Different dimensions for promoting inclusive pedagogical practices: a case study

Abstract

Inclusive Education values ​​the diversity present in the school context. It is a fundamental concept for ensuring quality in education, and promoting meaningful and fair learning for every student, regardless of ethnicity, culture, nationality, and abilities. In this text, we present an excerpt from an investigation carried out in the Master's Degree in Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCEUP), which aimed to understand the potentialities and challenges of developing inclusive pedagogical practices in the classroom. The class is based on a case study of a school group in the metropolitan area of ​​Porto, Portugal. A qualitative approach was used, based on the interpretative phenomenological paradigm, based on the understanding of the meanings that the school context and human relationships can provide. The data collection techniques used were a questionnaire survey for all teachers in the School Group, a semi-structured interview survey, and participant observation with two class teachers, a Special Education teacher, and a Psychologist. The results indicate that collaborative work between professionals, mainly assistance in the classroom, is fundamental in supporting teachers in enhancing pedagogical practice that promotes inclusion, including the Multidisciplinary Support Team for Inclusive Education.