Advancing inclusive education in South America: lessons learned

As we collectively work towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 - our global goal for education - we need equitable collaborations that facilitate knowledge exchange between individuals and organisations. Having honest and open dialogue between the ‘north’ and ‘south’, between external and local expertise and knowledge, is important in this journey towards more inclusive schools and societies. 

In this process, organisations committed to tackling urgent global challenges play a crucial role in driving change. This UCL Global Challenges initiative enabled UCL researchers Professor Walker and Dr Kamenopoulou to conduct collaborative research and to exchange knowledge with local organisations and IOE alumni working in South America. 

Advancing equitably

The researchers set out to solidify equitable collaborations, in which the ‘north’ and the ‘south’ work together and learn from each other. The team from IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, were interested to explore the local challenges and solutions for inclusive education, and the project’s collaborators were keen to learn from the UCL team’s expertise and research on advancing inclusive education.  

In July 2024, Professor Walker and Dr Kamenopoulou presented their work at the ION congress, held in Asuncion, Paraguay. Dr Kamenopoulou said: “Interestingly, ION is not an acronym, it comes from the common ending of the words: ‘inclusion’, ‘education’, ‘nation’. The best way to describe it is as a movement formed by joined local forces, including organisations, but also individuals like parents of children with disabilities, that actively work to advance inclusive education in Paraguay.”  

“It is an excellent example of a local solution to the challenges of inclusive education, that is nevertheless in open dialogue with external expert insights. Their work is impactful, as shown by their annual congress that this year was attended by more than a thousand delegates from Paraguay and other countries, including representatives from fifty educational organisations, and live streamed on YouTube.” 

Infographic alternative text and translation from Spanish to English.

Reaching regions in need

To ensure their work reaches and has an impact on rural areas, the UCL team also took part in the subsequent smaller iterations of the same conference that took place in the following week, in Ciudad del Este and Ciudad Colonel Oviedo.  

To be able to listen to and interact with teachers and other stakeholders in these remote and deprived areas of a low-income country like Paraguay was a significant learning point. Lack of teacher training and infrastructure, and the need for more inclusive policies were the main issues mentioned by teachers. Parents mentioned lack of information and the students stressed the need to include their voices in all matters that affect them.  

Professor Walker and Dr Kamenopoulou delivered a series of keynote talks and interactive seminars based on their research on inclusive education, including neuromyths about the brain, accessible practices and spaces, and the role of the senses in learning and development.  

From Asuncion, they travelled to Montevideo, Uruguay, where they presented their research at a hybrid event open for teachers from the entire country, held by the Ministry of Education, and toattended by approximately 100 participants, and at a workshop hosted by the Faculty of Psychology, of the Universidad de la República, the national University of Uruguay. 

Enriching current knowledge

In collaboration with local partners and other researchers from IOE, the researchers rolled out a survey for pilot research examining teachers’ perceived competence in implementing inclusive, high-leverage and culturally responsive practices with learners with disabilities. This groundbreaking study will benchmark teachers' abilities to implement inclusive practices in Paraguayan and Uruguayan schools.  

Through ongoing collaboration with teacher training organisations and other local partners, the study’s findings will strategically inform future teacher development focusing on practices proven to enhance outcomes for students with disabilities. 

Related links 

• Dr Leda Kamenopoulou’s UCL profile
• Professor Zachary Walker’s UCL profile 
• Department of Psychology and Human Development

Images

Top: Tall palm trees at Palacio Salvo in Montevideo, Uruguay. Credit: Curioso Photography / Adobe Stock.

Middle: Infographic of Dr Kamenopoulou's keynote on 'learning through the senses' at ION 2024. Credit: La Cartografica.