Brazil Launches National Policy to Advance Inclusive Special Education
Brazil establishes a new decree to ensure inclusive education for students with disabilities and special needs, focusing on support within regular classrooms and specialized assistance.
- • Brazil's government establishes the National Policy and Network of Inclusive Special Education through Decree No. 12,686/2025.
- • The policy ensures students with disabilities and special needs are educated in regular classrooms with specialized support.
- • Teachers providing specialized educational assistance require initial teaching qualifications and preferably specific inclusive education training.
- • The policy includes governance and monitoring frameworks to ensure implementation across federal, state, and municipal levels.
Key details
The Brazilian government, through Decree No. 12,686/2025, has officially established the National Policy and National Network for Inclusive Special Education, aiming to guarantee educational rights and reduce barriers for students with disabilities, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and those with high abilities or giftedness. Signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and published on October 21, 2025, the initiative reinforces Brazil's commitment to inclusive education by promoting equality of opportunity, combating discrimination, and fostering accessibility at all education levels.
Coordinated by the Ministry of Education (MEC), the policy emphasizes inclusion in regular classrooms with the provision of specialized educational support, ensuring participation and learning for all students. A key element is the Atendimento Educacional Especializado (AEE), or Specialized Educational Assistance, which is to be delivered preferentially in regular schools and integrated into their political-pedagogical projects. This support is provided by teachers who must hold initial teaching qualifications and preferably also have specific training in inclusive special education, including a minimum of 80 hours.
The policy also introduces the Individualized Educational Assistance Plan (PAEE) to guide instructional practices and accessibility resources tailored to each student's needs. It mandates intersectoral monitoring and evaluation by a governance structure composed of national executive coordination and social participation, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.
Pedagogue and disability rights activist Ivan Baron praised the decree as a milestone in combating discrimination and reducing school dropout rates among students with special needs. The policy promotes accessibility tools and assistive technologies, underscoring investments in multifunctional resource rooms and teacher training.
Additionally, the policy encourages collaboration across federal, state, and municipal levels with federal support through resource transfers and scholarships for implementing the National Network. The Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship highlights the government's goal to strengthen evaluation and technical support while advancing accessibility across all education stages, from early childhood to higher education.
This comprehensive framework reflects Brazil's legal and constitutional commitments, including the Federal Constitution, the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education, the Brazilian Inclusion Law, and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. By integrating specialized support into mainstream education, the policy ensures that receiving specialized assistance does not replace enrollment in regular classes, promoting genuine inclusion.