Actions for the promotion of educational inclusion of deaf students in Chile

In an effort to advance on a real educational inclusion in Chile, the School Integration Program (Programa de Integración Escolar, PIE) has been implemented with the stated aim of promoting school inclusion through the establishment of support and collaboration processes that remove barriers within the school context. This qualitative study describes and analyzes the actions undertaken in schools that implement PIE for deaf students, focusing on the dimensions of cultures, policies, and practices that support inclusion. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five professionals (two program coordinators and three special education teachers) from three schools in the Metropolitan Region. The findings reveal that, although policies ensure the presence of deaf students, effective participation and learning depend on sustained strategies that cultivate inclusive school cultures and pedagogical practices. The study contributes to scholarship by deepening understanding of how inclusion policies are enacted in daily school practices, and to educational practice by highlighting actionable approaches for developing coherent, sustainable inclusion processes in Chilean schools.