Conference Program

Abstract

The specialised support teacher plays a pivotal role in inclusive schooling. This is not only because of the support they provide to students with disabilities, but also because of their contribution to creating equitable, participatory and diversity-sensitive educational contexts. Current literature shows that this professional role cannot be reduced to a technical function alone; rather, it requires the integration of pedagogical and didactic expertise, relational competence, collaborative working, and shared educational responsibility (Gaspari, 2016; Canevaro & Ianes, 2024). From this perspective, the education of support teachers becomes meaningful when it promotes the acquisition of operational tools and the development of a reflective professional stance oriented towards educational care, the recognition of personal dignity and the design of meaningful, personalised learning pathways (Bruni, 2024a; Bruni, 2024b). Recent studies on initial teacher education and the competencies of inclusive teachers also emphasise the importance of connecting specialist knowledge, perceived self-efficacy, socio-emotional sensitivity and the capacity to collaborate with colleagues, families and local services (Bocci et al., 2021; Longo & Di Carlo, 2024; Morganti, 2018).

Within this framework, this study examines the perceived outcomes of the training delivered by INDIRE under Ministerial Decrees 75 and 77. It compares the two training pathways and explores differences across school levels. The analysis is based on a final questionnaire completed by participants at the end of the programme. Of the 9,354 trainees in the reference population, 3,760 completed the questionnaire, corresponding to 40.2% of the total population. The self-report instrument consisted of three quantitative sections based on a four-point Likert scale, covering opinions on the training received, the perceived impact on the professional role and perceived competences for inclusion.

Overall, the findings portray a broadly positive picture. The highest evaluations concern personal and professional growth, increased awareness of the support teacher’s role and acquisition of useful perspectives for inclusive practice. Conversely, areas requiring improvement include collaboration with local services, participation in local inclusion networks, and extending inclusive practice beyond the school context.

A consistent advantage for DM 77 was revealed when the two pathways were compared. Participants who undertook the DM 77 pathway reported a mean score of 3.51 for their training experience, compared with 3.43 for those who undertook the DM 75 pathway. Similar gaps emerge in perceived impact on the professional role (DM 77 = 3.43; DM 75 = 3.28) and perceived competence for inclusion (DM 77 = 3.46; DM 75 = 3.36). The most evident differences concern practical activities, the use of technologies, relationships with external services, and the recognition of the support teacher’s role within the school organisation.

Significant differences also emerge across school levels. Overall, teachers in preschool and upper secondary education show the most positive profiles, whereas lower secondary teachers systematically report less favourable evaluations. Taken together, these findings suggest that training is perceived as more meaningful when it strengthens technical competence alongside awareness of the educational mandate, relational responsibility and the capacity to act within inclusive ecosystems. This is consistent with studies on inclusive teacher professionalism and support teacher education (Menichetti & Piccioli, 2022; Marchisio et al., 2024).