Socorro regrets her son can't study in a private school, considered to be better than the public ones in Brazil.

    But she also found some advantage for her son to study in a public school. "His classmates now are more understanding, and they have less prejudice about disabled children. Felipe, on his turn, doesn't care anymore about expensive clothing and shoes. He says if he wears this, he'll be called 'a playboy.'"

    At "Escola Classe 409 Norte," Felipe and his 12 colleagues with disabilities count on the support of Monica Borges Cintra, a psychological teacher who has worked since 2001 in disabled children education.

    She believes inclusive education is a great idea, but there are not enough resources to make it possible.

    "I specialize in motor and mental development. If a student with hearing problems comes to this school, I won't be able to help him because I haven't mastered sign language," she said.

    From Monica's point of view, the disabilities of handicapped students enrolled by every public school should be confined to two or three specific kinds. This would help provide both inclusion and quality education for disabled children, she said.

    "I think it is good for disabled children to study at a regular school because they have the opportunity to build up relationships with people who are different from them. The only problem is that, when we have doubts during a class, the teacher gives more attention to them than to others," said G. B. S., a 12-year-old girl, who studies at Escola Classe 409.

    Despite this, she says she is very respectful of them and always bares in mind, "What would it be like if I had this problem?"