THE DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN SCHOOL CONTEXTS BASED ON THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: A HISTORICAL-CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article aimed to critically analyze the evolution of public policies and legislation that underpin Inclusive Education in Brazil and their implications for Occupational Therapy practice in the school context. Through a hermeneutic approach, key documents considered structural milestones were examined, including the National Education Guidelines Law (1961; 1996), the Salamanca Statement (1994), the National Policy on Special Education from the Perspective of Inclusive Education (2008), the Brazilian Inclusion Law (2015), and Resolution COFFITO No. 500/2018. Based on the selected scope, it was possible to identify that normative developments contributed to a shift from practices centered on rehabilitation to approaches focused on occupation and participation in the school context. At the same time, a transformation in Occupational Therapy practices is observed, moving from individual rehabilitation-centered approaches to collaborative and context-based interventions. The study articulates these transformations with the three professional perspectives of Occupational Therapy (for, in, and of the school), highlighting the contemporary predominance of practices aligned with the biopsychosocial model and the promotion of participation. It is concluded that the consolidation of Inclusive Education depends on the articulation between public policies, theoretical frameworks, and professional practices, positioning Occupational Therapy as a strategic field in this process.