Despite widespread recognition in recent global educational policy agendas (UNESCO, 2015) that inclusive and equitable education is pivotal for ensuring quality education, a contentious debate persists regarding the effectiveness of truly inclusive learning and social contexts (Ainscow, 2020; Hehir, Pascucci, & Pascucci, 2016; Stephenson & Ganguly, 2021). This has lately been particularly pronounced in Italy in a newspaper article which asserted that notwithstanding the country's 50-year history of promoting integration and, subsequently, inclusion since the early 2000s, the system is purportedly failing. Naturally, this has sparked diverse reactions among academics, journalists, teachers and other stakeholders. However, scant attention has been given to the voices of parents and caregivers who, along with their children, directly experience inclusive practices and policies in Italy. Taking into account that in Italy the vast majority of students with disability attend mainstream/inclusive schools, the overarching aim of the research being presented is to provide parents with an opportunity to make their voices heard regarding their preferences towards mainstream/inclusive schools and special schools. This is especially important when considering that research on parents’ perceptions is still not that copious (Sharma et al., 2022; Zanobini et al., 2018). Specifically, this work addresses the question: “Which variables predict positive or negative perceptions towards inclusive education?” The initial data related to the Italian context that will be presented as part of an international study in nine different countries exploring the perceptions of parents and caregivers regarding school provision for students with special educational needs. The data collection tool comprises the “Parental Perception of Inclusive Climate Scale” (Sharma, et al. 2022), the “Me as a Parent Scale” (Short Version) (Matthews et al., 2022), and four open-ended questions. These findings will contribute to the ongoing discourse on global educational policies and the practical implementation of inclusive education strategies, filling a crucial gap in understanding parental perspectives.

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