Orientation and mobility: comparative study between Brazil and Portugal

• Grant number: 21/12323-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2022
• End date: July 15, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Specific topics in Education
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo José Manzini
• Grantee: Loiane Maria Zengo Orbolato
• Supervisor: Carla Sofia Costa Freire
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Instituto Politécnico de Leiria (IPL), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/24999-3 - Analysis of a continuing education program of educational service specialised teachers in orientation and mobility, BP.DR

Abstract

This research aims to compare the possible similarities and differences regarding the planning, teaching, training, execution and evaluation of Orientation and Mobility techniques between the Brazilian and Portuguese reality. The research in Portugal will consist of three studies: Study 1 - Identification of teaching strategies used by professionals during the teaching of Orientation and Mobility techniques; Study 2 - Opinion of blind people on the use of different Orientation and Mobility techniques for locomotion; and, Study 3 - Opinion of professionals regarding the planning, teaching, training and evaluation of Guidance and Mobility techniques. At least, three Orientation and Mobility professionals and three blind people assisted by these professionals will participate in Study 1. In Study 2, at least, three blind students will participate. In Study 3, at least, three Guidance and Mobility professionals will be the participants. Study 1 will be observational. Data will be collected by monitoring the researcher during the Orientation and Mobility service offered by the professional to the blind person and will be recorded through filming and field records. The analysis of this study will have a qualitative focus. The Films and notes will be analyzed and the teaching strategies that were used will be extracted. Studies 2 and 3 will have a descriptive and comparative character and the data will be collected through semi-structured interviews that will have two stages: 1) elaboration of the interview script and 2) interviews. Data analysis will have a qualitative focus. The interviews` audios will be transcribed and the contents will be analyzed in in detail and discussed. At the end, it will be possible to identify and describe the preferences for the use of different mobility strategies by Portuguese blind people and the way in which planning, teaching, training and evaluation of Orientation and Mobility techniques takes place in Portugal. Through the collected data, it will be possible to compare them to Brazilian reality and literature, highlighting the similarities and differences in terms of planning, teaching, training, execution and evaluation of the use of Orientation and Mobility techniques. (AU)