding of the establishment of inclusive education in Brazil. Beyond international determinations, it is essential to interpret how these agents shaped practices and organized themselves around the issue of disability. While it is more obvious to consider that the development of science in Brazil emanates from economically advanced regions, it is necessary to revisit local experiences, their peculiarities, and innovations. By bringing together researchers from various regions, the research aims to build a portal with the collected material, which can serve as a resource for future research. The socialization of this database, which will include official documents, letters, photos, videos, statistical tables, newspapers, magazines, reports, among others, will serve as a reference for special education researchers. The project also aims to gather ongoing research from various research groups, creating a network of researchers interested in the history of special education. In the future, this network will facilitate student mobility among graduate students, increasing collaboration and partnerships.

CNPq Funding – Call MCTIC/CNPq Nº 28/2018 – Universal.