INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION: BETWEEN NORMATIVE GUIDELINES AND TRAINING PRACTICES

Abstract

The consolidation of inclusive education as a structuring principle of contemporary educational policies imposes on initial teacher education the challenge of reconfiguring epistemological, curricular, and methodological foundations in order to prepare professionals capable of working in contexts marked by diversity. The increase in the enrollment of students with disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other specific educational needs in regular classrooms reveals gaps in the traditional organization of teacher education programs, historically guided by assumptions of homogeneity. This article critically analyzes initial teacher education in light of the demands of inclusive education, discussing normative foundations, training models, and contemporary institutional challenges. The study is based on the hypothesis that the effectiveness of school inclusion depends on the transversal integration of inclusive principles into initial teacher education curricula, overcoming fragmented approaches restricted to specific subjects. Methodologically, a theoretical-analytical approach was adopted, based on a critical literature review and dialogue with current official documents. The results indicate that effective teacher education programs articulate pedagogical content knowledge, human development foundations, formative assessment, and supervised practical experiences in real inclusive contexts. It is concluded that initial teacher education constitutes a strategic stage for the consolidation of an inclusive school culture, requiring consistent institutional policies, articulation between universities and basic education schools, and investment in teacher educators. Inclusive education should not be understood as an additional competence, but as a structuring axis of teacher professional identity, linked to the ethical commitment to equity and the learning of all students.