From policy to practice: a comparative study on inclusive and special education for students with SEND across Europe

This comparative study investigates how seven European countries – Austria, Finland, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, and Switzerland – organise and implement educational systems to support students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Using data collected through the CASES (Comparative Analysis of Special Education School systems) template, the paper offers a cross-national analysis of structural and curricular components of inclusive and special education from early childhood to upper secondary levels. Although all countries formally endorse international commitments to inclusive education under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, findings reveal a wide variation in how these commitments are interpreted and applied. The results highlight key differences in teaching models and curriculum adaptation across countries. These findings underscore the dynamic and context-dependent nature of inclusion, suggesting it should be understood not as a fixed model but as a continuum shaped by national priorities, policy frameworks, and resource allocation. The study contributes to the field by offering a structured and replicable approach to cross-country analysis, and by identifying both commonalities and divergences in inclusive and special education legislation, policy, and practice.