TOUCHING HEARTS THROUGH SCHOOL INCLUSION

Abstract

Since 2016, Eliseo Pinilla Rueda School began an educational transformation process focused on inclusion, marking a milestone with the First Intermunicipal Inclusion Forum titled “Villanueva: The Most Educated and Inclusive.” This article aims to share the results of implementing inclusive pedagogical strategies and curricular adaptations aimed at students with Special Educational Needs (SEN), also benefiting other communities lacking appropriate pedagogical resources. The methodology applied was qualitative, with an inclusive, participatory, and transformative approach. Action-research strategies were used to understand community experiences and improve teaching practices, ensuring access, retention, and meaningful learning. The creation of the Inclusion Committee, composed of teachers, administrators, and parents, drove this transformation, reaffirming that all students can learn and participate fully. Training sessions were held to raise awareness among key educational actors about the need to adapt educational processes. Through the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Individual Plans for Reasonable Adjustments (IPRA), significant progress was made in addressing diversity. Currently, the institution supports 25 diagnosed students, with specialized professional assistance, and is a departmental pioneer in the field of inclusion. In conclusion, the Inclusion Committee and ongoing teacher training consolidated an inclusive school culture; UDL and IPRA proved to be effective strategies; interdisciplinary support ensured holistic development; the forum made the experience visible and replicable; and this represents an innovative, contextualized, and replicable model of inclusive education.