Inclusive Special Education in a Context of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity: Pedagogical Practices and Challenges for Teachers in Schools on the Borders

ABSTRACT This paper describes the perceptions of teachers in schools located near the border range between Ponta Porã, in Brazil, and Pedro Juan Caballero, in Paraguay, about their training and its pedagogical practices with the target students of Special Education, from the perspective of school inclusion, in a scenario of cultural and linguistic diversity. A qualitative research was carried out with five teachers from two municipal public schools, who responded to a semi-structured interview. The results point to advances, such as the production of teaching materials by the teachers, considering the cultural and linguistic diversity of Paraguayan students, whose mother tongues are Guarani and/or Spanish. However, the teachers also mentioned challenges due to language barriers, which can lead students to a secondary disability. Future research may expand these findings by investigating the reality and daily lives of students in the classroom environment, as well as the relationship between the family of Paraguayan students and the school.