Inclusion in education through music: the perception of Brazilian educators and music therapists

Objective: To evaluate the perception of educators and music therapists about the use of musical experiences to inclusion of children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Method: A descriptive-exploratory survey was carried out from March 2016 to March 2017, with 182 participants of which 63 Basic Education teachers, 59 Music teachers, 35 Professionals in Education (not teachers) and 25 Music Therapists. Results: 181 (99.2%) of the participants consider that the use of musical experiences is important in the process of inclusion of children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder; 180 (98.8%) recognize that music with therapeutic objectives contributes to inclusion; 147 (80.7%) use music to include and 157 (86.1%) attests that music improves social interaction in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Conclusion: According to the perception of educators and music therapists, musical experiences can and should be used for the inclusion of people with autistic spectrum disorder, provided that there is a training or qualification of these professionals, because they act in connection with the development of the emotional states of the subjects and contribute to the sensory, motor, affective and cognitive.