The role of service learning in promoting inclusion

Service-learning (SL) is an innovative educational methodology that integrates academic learning with community service, providing students with opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts while contributing positively to their community. This approach is particularly meaningful for students with special educational needs (SEN), as it promotes social inclusion and active participation in inclusive educational environments. Through SL, students with SEN can participate in activities that value their contributions and foster their social inclusion. However, the effective implementation of SL in inclusive educational contexts presents challenges, including the need for curricular adaptations and teacher training in inclusive practices. This article presents a systematic review of the literature based on the PRISMA protocol model, whose objective is to analyze the application of SL in supporting the inclusion of students with SEN, as well as to identify and discuss strategies aimed at optimizing its implementation in inclusive educational contexts. Scientific literature was searched in three databases, yielding 128 results. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 relevant articles were selected for the study. This article will review the existing literature to explore how SL has been applied to support the inclusion of students with SEN and discuss strategies to optimize its implementation.