The Perception of People With Physical Disabilities About Exercising Autonomy in a Federal University

Abstract

Introduction: preconceptions towards people with disabilities are still present in our society; they arise from ancient behaviors and from the biomedical model, both rooted in human attitudes. Objective: to describe the potentialities/strengths and inabilities/weaknesses faced by people with disabilities to exercise their autonomy and to show the ways in which people with disabilities exercise their autonomy. Method: this is a single-case study with a qualitative approach. Twenty-two individuals with physical disabilities were interviewed, with students and employees from a university in southern Brazil among them. Data analysis was performed by means of the Collective Subject Discourse The comprehensive and interpretive analysis of the meanings that emerged from the participants' statements were associated with the theoretical framework of autonomy by Adela Cortina, Diego Gracia and Lawrence Kohlberg. Results: potentialities/weaknesses can be observed in the exchange spaces and in the information provided by the university. At the same time, inability/weakness is perceived in preconception, welfarism and all the ableism faced by people with disabilities. Conclusions: lack of information is one of the main elements that foster preconception and it is essential to fight against it for the inclusion of people with disabilities.