The work of the handicap as a development factor

Abstract

This article intends to provide a reflection on the possibilities of development for people with disabilities, considering the differences between those who overcome their difficulties and those who remain confined to their condition of disabled. The focus of the discussion concerns the role that the work activity plays in the development process. For this, in-depth interviews were conducted with two disabled people, who have already entered the labor market, using the biographic method proposed by Louis Le Guillant (2006). Furthermore, focal interviews were conducted with other disabled people who also experienced, in their life, experiences that illustrate the theme of this article. The results confirm the great influence of the social and family environment in the development of people with disabilities, as well as the important role played by labor in this process.