School experience of the child and adolescent with visual impairment: family experience

ABSTRACT Objective: to understand the experience of families about school experiences of children and adolescents with visual impairment. Method: a qualitative study developed through the Symbolic Interactionism and narrative research. Data were collected through a semi-structured recorded interview, with eleven families of children/adolescents with visual impairment, totaling 40 participants. Results: two phenomena emerged: “exclusion context” and “impaired school performance”. Prejudice experienced at school brings devastating consequences to the life of the visually impaired child/adolescent and his family. Isolation occurs, difficulty adapting to the support resource and deficits in school performance. Final considerations: production contributes to awakening professionals involved with the assistance of these people. Effective participation of health professionals in this area is required to develop actions with students, teachers and families, aimed at meeting the needs of learning and health promotion, inclusion, and respect for differences.