TEACHER’S PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL INCLUSION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: A RESEARCH-TRAINING APPROACH

Abstract

This study aims to reflect on public-school teachers’ understanding of the process of school inclusion in a municipality located in the countryside of Ceará, Brazil. The study investigated teachers’ perceptions and practices regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities in everyday school life. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research used interviews as a data collection instrument, conducted through focus groups. The participants were tenured teachers from the municipal education system who worked in the early years of elementary education.The study was grounded in the research-training perspective, which seeks to collaboratively and participatively create a space for reflection and the mutual construction of knowledge with participants. Based on the training meetings held with the teachers, it was possible to gather information about their perceptions of the school inclusion process. The findings revealed that teachers hold different understandings and experiences related to school inclusion, developed throughout their professional trajectories within the municipal education system. For these teachers, inclusion is both a necessary and challenging task. Several obstacles that hinder their work were identified, as well as the potentialities they recognize for the implementation of a truly inclusive school. It is concluded that effective inclusion can be achieved through collaborative efforts involving the entire school community, thereby fostering a space for critical reflection and the continuous improvement of teaching practices.