Inclusión educativa y discapacidad desde la participación activa: investigación-acción y abordaje del Programa Modelo de Perkins en tres países latinoamericanos

María Antonia Vázquez; Gloria Rodríguez-Gil

doi:10.54104/papeles.v17n34.2198

Authors

María Antonia Vázquez Perkins School for Blind https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3038-2890
Gloria Rodríguez-Gil Perkins School for Blind https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4758-6838

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54104/papeles.v17n34.2198

Keywords:

Inclusive education, pedagogical research, innovation, special education, social inclusion

Abstract

Introduction: This paper presents the analysis of an experience developed through the interrelation of a well-established educational action strategy, the implementation of the Model Program Approach (MPA) promoted by Perkins School for the Blind, and a systematic process of participatory action research. This combination enabled the development of situated knowledge grounded in school practices. The research was conducted between 2023 and 2025 across 27 regular schools, special education schools, and early childhood centers in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, using collaborative qualitative methodologies and institutional self-assessment tools. Methodology: To collect information, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participatory and non-participatory observation records, field notes on the monitoring of implemented change actions, analysis of school documents, and the annual application of the Perkins Quality Indicators were used. Results and Discussion: The results show significant progress in the participation of students with visual impairments, multiple disabilities, and deafblindness, as well as in professional development of teachers, active family involvement, and the consolidation of sustainable inclusive practices. Conclusions: This experience not only allowed for collective documentation and reflection on the ongoing transformations but also offered meaningful insights to strengthen more just, contextualized, and transformative educational systems in Latin America.

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Author Biographies

María Antonia Vázquez, Perkins School for Blind

Mary is a professor and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education from the National University of Río Cuarto, a Master's Degree in Educational Research from the Catholic University of Córdoba in Argentina, and is a graduate of the Educational Leadership Program at Perkins School for the Blind. With over twenty years of experience in university teaching, research, consulting, and human resource training in the field of disability, she has focused particularly on the area of multiple disabilities.

Throughout her career, she has excelled in consulting for programs and schools, addressing topics such as literacy, behavior modification, and the implementation of communication technologies. She is the founder of the NGO ACIPDIM in Argentina, which is dedicated to individuals with multiple disabilities, and coordinated its services until 2020. Her research has focused on the training of special education professionals, emancipatory educational practices for people with disabilities, and communication development.

Mary has also served as an adjunct university professor and has been responsible for training in educational strategies, support for individuals with multiple disabilities, and educational technology. She has authored various articles, contributed to books, and compiled academic works, with her contributions presented at conferences and other academic events.

Currently, she works as a researcher and quality manager at Perkins Latin America, where she leads documentation and change-monitoring activities in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Additionally, she continues to teach at the university level, training future professionals in special education.

Gloria Rodríguez-Gil, Perkins School for Blind

Gloria is the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Perkins School for the Blind. Born and educated in Costa Rica, Spain, and the United States, she leads Perkins’ international programs in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the Dominican Republic, while also coordinating an extensive network of educators across the region.

With more than 30 years of experience in visual impairment, deafblindness, and multiple disabilities, Gloria has been a key figure in the development of inclusive educational programs. She founded the first educational program for deafblind children in Central America and co-created the first Master’s Degree in Multiple Disabilities and Deafblindness at the University of Costa Rica, supported by the Hilton-Perkins Program. Her career has been recognized through various fellowships and an internship at Gallaudet University and Perkins School for the Blind. In 1997, building on these experiences, she published one of the first Spanish-language books on deafblindness.

Gloria holds postgraduate degrees in Special Education with an emphasis on Multiple Disabilities from the University of Costa Rica and Boston College, where she studied under Dr. Barbara McLetchie. She has also authored several articles and is a prominent advocate and speaker on accessible education at national, regional, and global levels. Since 2019, in her role as Perkins’ director for Latin America and the Caribbean, she has led her team in implementing innovative models to transform public education systems in the region. Her approach is based on personalized support for each country, adapting strategies to their specific contexts to ensure a deep and sustainable impact on inclusive education.

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