The tourism industry represents a great engine of sustainable development for the markets of the 21st century, so that it is a promising industry where a differentiated set of actors and factors interact: the State, the business sector, organized communities and tourists. The objective of the research is to rethink a coherent public policy for the promotion of rural tourism in general, with special emphasis on communication for development and social change. The documentary research methodology and the SWOT analysis technique were used as a condition of possibility to visualize the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats that the implementation of a policy such as the one proposed would have in a specific context. The authors conclude that, in any imaginable scenario, political communication always enters into the equation for the formulation of tourism sector policies: (rural tourism + sustainable development = social change), as a space of synthesis that articulates in the collective imagination, ideas, concepts, feelings and objectives that create and recreate the conditions for social change, as a higher stage of sustainable development in the 21st century.

This study explored the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education, focusing on policies, practices, and challenges within a specific faculty. The research question analyzed barriers and strategies for inclusion. A mixed methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis of data collected through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and document review, with the participation of students with disabilities, faculty, and administrative staff. The findings demonstrated notable progress in inclusion, reflected in concrete policies and practices, such as scholarship programs, reasonable accommodations and assistive technologies. However, challenges persist in the training and sensitization of faculty and administrative staff, as well as in the removal of physical and architectural barriers. Analysis of the results showed a general trend towards greater inclusion in higher education, but inequalities still exist in access, participation and academic success for these students. A holistic and collaborative approach is needed to foster an inclusive culture that values and respects diversity and individual differences. This study provides valuable data for the continuous improvement of policies and practices in the field of inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education, underscoring the importance of treating inclusion as a dynamic and ever-changing process that demands the commitment and collaboration of the entire educational community. Areas for improvement and ongoing challenges were identified, emphasizing the need to continue working on specific strategies and policies to ensure equal opportunities and foster an inclusive culture that benefits all students, regardless of their individual characteristics and needs.

No son pocas las señales de discriminación y exclusión social que por diferentes motivos siguen mostrando la profunda inequidad de derechos que viven y sufren numerosos segmentos y grupos de la sociedad contemporánea. Entre tales desigualdadesse encuentranla exclusión por razones étnicas,de géneroo discapacidades físicas, tres de las más reconocidas por su incidencia en esferas como la inserción laboraly su retribución salarial, la educación, donde siguen mostrándose con persistencia en las estadísticasque se exhiben a escala global, nacional y local. Elobjetivo del presente artículo consiste en describir el estado de algunos de esos indicadores y acercarse a su manifestación concreta en determinados espacios y sectores de la vida ecuatoriana en la actualidad, además de contraponer medidas y normativas que en este país se vienen adoptando para reducir brechas. Con este propósitose empleó como metodología el estudio de casos,conun enfoque esencialmente cualitativo, combinando el análisis documental y bibliográfico con variantesde entrevista, observación directa y resultados de una encuesta a 400 personas habitantes de la ciudad de Guayaquil objeto de discriminación racial o afectados por discapacidades físicas. Se concluye que en Ecuador son evidentes las desigualdades y exclusionespor motivos étnicos o de discapacidad, sobre todo en lo que se refiere al acceso al ámbito laboral.