This research aimed to investigate the inclusion process of children with special needs in Primary Schools, interaction among regular schools and special education centers, as well as the role of the many professionals involved, focusing specifically on the speech therapist. The method used was a descriptive analytical survey; a questionnaire was applied in six Special Education Schools and six Regular Schools of the public school system of the city of Belo Horizonte. Six coordinators and 42 teachers from the regular schools and nine coordinators and 61 teachers from the special education schools took part in the study, which involved a total of 118 individuals. The questionnaire covered aspects related to school administration, teacher education, student profile, professionals involved in the educational process, and forms of contact between Health and Education institutions that provide services. Among other issues, the analysis of the results showed a great demand for speech therapy services, which as yet are generally unavailable in the field of education. Interaction between the two types of schools does not occur in all the institutions that were researched. Both types have limited knowledge of Speech Therapy, especially in regular schools. The research revealed a lack of investment in teacher development and in parents' orientation regarding the process of inclusion. We concluded that the field of Speech Therapy is yet to be explored in the process of inclusion. Its contribution for health in the school environment depends directly on the interdisciplinary action of the services provided by the fields of Education and Health, and on cooperation among speech therapists, educators and parents.
speech therapy; teaching; teachers; interaction; special education
