GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS, PUBLIC POLICIES, AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES

Abstract

This article discusses Global Developmental Disorder (GDD) from an educational perspective, emphasizing the challenges and possibilities schools face when including students diagnosed with this condition. GDD, which encompasses different neurodevelopmental conditions – such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and other atypical developmental patterns – is understood not only as a medical issue but also as a social and educational phenomenon that directly affects the organization of pedagogical practices.

Drawing on the contributions of classical authors such as Vygotsky and Piaget, the study highlights the importance of social interactions and cognitive development for the learning process of students with GDD, recognizing both their singularities and their learning potential. In addition, the article engages with contemporary scholars of inclusive education, such as Mantoan, Januzzi, and Glat, who advocate for a plural, democratic, and accessible school, grounded in respect for diversity. The analysis stresses that inclusion should not be interpreted merely as the physical presence of the student in the classroom but rather as effective participation in teaching and learning processes. This requires methodological changes, curriculum adaptations, and continuous teacher education.

From a legal standpoint, the study reflects on the main Brazilian regulations that guarantee the right to inclusion, such as the National Education Guidelines and Framework Law (LDB), the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI), and the National Policy on Special Education from the Perspective of Inclusive Education. These policies ensure that children with GDD are granted not only access to education but also permanence and success within the school environment. At the same time, they impose on educational institutions the challenge of creating equitable pedagogical practices.

In this sense, the article argues that schools should play a central role in promoting meaningful interactions, mediating the cognitive, emotional, and social development of children with GDD. Pedagogical action must therefore be dialogical, collaborative, and grounded in inclusive strategies that respect different rhythms and learning styles. In conclusion, the article asserts that the educational inclusion of students with GDD demands not only individual adaptations but, above all, a structural transformation of the school itself, which must embrace diversity as a constitutive value of the educational process.