Concerned with the widespread debate about the inclusion of students with special needs in regular schools, this study aimed to describe the participation of children with cerebral palsy in functional activities in different school environments, from their teachers' perspective. The study included 10 teachers and their students with cerebral palsy in São Paulo. We applied the School Function Assessment−Part I with the teachers in order to examine the level of student participation in school activities in six environments: classroom, playground/break time, transportation to and from school, bathroom, and transitions to the classroom and cafeteria. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon test for two related populations were used to identify significant differences between the scores for participation in the various environments. The results showed significant differences in scores for participation between Transportation and Playground/Break Time, Transportation and Transitions, Transportation and Classroom, Transportation and Cafeteria, Bathroom and Classroom, Bathroom and Cafeteria. The children participated well in class, however architectural barriers interfered in the performance of tasks in the bathroom, such as sitting on the toilet, standing up, hand washing, and lack of adapted mobility resources. The use of mobility resources such as crutches and walkers were observed to facilitate participation in playground/break time and transitions. This study highlighted the need for further governmental actions implementing environmental changes in schools, especially related to transportation and transition facilitation.
Special Education; Cerebral Palsy; Inclusive Schools; Student Participation
