Rethinking school inclusion: a comparative analysis of decree-laws No. 3/2008 and No. 54/2018 in Portugal based on UNESCO reports

This article proposes a comparative analysis of Decree-Laws No. 3/2008 and No. 54/2018, legal instruments that define the models for supporting inclusive education in Portugal. By linking national regulatory developments with data and recommendations from UNESCO’s monitoring reports (GEM Reports), this research assesses the structural and conceptual changes underlying Portuguese education policy. The research follows a qualitative approach, of an exploratory and interpretative nature, using comparative document analysis as the central method. The results reveal a transition from a model focused on categorizing students with special educational needs (SEN) to an approach focused on universally meeting the needs of all students. The Discussion and Conclusions and Recommendations highlight the need to strengthen teacher training, pedagogical leadership, and monitoring based on disaggregated data, as recommended by UNESCO.