Promoting an Inclusive Education through Collaborative and Dialogical Work in Mathematics Classes and in Research

Inclusive education has been discussed since the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994). But despite its ideals being mentioning in legal documents, there is still a huge gap between discourses and practices. Diversity is a characteristic of human beings. Education should provide effective learning conditions to each pupil (Ainscow, 1999). Collaborative and dialogical work and research (César, 2009, 2013, 2017) were effective ways of empowering pupils who need specialized educational and social support (César, Machado, & Ventura, 2014). The Interaction and Knowledge (IK) project lasted 12 years and had a 10-year-follow-up. It used three research designs: (1) quasi-experimental studies; (2) action-research projects; and (3) case studies. We focus on data from Mathematics classes and in the action-research projects. The participants were 69 teacher/researchers and the pupils from around 600 classes, their families, other educational agents, four researchers, and internal and external observers. Several data collecting instruments were used, allowing for the triangulation of sources, data collecting instruments, researchers, and theories, used as quality criteria (Denzin, 2002). The analysis of some paradigmatic examples from blind pupils and another one with a slower cognitive and emotional development illuminate that the implicit messages and the inter-empowerment mechanisms play an important role in their mathematical performances and life trajectories of participation. Collaborative and dialogical work and research were important features to promote an inclusive and intercultural education, increasing these pupils’ autonomy and legitimate participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991).