Speech language pathology and differential educators in the higher education inclusive with the deaf population. Fonoaudiólogos y educadores diferenciales en la educación superior inclusiva con la población sorda

Abstract

Higher education is a fundamental right of every human being. From this premise, university becomes an intercultural space for deaf students that provides the opportunity for the exchange of experiences, customs, and learning that occur during their inclusion in education. It becomes a challenge for the deaf population, enabling their independence, autonomy, and equal opportunities. For this reason, speech therapists and special education teachers become professionals who must participate in the decision-making processes, eliminating barriers and creating facilitators. The objective of this study was to design guidelines for the involvement of speech therapists and special education teachers in the higher education of deaf individuals. The research methodology was qualitative and descriptive, involving semi-structured interviews with male and female professionals from Colombia and Chile, aged 18 and above, with experience in higher education. The results indicate that the design of guidelines allows for interdisciplinary work by both speech therapists and special education teachers in the inclusion processes of deaf students in higher education, addressing their needs, mitigating barriers, and preventing academic failure and dropout. In conclusion, the importance of considering the participation of professionals is established, highlighting crucial elements such as knowledge, professionalism, sensitization, reflection, communication, context, support, and adjustments. These elements support the foundation of training and performance for understanding and recognizing their roles in inclusion teams. These elements form the fundamental basis for the construction of the guidelines.