Extensão universitária na perspectiva da acessibilidade: formação e atuação de profissionais da área da educação física

Abstract

The research focuses on university extension programs, with an emphasis on accessibility, and explores their influence on the training and professional practice of Physical Education professionals. The general objective of the study was to analyze how university extension programs influence the training and professional performance of Physical Education practitioners in promoting accessibility within educational and sports contexts. The specific objectives were: a) to identify ethnographic elements that characterize the profile of the members of the Motor Activities Program for Persons with Disabilities - PROAMDE, promoted by the Federal University of Amazonas - UFAM; b) to analyze, based on the accounts of coordinators, alumni, and students, possible relationships between participation in PROAMDE and their respective professional practices; and c) to uncover how PROAMDE is implemented within the Physical Education program at the School of Physical Education and Physiotherapy at UFAM. The adopted methodology was a case study, involving eight undergraduate students, fourteen alumni of the Physical Education program, and the program coordinators. Semi-structured interview protocols were used, conducted both online and in person. Content analysis was applied to the interviews and to the management reports from the UFAM Office of Extension. The findings reveal that PROAMDE plays a fundamental role in the training of Physical Education professionals, offering a learning environment that fosters knowledge expansion and the development of specific skills for working with individuals with disabilities. Based on the presented results, it can be concluded that PROAMDE is a university extension program that not only contributes to the training of Physical Education professionals from an accessibility perspective, but also promotes interaction between the university and society, democratizing access to sport and physical activity for persons with disabilities.