School Inclusion: Does the italian reform ignore don Milani? Pedagogical governance and shared responsibility in school inclusion: A Milanian perspective
Giovanni Abbate
This contribution critically examines school inclusion processes within the Italian educational system, with particular attention to individualized educational planning — the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) — and to the role of digital technologies as tools for pedagogical, organizational, and relational mediation. Despite the progress introduced by the relevant regulatory framework, the article highlights the persistence of structural issues related to instructional discontinuity, the fragmentation of educational interventions, and the risk of standardizing personalized pathways, all of which may undermine students’ effective participation and the shared responsibility of the various actors involved. Through a theoretical dialogue with the critical pedagogy of Don Lorenzo Milani and the educational experience of the Barbiana School, inclusion is reinterpreted as a systemic process grounded in social justice, relational continuity, and shared responsibility. From this perspective, digital technology is not understood as a merely technical-administrative support tool, but as a potential ethical and cultural device capable of promoting decision-making transparency, family participation, shared documentation, and co-design practices in education oriented toward equity.
Keywords
School inclusion, pedagogical governance, Individualized Educational Planning (IEP), digital mediation, shared educational responsibility, Milani-inspired critical pedagogy.