INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL: ADVANCES, LIMITS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Inclusive education has assumed a central role in contemporary educational debate, reaffirming the right of all students to learning in mainstream school environments, respecting diversity and promoting equity. This article aimed to analyze inclusive education in contemporary schools, highlighting its advances, limitations, and challenges, based on a critical reflection on public policies, pedagogical practices, and institutional conditions. The research adopted a qualitative approach, of a bibliographic and documentary nature, based on the analysis of academic productions and legal documents that guide inclusive education in the Brazilian context. The results show significant advances in the normative field and in the access of students who are the target audience of special education to regular schools, as well as in the expansion of the debate on inclusion and diversity in the school environment. However, limitations related to teacher training, curricular organization, working conditions, and the persistence of pedagogical and attitudinal barriers that hinder the implementation of inclusive practices are identified. Discussions indicate that consolidating inclusive education requires continuous investment in initial and ongoing teacher training, strengthening school management, curricular flexibility, and building an educational culture based on respect for differences. It is concluded that inclusive education, although showing important advances, still represents a permanent challenge for the contemporary school, demanding collective commitment, consistent public policies, and transformation of pedagogical practices in order to guarantee the right to quality education for all students.