Country information for Portugal - Assessment within inclusive education systems

Definition of the target group and eligibility process

Decree-Law No. 54/2018, 6 July, abandons the restricted concept of ‘support measures for learners with special educational needs’. It takes a broader view, implying a whole school approach which considers multiple dimensions and the interactions between them. Every learner has the right to receive measures to support their learning and inclusion and for specific resources to be mobilised to meet their educational needs in all education and training offerings.

The Decree-Law establishes the principles and norms that guarantee inclusion as a process that aims to respond to the diverse needs and potential of each and every pupil, by increasing participation in the processes of learning and the school community.

In each school there is a multidisciplinary team to support inclusive education, with both permanent and variable members. Parents are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Multidisciplinary teams are responsible for:

• raising awareness of inclusive education in the educational community;
• proposing the learning support measures to be mobilised;
• following up and monitoring of the implementation of the learning support measures;
• advising teachers about the implementation of inclusive pedagogical practices;
• preparing technical-pedagogical reports, individual educational programmes and individual transition plans;
• following up on the functioning of the learning support centres.

Once the need for measures to support learning and inclusion have been identified, the school director requests that the multidisciplinary team prepare a technical-pedagogical report for the learner. This report substantiates the mobilisation of selective or additional measures for learning and inclusion.

The multidisciplinary team adopts a holistic view. They consider the academic, behavioural, social and emotional aspects of the learner, as well as environmental factors (namely the school and the classroom). They collect evidence and significant data that make clear information available in order to re-balance the teaching and learning process.

Last updated 07/04/2020