SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES WITH THE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Abstract

The consolidation of inclusive education as a guiding principle of contemporary educational policies poses significant challenges to schools, particularly regarding the guarantee of learning rights for students with disabilities in mainstream education settings. In this context, digital technologies emerge as potential resources for overcoming pedagogical, communicational, and attitudinal barriers. This article aims to analyze the challenges and possibilities of using digital technologies within special and inclusive education, focusing on their role in mediating the teaching-learning process. This qualitative study is based on a critical literature review, grounded in national authors and official legal documents that guide inclusive education policies in Brazil. The analysis indicates that although digital and assistive technologies expand access, participation, and personalized learning opportunities, their effectiveness depends on structural, pedagogical, and professional development factors, such as continuous teacher training, intentional instructional planning, and the transformation of exclusionary conceptions still present in school culture. It is concluded that the critical and contextualized use of technologies can significantly contribute to building a truly inclusive school when aligned with an emancipatory and equitable pedagogical project.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.008-123