wHAT ABOUT?
Questions that concern teachers
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025| nº4 | In this section, experts invited by YVIRÁ answer questions submitted by teachers who are part of the National Science Network for Education (Rede CpE) as "Friends of the Network."
For this edition, we discuss the importance of public policies in ensuring school inclusion, with a focus on special education students. First, Professor Pablo de Santana Lopes, a doctoral student in the Department of Literature at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), details the needs and challenges of deaf students, beginning with the recognition of their right to bilingual education.
Next, Aline Fay de Azevedo, coordinator of the Undergraduate Program in Literature (English) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS) and a professor in the School of Humanities at the same university, explains how public policies can make a difference in strengthening educational inclusion, focusing on the obstacles faced by deaf students. Check out the answers below.
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
How can public policies strengthen school inclusion, ensuring teacher training and adequate support for special education students?
PHOTO: FERNANDO FRAZÃO/AGÊNCIA BRASIL
Pablo de Santana Lopes
Department of Literature
Federal University of Sergipe
The commitment to inclusion, however, falls not only to the deaf community, but also to non-deaf individuals, such as teachers, interpreters, administrators, and colleagues, who must work collaboratively to build a truly inclusive and bilingual educational environment.
Pablo de Santana Lopes
Department of Literature
Federal University of Sergipe
In the case of deaf students, public policies are essential to guarantee school inclusion, especially when they recognize the right to bilingual education, with Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) as the first language and written Portuguese as the second. To this end, it is essential that policies address two main areas: teacher training and linguistic and pedagogical support for deaf students.
For teachers, it is necessary to provide initial and ongoing training in deaf education, with an emphasis on Libras (Brazilian Sign Language), deaf culture (understood as the set of social practices, values, modes of communication, and identity shared by the deaf community), and bilingual pedagogical practices. The commitment to inclusion, however, belongs not only to the deaf community, but also to non-deaf individuals, such as teachers, interpreters, administrators, and colleagues, who must work collaboratively to build a truly inclusive and bilingual educational environment. This also includes hearing students, who should be encouraged to learn the basics of Libras, promoting more equitable interactions and the recognition of linguistic diversity in the classroom.
The commitment to inclusion, however, falls not only to the deaf community, but also to non-deaf individuals, such as teachers, interpreters, administrators, and colleagues, who must work collaboratively to build a truly inclusive and bilingual educational environment.
For deaf students, adequate support begins with the recognition of their linguistic and cultural identity(ies). This means ensuring access to Libras from the earliest school years, respecting their native language. It’s also crucial that Libras be present in curricular documents and pedagogical practices, beyond specific events.
Based on this, public policies will only be truly inclusive if they are built through dialogue between the deaf community and basic education professionals and based on the principle of social justice: the right to learn in one’s own language and live with dignity.
Como assim?
What about students with cognitive differences and other learning and neurodevelopmental disorders?
Aline Fay de Azevedo
Coordinator of the Undergraduate Program in Literature (English) – PUC-RS
Professor at the School of Humanities – PUC-RS
Brain Institute (INSCER) – PUC-RS
Aline Fay de Azevedo
Coordinator of the Undergraduate Program in Literature (English) – PUC-RS
Professor at the School of Humanities – PUC-RS
Brain Institute (INSCER) – PUC-RS
Public policies play a fundamental role in consolidating a truly inclusive school, especially when they guarantee ongoing training for teachers and pedagogical and institutional support for students. School inclusion is not limited to enrollment; it requires concrete learning conditions, physical and curricular accessibility, and specialized support so that students can fully develop their potential.
I believe that teacher training is the central axis of this transformation. Effective public policies must ensure ongoing training programs that articulate theory and practice, with an emphasis on understanding cognitive differences, such as dyslexia and other learning and neurodevelopmental disorders. It is essential that teachers master principles of reading science, such as the importance of phonological awareness, decoding, and systematic instruction, so they can intervene early and adapt their methodologies. Furthermore, training should promote an inclusive approach based on evidence and the recognition of diversity as a constitutive element of the school environment.
Another essential point is institutional support. Policies should ensure multidisciplinary teams working in conjunction with teachers, including educational psychologists, linguists, speech-language pathologists, and educational psychologists. These professionals contribute to diagnosis, the development of individualized teaching plans, and the ongoing monitoring of student progress. Schools must have accessible teaching resources, such as multisensory materials, assistive technologies, and curricular adaptations that favor different pedagogical approaches.
Furthermore, it is essential that public funding ensures adequate infrastructure, the reduction of physical and pedagogical barriers, and the strengthening of Multifunctional Resource Rooms. Coordination between the departments of Education, Health, and Social Assistance broadens the scope of these actions and ensures that students with specific needs receive comprehensive support.
Finally, evaluation and monitoring policies are crucial for measuring the impact of initiatives and adjusting strategies. Inclusion is only effective when the educational system is committed to the learning of all, promoting equity rather than homogenization.
Thus, by investing in evidence-based teacher training, interdisciplinary technical support, and adequate structural conditions, public policies not only guarantee the right to education but also transform schools into spaces of belonging and full development for each student.
