THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO HIGHER EDUCATION: CREATING UNIVERSAL, BARRIER-FREE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Access to higher education for people with disabilities is a central issue in building an inclusive society, since universities must ensure equal opportunities and eliminate physical, pedagogical, and attitudinal barriers. Inclusive education, in this context, involves transforming academic spaces into universal environments capable of guaranteeing the full participation of all students. The overall objective of this study is to analyze the right of people with disabilities to higher education, emphasizing the need to create barrier-free university environments. The specific objectives are to examine the main barriers faced by students with disabilities, identify institutional strategies for inclusion, and discuss the principles of universal design as applied to the academic context. The research question guiding this study is: How can Brazilian universities ensure the right of people with disabilities to higher education by promoting universal, barrier-free environments? The methodology employed was bibliographic in nature, involving an analysis of scientific literature, legal documents, and institutional documents to gather and interpret information on university inclusion and accessibility. The results show that, although there have been legal and institutional advances, challenges persist regarding the effective implementation of inclusive policies, curricular adaptation, and overcoming attitudinal barriers. It is concluded that promoting universal university environments requires not only accessible infrastructure but also cultural, pedagogical, and organizational transformation capable of guaranteeing the full exercise of the right of people with disabilities to higher education.