The paper reflects on special education policies propositions as to the organizational planning involved in pedagogical work. References are drawn from documental analysis, through which we seek to understand the meaning of political discourse and the conceptions that sustain them. The principal sources analyzed are those representative of the National Guidelines for Special Education in Basic Education (Resolution CNE/CEB - Conselho Nacional de Educação/Câmara de Educação Básica [National Education Counsel/Basic Education Chamber] 2/2001 and Counsel CNE/CEB 17/2001). Possible reflections concerning the theme under discussion led to understanding that, based on present special education policies, organizational forms of pedagogical work must be founded on two supporting axes: 1) an educational approach to special education, built upon the conception of special educational necessities in opposition to traditional pedagogy, which used the medical-psychological model as its main reference and 2) criticism of the homogenized regular school, furthering instead a diversity based pedagogy and acknowledgement of the differences approach. The study enabled us to conclude that there are insufficient inclusive proposals resulting from special education policies in Brazil if our aim is to overcome educational inequalities. This position largely expresses a reproduction of international propositions, but it also expresses an active appropriation and maintenance of conservative principles in the understanding of social relationships, which largely subordinate the organizational forms of pedagogical work in the field under analysis.
pedagogical work; educational policies; special education