Desafios para a inclusão dos estudantes público da educação especial: analisando as contribuições de um curso de formação docente

Abstract

This study analyzes the challenges involved in the implementation of inclusive Special Education in mainstream schools, focusing on the perceptions of teachers who work, or do not work, with students who are part of the target group of Special Education, as well as the contributions of a continuing teacher education course in this process. The course, offered by the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), addressed theoretical and practical aspects related to ableism, accessibility, Assistive Technologies, and Universal Design for Learning, aiming to support teachers in developing more inclusive practices. The study is based on the assumption that, although inclusion is legally guaranteed in Brazil, its implementation in everyday school practices still occurs unevenly, marked by structural, pedagogical, and attitudinal barriers. The main objective was to understand how continuing education can contribute to expanding teachers’ knowledge and to reshaping pedagogical practices aimed at inclusion. A mixedmethods approach was adopted, combining quantitative data analysis with the interpretation of participants’ narratives. Data collection was carried out through online questionnaires (Google Forms), applied at two different moments of the course, including both closed and open-ended questions, which allowed the identification of general trends and subjective aspects of teachers’ experiences. The results indicate that continuing education plays a significant role in expanding teachers’ theoretical and practical repertoire, contributing to the development of more inclusive strategies and fostering a more critical understanding of ableism in the school context. However, they also reveal the persistence of challenges, such as gaps in initial teacher education, lack of pedagogical resources, insufficient institutional support, and difficulties in the articulation among the actors involved in the educational process. It is concluded that, although the course promotes important advances, the effective implementation of inclusion requires broader actions that go beyond individual teaching practices.