From Exclusion to Inclusion Going Through Segregation and Integration: The Role of the School and of the Sociopedagogical Mediator

In this paper we intend to explore the development of the concept of Special Education as well as the values according to which the handicaped person has been treated through the eyes, exploring the path from Exclusion, going through Segregation and Integration ending with Inclusion. We also deal with the principles of the Inclusive School, as well as with the legislation that supports it. Afterwards we deal with the role of School and the surrounding Community in what multiculturalism and inclusion of the person with special needs in the regular school are concerned, as well as it's organization in order to make the individualized attendancy to the person with special needs more effective, using, for that purpose, the role of the socio-peda gogical mediator. It's the goal of this investigation, after the presentation of some theoretical issues, to allow a confrontation between what is said to be the best for Special Education and what is actually done at schools in order to make the education “universal, obligatory and free” for every student. In this study we had the collaboration of 50 teachers teaching in the Oporto district, who, through questionnaires expressed their opinion about the inclusion movement of children with special needs, about the way they feel and the preparation they have to deal with diversity in their classrooms and the help they need from other technicians and further knowledge in the area.