With this project we wanted to contact new experiences, different and innovative teaching practices on the subject of inclusion that would help teaching professionals improve their teaching quality. Courses were chosen because they provide participants with innovative strategies and new working tools to overcome some of the barriers we face on a daily basis. The aim was for all the participants to increase their motivation and that of their pupils by acquiring new teaching methods and tools that could promote inclusion in the classroom throughout the school. The aim was to promote the sharing of intervention experiences in learning contexts as well as to develop strategies to improve and increase the success rates of our students at different levels and cycles, and to improve the integration of students with specific needs into mainstream classes. So, in line with the school's structuring documents, this project was intended to foster the development and deepening of teachers' skills in the area of inclusion and equity, contributing to educational success in different contexts.
The Cuba School´s located in a rural area in the interior of the Alentejo. Our school includes students with specific needs who are integrated in classes from pre-school to 9th grade. At the moment, all our classes have at least three children/young people with specific needs. The creation of this project on the theme of inclusion/diversity started from the need to provide teaching professionals with contact with realities different from our own, with new pedagogical practices as well as with other European education systems on the subject. The project aimed to enable participants to develop skills related to inclusion and diversity and, at the same time, to replicate them with their colleagues and other technicians in the education sector. It is not always easy for teaching professionals to integrate students with specific needs into classrooms, and to enhance interaction with their peers, so sharing and acquiring new strategies is always an asset.