Inclusion in Motion: Rethinking Policy and Pedagogy in Latin American and Caribbean Classrooms, Thirty Years on from Salamanca

International Academic Journal - RECAP: Research in Education, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Introduction

Thirty years on from the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (UNESCO, 1994), Latin America and the Caribbean have gone through a complex and challenging process towards building inclusive education systems. The region's normative frameworks and public policies have incorporated the principles of inclusive education to varying degrees, while curricular and pedagogical practices in classrooms continue to face tensions between the normative mandate and the actual conditions of implementation.

This special issue of RECAP: Research in Education Curriculum and Pedagogy invites academics, researchers and teams to submit papers that critically examine the progress made, the challenges that persist and, in particular, what works in relation to inclusive education, special education and public policy in Latin American and Caribbean.

Aim of the special issue

To bring together original and rigorous research that provides evidence on the curricular and pedagogical transformations driven by inclusive education policy frameworks in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1994, with particular attention to practices, strategies and interventions that have demonstrated positive and sustainable outcomes.

RECAP is part of AT-Journals. The guidelines for authors are available here.

Thematic areas

Contributions are invited on, among others, the following themes:
• Normative frameworks and public policy on inclusive education and special education in the region.
• Policy implementation processes: gaps between normative design and classroom practice.
• Curricular transformations aimed at inclusion: universal design for learning, curricular adaptations and pedagogical flexibilisation.
• Initial and continuing teacher education for attending to diversity.
• Experiences and evidence on effective pedagogical practices (what works) in inclusive contexts.
• Inclusive education in rural contexts, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant communities and migration.
• Family and community participation in inclusive education processes.
• Evaluation and monitoring of inclusion policies: indicators, information systems and accountability.
• Comparative studies across countries in the region.
• Perspectives of students with special educational needs, disabilities and intersecting identities on their own educational trajectories.

Types of contributions

Empirical research articles, systematic literature reviews, case studies and public policy analyses will be accepted. Manuscripts must comply with RECAP's editorial guidelines.

Please familiarise yourself with the journal's author guidelines

Languages

Manuscripts are accepted in Spanish* and English.

*Spanish manuscripts will require - in an addition - an English abstract of 300-500 words.

Additional support for first time authors

RECAP aims to encourage new researchers by providing additional support to those who are submitting for the first time to an international peer-reviewed academic journal. We offer - by request - up to two formative feedback reviews (including 1to1 tutorials) before the manuscript is sent for the peer-review process. Please see the key dates below:

Key dates

• First time author/s additional support: November 2026 to January 2027
Please submit abstract and/or first draft for formative feedback adding in the subject – SEN special issue requesting formative feedback.
• Full manuscript submission deadline: 31st March 2027
• Notification of first review outcomes: 30th June 2027
• Estimated publication date: November 2027

Manuscript submission

Manuscripts should be submitted through the RECAP platform, indicating in the system that the contribution is for this special issue.

Contact

Questions and additional information about this special issue, please contact: Kyara.Rojas-Bustos@roehampton.ac.uk; Carolina.Gaona@roehampton.ac.uk