Multilingualism in Border Regions and inclusive Special Education: between Normative Conceptions and the Challenges of Implementation

Abstract

Inclusive special education is a theme that encompasses many facets within the school context, especially when this reality involves a singularity of border. This context is marked by an intense circulation os people, linguistic and cultural diversity, which directly impacts the educational process. The research started from the problem of the difficulties faced by students, specially during the literacy period, in a multilingual environment, which requires differentiated pedagogical mediation and more effective educational policies. The objective that guided the development of this research was to analyze the conditions and possibilities for offering special education from an inclusive perspective in a multilingual border context between Brazil and Paraguay. The research follows a qualitative approach, of a theoretical, documentary, and field nature. It is grounded in historical-dialectical materialism, which supports the analysis of inclusive policies in Brazil and Paraguay. The study is also based on theoretical perspectives from the historical-cultural approach, understanding the child’s psychological development articulated with the processes of thought and language, especially within the multilingual social context in which students of special education are inserted. The results highlighted the need to strengthen public policies, greater articulation between local contexts, and investment in teacher training. The study also emphasized the importance of collaborative teaching approaches and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as strategies to promote inclusion. It is concluded that, in order to ensure quality inclusive education in border regions, it is essential to consider linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as to promote structural and training actions that effectively support teachers and students.