Introduction
The research addressed the historiography of Special Education, analyzing scientific articles published in SCIELO between 1998 and 2023. Special Education, defined by the National Guidelines for Basic Education, reflects the advancement of universal education in Brazil. This study aimed to map the state of knowledge on the subject, examining the scenario of publications, predominant objects of study, and the theoretical-methodological approaches adopted.
Methodology
The study used a qualitative approach, configuring itself as a bibliographic research of the “state of knowledge” type. A total of 174 articles in the SCIELO database were analyzed, using combinations of keywords such as “history of special education” and “education of the deaf in the 19th century”. The selection was restricted to Brazilian articles, resulting in 27 specific publications on the historical theme. In addition, the years of publication, authors’ training and methods used were investigated.
Results
The analysis identified a concentration of publications after 2016, with emphasis on “History of Deaf Education” (14 articles) and “History of Specialized Educational Institutions” (9 articles). The predominant training of the authors is in Pedagogy (23 authors), followed by Psychology and History (6 authors each). Documentary research was the most used method, while the New Cultural History, based on Chartier and Certeau, emerged as the main theoretical framework. However, many articles presented methodological gaps and lack of clarity in the theoretical foundations.
Discussion
The literature on the history of Special Education presents conceptual weaknesses and temporal discontinuity. The predominance of studies linked to teacher training reflects an approach limited to the educational context, failing to explore broad aspects of cultural and regional history. There is also a reduction in the curricular space for the History of Education in Pedagogy courses, highlighting the need for academic renewal and the inclusion of more comprehensive approaches.
Conclusion
Despite the recent increase in interest in the history of Special Education, scientific production is still incipient and marked by discontinuities. This study reinforces the importance of fostering historical research with methodological rigor and epistemological diversity, contributing to the construction of an inclusive educational identity in Brazil.
Reference :
SOBRAL, Renata da Silva Andrade; ROCHA, Genylton Odilon Rêgo da. Productions on the history of special education in articles from the scientific electronic library SCIELO (1998-2023). The dimensions of Human Sciences: behavior, culture and society. Federal University of Pará, Brazil, 2025.
