Public policies on disability in Latin America and its guarantee of access to quality inclusive education

Abstract

Latin American countries have taken important steps in legal and institutional matters to protect and promote the rights and social inclusion of people with disabilities, at the national, regional and international levels. Even though there has been progress, the practical results of the institutions’ actions and the implemented public policies still require monitoring and a rigorous evaluation in order to determine if the policies have been effective. From this perspective, this essay proposed two objectives, the first, describes the legal and institutional framework of the region for the policies directed towards people with disabilities. The second, to perform a brief analysis of these policies, with a focus on the effectiveness of access to education for this population group. . A conclusion of this analysis is that the development of better information, a continuing focus, and the institutional articulation of the policies are key for achieving effectiveness in this endeavor. It is also concluded that it is necessary to establish a university research agenda in Latin America, in relation to the issues and problems that impact on the protection and promotion of rights and social inclusion of people with disabilities.