From normative guidelines to changing practices

The commitment to more inclusive education is now a priority in different countries, reflected in policy options, in the practices of schools and professionals and in educational research. In Portugal, the importance of inclusion is reaffirmed, which is visible through, for example, the publication of Decree-Law No. 54/2018 of 6 July. These policy options are necessarily reflected in the practices of schools and professionals, introducing relevant challenges to thinking and action in education. Some studies have been pointing out the changes that have occurred in several countries in order to configure more inclusive education models as well as the challenges that arise from this. This study seeks to contribute to this line of research by exploring the conceptions and inclusive practices, as well as the changes resulting from the implementation of Decree-Law no. 54/2018, on inclusive education in Portuguese schools. A qualitative case study was conducted in two school clusters in the north of the country.