People with intellectual disabilities and inclusion in the University: a research focused on the opinions of academic leaders and people with intellectual disabilities

The inclusion of people with intellectual disability (ID) in the University is still a pending issue. The objective of the research was to deepen the perspectives of academic leaders and people with ID on the challenges and strategies involved in advancing the inclusion of people with ID in the university. The research was carried out from a qualitative perspective, with the use of interviews and focus group. Data were analyzed using content analysis techniques. Results show that the lack of adaptation in the educational field, the complex tests for the access of students with ID to the university, and the ignorance of the educational needs are some of the challenges. Based on the barriers, potential strategies include individualized projects of tutoring for students with ID, flexibility of the processes of incorporation to the University, and the design of open itineraries for support of participation in the university. In this way, this work exposes that the inclusive process in University education still has a long road to explore for the persons with ID to be able to exercise their rights.