Introduction:

Special education in Cuba is based on student involvement into an active social and working life, and one of its tasks is to achieve student autonomy and independence in decision making.

Objective:

To propose interventions aimed at achieving autonomy in children with dissimilar capabilities.

Methods:

Descriptive cross-sectional study performed at Hermanos Saíz Special School in Quemado de Güines Municipality from January to March 2016. The universe was made up of 21 workers and 36 students with their one relative. The tools used were the diagnostic inquires to the main teachers and surveys conducted on relatives and workers. The information was processed with the package SPSSS version 21: We used percentages and absolute frequency distributions.

Results:

The age group 10-12 predominated (44.44 %) and the male sex (55.55 %). There was a prevalence of learning disorders and intellectual disability in schoolchildren (100.00% and 86.11%, respectively). The lack of spaces for reflection, moments for decision-making, the spaces where student protagonism is stimulated, together with capacity building received by the family and the relations between managers and the family, and stress were factors that prevented a proper educational achievement of the students and their future involvement into in the society.

Conclusions:

Counseling interventions were proposed that contribute to foster collegiate work between the family, the school and the students with dissimilar capabilities towards the achievement of their autonomy and independence.

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