O papel da gestão na inclusão escolar de estudantes público da educação especial: analisando um curso de formação continuada na Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Abstract

This study addresses the role of school management in the inclusion of students who are the target audience of Special Education, using as its research instrument the course “Training School Managers for Listening: Existential Cartographies of People with Disabilities in Public Schools in the State of Paraíba,” offered to 130 school managers by the Federal University of Paraíba. The training program adopts a theoretical and practical approach and covers topics such as: Legal Frameworks for Special Education from the perspective of Inclusive Education; School Management, Diversity, and Human Rights; School Management and Accessibility; Specialized Educational Assistance: Collective and Participatory Construction; Direct Money at School Program, Multifunctional Resource Rooms – Funding, Adherence, and Resource Management; and the Political-Pedagogical Project, Participation, and Learning. The course aims to provide these professionals with theoretical and practical support for more inclusive practices within the school context.The study is based on the understanding that, although there has been a significant increase in the number of students who are the target audience of Special Education and their inclusion is guaranteed within the Brazilian legal framework, its implementation in everyday school life remains uneven, marked by structural, pedagogical, and attitudinal barriers. The general objective of this study is to analyze the contributions of a continuing education course offered by the Federal University of Paraíba to managers of the public education system in the state of Paraíba. To this end, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Data were collected through a structured interview. Through this instrument, we sought to establish a dialogue between the researcher and the school managers enrolled in the continuing education course, making it possible to understand their conceptions regarding the promotion of accessibility and school inclusion.The results indicate that continuing education plays a fundamental role in expanding school managers’ theoretical and practical knowledge, contributing to the adoption of more inclusive practices and to the construction of an accessible and welcoming school management, ensuring that students who are the target audience of Special Education have their rights guaranteed. However, the findings also reveal the persistence of challenges, such as ableist and limiting conceptions, teachers’ lack of interest in promoting inclusion, the absence of multidisciplinary support, and limited family participation. It is concluded that, although the training promotes significant advances, the effective implementation of inclusion requires broader actions, including training for the entire school staff.