La transformación del contexto escolar hacia una educación inclusiva

Abstract

Abstrac Keywords: inclusive school, education project, mission and shared vision, change school culture, collaborative work, inclusive school practices, teaching work for inclusion. This thesis is the result of a research conducted in the educational context of Jose Felix Restrepo School in Bogota, Colombia. The research about the transformation of school practices and building processes and conditions that allow progress towards a more inclusive education for students with visual impairment. This research study investigates from the perspective of educational action research and based on the voices of teachers, the students’ stories and the direct observing of the school environment for those processes, conditions and circumstances of the school that favoring that presence, participation and the academic success of students with visual disabilities in regular classrooms. Thus, the general objectives that guided the development of this research were focused on identifying factors, school processes and conditions that allow the creation of learning environments that favor the inclusion of students with disabilities, as well as the implementation of a school improvement plan for the transformation of school practices that promote the teaching and learning of blind students with their peers in regular classrooms. Thus, the two main objectives were: 1. To know in a Colombian educational context (Bogotá), the factors or conditions of school work that favor the development of effective educational environments for the inclusion of students with this disabilities. 2. To develop a school improvement proposal aimed at developing of a inclusive school that favorites teaching and learning of students with disabilities. Of these two main objectives emerge five specific objectives: • To determine school contextual factors related to the organization and the pedagogical work that favor for the inclusion of students with visual disabilities in regular classrooms. • To identify the pedagogical elements of teachers’ work that promote the inclusion of students with visual disabilities in regular classrooms and the creation of an inclusive school culture. •.To determine how the involvement of students with visual impairment and school community promotes the generation of an inclusive school culture. • To implement a plan to improve school culture to promote the inclusion of students with visual impairment in a school of Bogota. • To assess the results of the implementation of the improvement plan for the inclusion of students with visual impairment. For the development of the investigation it was proceeded on the first time, to define the research focus and dimensions of the school which were considered as important areas of study for the establishment of an inclusive school. And secondly, it was formed the action plan for the school improvement towards the consolidation of a school culture for inclusion. In this sense, the research focus of the investigation were focused on two broad categories of analysis: Institutional being and pedagogical doing. Of these to focus emerged eight dimensions with the respective fields of study. Based on the definition of the focus and dimensions of research it was proceeded to build the instruments to collect information, for this case it was a semi-structured interview aimed to teachers, a questionnaire and the development of a case study. So, from the information obtained in the three data collection instruments, it was possible to understand the dynamics of change within the school and the processes, conditions and circumstances that have favored the inclusion of students with visual impairment and the consolidation of a school culture for inclusion. Finally, as a result of evidence and research findings in the investigation, it is set the topics for future research, to move towards a more inclusive education for all students, and project an inclusive education beyond the school to ensure social inclusion of quality for people on disability status.