Inclusive digital education

educational games as a pedagogical strategy for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Abstract

This study investigates the contribution of educational games, from the perspective of Digital Education, as a pedagogical tool for Inclusive Education, focusing on students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) attending a Multifunctional Resource Room (SRM) in a municipal school in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil. The objective is to analyze how these games, integrated into the curricular components of Portuguese Language and Mathematics, contribute to the teaching-learning process and to students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development. This qualitative, exploratory research adopts a case study design involving two students with ASD enrolled in the first years of elementary education and receiving specialized support in the SRM. Data were collected through systematic observations and pedagogical records during the implementation of digital educational games, considering students’ academic performance, social interactions, engagement, and self-regulation. The theoretical framework encompasses studies on inclusive education, digital technologies in education, and educational games as pedagogical resources in Specialized Educational Assistance (AEE). The results revealed improvements in students’ learning, participation, and autonomy, as well as progress in emotional self-regulation and engagement in the proposed activities. The study concludes that educational games, when planned and mediated with clear pedagogical objectives, can contribute to expanding inclusive practices by promoting curriculum access and respect for individual needs, in accordance with the Brazilian Inclusion Law (Law No. 13,146/2015) and the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC).