Historical Roots of Inclusive Education: Understanding the Present Through the Past

Abstract

This review article aimed to examine the historical evolution of inclusive education, tracing its path from roots in models of exclusion and segregation to the contemporary international normative frameworks that guide its practice. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on a literature review and historical-critical analysis, examining models of disability support, international milestones, and legal frameworks that have contributed to consolidating the inclusive paradigm. The analysis reveals a shift from models characterized by exclusion, dispensability, and institutionalization toward approaches grounded in equity, participation, and the recognition of diversity as a fundamental educational value. The review finds that the contemporary understanding of inclusive education cannot be explained in isolation but rather through the interplay of historical processes, conceptual developments, and international mandates. It concludes that educational inclusion is not a goal definitively achieved, but rather a dynamic process requiring continuous structural, attitudinal, and methodological transformations within current educational systems.