Evolution in the approach to inclusive education in Spain: a descriptive review of the legislation and implications for training

Abstract

The configuration of the approach to inclusive education in the Spanish context has been determined by a succession of regulations which have marked a clear evolution in terms of concepts, organization, procedures, methodologies, and training in the field of education. From the viewpoint of education professionals, a rigorous analysis has been made of the historical evolution of these regulations. For the content of the first part of the article, we have selected the main laws which have been essential to understand the conceptualization and implementation that have been adopted both in the curricular and organizational sphere towards an approach which considers education as aimed at all students, taking into account the diversity of characteristics and circumstances that identify them and in which they are involved, with the purpose to have an education that favors inclusion and that is itself an inclusive education. The provision of personal and material resources, as well as programs and educational policies that make this possible also entails the impact on training processes which have an effect on teachers, students, families, educational agents, in short, on the entire educational community. This impact on training is tackled in the second part of the article, which presents two of the main axes that can articulate training initiatives based on inclusive parameters from different categories of analysis.