School physical education and autism spectrum disorder: development of a technological tool for pedagogical aid

Abstract

In view of the importance of inclusive strategies in School Physical Education classes, as well as the need for planning directed to the inclusive process of autistic children, the objective of this study is to develop a mobile application to direct the pedagogical work of the Physical Education teacher for the inclusion of autistic children in Early Childhood Education. Thus, a technological tool is proposed that helps the teacher in his planning by associating the cognitive, affective and motor factors present in early childhood. The application is structured with electronic files that allow the teacher to plan their classes to provide functionality in their activities, with the differential being the direct relationship with the pedagogical proposal of School Physical Education, defined by the National Common Curriculum Base (BNCC). It is concluded that the application has the potential to improve the planning and execution of more inclusive pedagogical practices, in addition to contributing to the development of technological culture in School Physical Education classes, stimulating social interaction and engagement in activities, contributing to the autonomy of autistic children in Early Childhood Education. However, the study is limited to the development of the technological tool, and in this sense, future research is suggested that can test the quality of the functionality from the user’s perspective through a pilot study with teachers in order to validate the ability to meet the expectations and needs of the end user in an effective, efficient and satisfactory way.