La atención a la diversidad: experiencia del Proyecto UNA Educación de Calidad, de la Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica Attention to Diversity: the Experience of UNA Quality Education Project, from the National University of Costa Rica

Abstract

In the last years, the educational Costa Rican system has experienced significant changes, due to the legal framework, so much in the national and international levels, since the promulgation of the Law 7600 Equality of Opportunities for the Persons with Disability in Costa Rica (Costa Rica, Asamblea Legislativa,1996) to the proposal of the Law 8661 Convention on the Human rights of the Persons with Disability (Costa Rica. Asamblea Legislativa, 2008). Due to the temporary space in which the UNA Quality Education Project emerged in 1998 and the context in which the Educational National System was immersed, particularly at the university level, the pedagogic offer reveals a transition between the rehabilitative model and the social model specifically, within each of these, the respective educational approach that includes procedures of integration and inclusive education. From this perspective, experiences and strategies implemented at the UNA Quality Education Project are presented in order to provide support and follow-up in their vocational training to a group of students who present educational needs at the National University. Thus, it is pretended to make effective their rights to access a high quality education according to their personal and social characteristics, promoting their social and work insertion. Challenges imposed by attention to diversity at the university context represent a defiance that is part of daily activities of the UNA Quality Education Project. These transformations are evident at the permanent redesign of strategies and the employment of technological equipment and specialized software. These changes allow students to access information and to communicate; the advising and training of academicians and the clerical staff, the establishment of collaborative support strategies between members of the university community, as well as the search of cooperation in the national and international area for the development of new initiatives.