Application "My vegetable garden": assistive technology in teaching Environmental Sciences

Abstract

Educational inclusion has been overcoming barriers in face of the challenge to achieve an equal education for all. With the objective of developing an application as an assistive technology tool in the teaching of Environmental Sciences, this research finds in its way different forms of reflection on education, especially in the Teaching of Environmental Sciences, going through some themes to reach the utopia that is the inclusion of students of inclusive education in school in a cooperative way, having the management of natural resources involved in a vegetable garden, with activities focused on sustainable actions to improve the environment in which they live and their well-being. Based on an applied, exploratory research with a qualitative approach, the application “Minha hortinha” developed on the Fábrica de Aplicativos platform provides content and interactivity about vegetable gardens, recycling, water saving, literacy and inclusion. And since inclusive education in schools has been a challenge for teachers, who mostly have difficulties working with students with global developmental disorders, high abilities and disabilities, with a limitation of digital tools, the application brings interdisciplinary way activities adapted for elementary school students-Early years that are part of inclusion, focusing on the teaching of Environmental Sciences, however, other curriculum components can be worked on, promoting an integrated education.