CONTINUING TEACHER EDUCATION TO IMPLEMENT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN BRAZIL: PRACTICAL CHALLENGES AND IMPACTS ON THE LEARNING OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract

This article analyzes continuing teacher education as a strategy to implement inclusive education in Brazil, highlighting practical challenges and possible impacts on the learning of students with disabilities. This is a qualitative study with a bibliographic and documental design, based on the analysis of legal frameworks and scientific literature addressing inclusion policies, the organization of Specialized Educational Support, and teacher professional development processes. The results indicate that Brazilian legislation supports schooling in mainstream classrooms and assigns education systems responsibilities related to support services, accessibility, and coordination between specialized services and pedagogical practice. In the analyzed literature, continuing education is associated with teaching strategies, curriculum flexibility, formative assessment, and collaborative work, and is presented as a condition for overcoming barriers that affect teaching and school participation. The study concludes that effective inclusion depends on sustained professional development linked to everyday school practices and supported by institutional conditions that enable consistent pedagogical change.