The Challenges of Inclusion in Upper Secondary School: From Critical Issues to Ongoing Reforms

Abstract

On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of Law 104/92 and in light of the reforms planned by the PNRR concerning disabilities, we have decided to delve into the current critical issues related to inclusion processes in upper secondary schools.
The analysis of the literature on this topic (Del Bianco et al., 2022; Aiello, Giaconi, 2024) has allowed us to frame the critical issues within the school context, classifying them as intrasystemic, meaning related to the very organization of upper secondary schools, and intersystemic difficulties, as they are determined by the functioning of the schoolterritory network.
This perspective has guided the research towards the reconstruction of the perceptions and outlook of support teachers who have been experiencing the context of upper secondary schools over the past thirty years. The research protocol is characterized as a mixedmethod (Creswell, Plano Clark, 2007; Doyle, 2009) following both quantitative and qualitative data collection procedures, according to the perspectives of Exploratory Design (Greene, Caracelli, 1997). Specifically, our study analyzes quantitative and qualitative data obtained through semistructured questionnaires administered to 110 inservice support teachers. The investigation reveals various perspectives to rethink the levels of school inclusion, which will be discussed in this contribution.