Estigma y discriminación en niños con síndrome de down: un análisis desde el contexto educativo bajo la modalidad virtual.

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to analyze how stigma and discrimination towards children with Down Syndrome are perceived in a group of parents, permanent teachers within a regular classroom institution in a process of virtual educational training during the pandemic by COVID-19 in the city of Bogotá, identifying the internalized, declared, and ambivalent stigma and educational discrimination, based on the narratives of the participants within the institution. This research had the collaboration of the Liceo VAL, Vida, Amor y Luz school, an institution that promotes the inclusion of children with cognitive disabilities and carried out a matrix with a semi-structured interview of ten questions applied to the participating population. The stigma and discrimination towards children with DS within the regular classroom who receive education through the virtual modality is evident in the narratives of the participants, identifying the ambivalent stigma, by giving the institution a framework of inclusion and tolerance towards children with (DS), thus creating an stigma with a positive connotation. The declared stigma in the educational, social and family context is observed as overprotection by parents and teachers. The internalized stigma is evident in the narratives of children with DS who perceive rejection by their classmates and feeling that they are not the same and are not included in many activities assigned to their peers, leading them to form their own groups with children in similar conditions. Likewise, possible educational discrimination in the plant during virtual group activities was identified, as it was mentioned by the participating children when they say that different activities were carried out for them, causing them to be perceived as a different group.