The most recent UNICEF (2013) publication on the state of the world’s children is dedicated to the rights of children with disabilities to an education and a meaningful and productive life. The report stresses the importance of building an educational system based on the fundamental principles of inclusion, which are the respect for the rights, aspirations and potential of all children. However, the report also highlights how the limitations of present international statistical data, research, and practice-based knowledge concur in making children with disabilities, and by extension those with special educational needs, excluded by rendering them ‘invisible’. Consequently, those who teach and support them can feel marginalized and excluded within an educational discourse, which focuses primarily on measurable attainment.

As inclusion is becoming a well-established principle for effective pedagogy and school improvement recognized both at the international level and more specifically enshrined in legislation in the UK and Brazil, there is first of all a need to take stock of what has been achieved so far. Secondly, there is a need to acknowledge new and not visible yet developments both in relation to research and with regards to practices in both the UK and Brazil. Yet, we know what education and educational research face challenges. Education is challenged by new market led models of competition as a consequence of the recent economic crisis. Educational research is challenged by the scarcity of funding, but also by a growing generational gap between established and early career researchers.

In response to the UNICEF’s call for ‘visibility’ and inclusion, and in response to the recognised need to build human and research capacity, the workshop offers early and established researchers the opportunity to make their findings and ideas visible by comparing, debating and thus building innovative responses to the inclusion of children with SEN. It will also set the basis for the development and consolidation of already established links between the Federal University of São Carlos and the University of Northampton. It will do this by providing a place and a space for the dissemination of cutting edge knowledge and supporting early career researcher to work with mentors who are established and internationally recognized researchers.