The fundamental principle of inclusive schools is that all children learn together, no matter their differences or difficulties. Currently, there is a need to review the inclusion of students who have disabilities, and the role of schools as contributors to their development. Thus, the importance of parent-school interaction can be a key to the effectiveness of this process. This paper aimed to understand the inclusion process of students with Down Syndrome (DS) and Cerebral Palsy (CP) by comparing parent and teacher reports and analyzing how their interaction affects the process of inclusion. The participants were four mothers of children with CP, four mothers of children with DS and these children's eight teachers, who work in regular public school in greater São Paulo. A semi-structured interview was developed by the researchers and adapted for parents and teachers. The categories of analysis emerged from the reports. The results indicated: the opportunity of inclusion diminishes prejudice; parents expect that when they enroll their children in mainstream education, they will at least learn to read and write their own names. Teachers reported they did not feel prepared for this job; nevertheless, even without orientation, resources and appropriate physical structure, they seek to achieve an effective learning environment in the classroom. Schools should provide conditions for proper parent-teacher communication, to enable them to share essential information for the inclusion and effective learning of children with DS and CP.
Special Education; Down Syndrome; Cerebral Palsy; Inclusion; Family
