This Communication constitutes part of the R&D&I project PID2022-138349NB-I00, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and ERDF A Way of Doing Europe and its rationale is based on the assumption that in order to achieve the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015), education policies and practices need to be implemented in a way that responds to the needs and circumstances of all learners. All of this, in order to enable their presence, participation and learning in regular schools, as a hallmark of the inclusion paradigm. Above all, because, as Hodkison (2020) states, no education system in the world can be defined as inclusive. Therefore, schooling policies for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have become one of the preferences on the European education agenda (Echeita and Simón, 2020). Furthermore, according to a study by Meijer (2003), and based on the report of the Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities published in 2017, the Spanish education system systematically violates the right to inclusive education of students with disabilities, without considering the child as a subject of law.

For all these reasons, the LOMLOE (2020) aims to promote the evolution of special education centres from being administrators of specialised and segregated education for certain students, to developing tasks and functions of resource and support centres for regular schools. Nevertheless, this evolution, this transition towards inclusion, has not been without its barriers and drawbacks. Recalling Bauman's (2002) idea of a fluid reality, the fluid nature of the definition of this concept is one of the main barriers to creating more inclusive education systems (Imray and Colley, 2017). This liquidity becomes more evident when, in recent years, it has been verified (Huete et al., 2019) how the educational community has been organised and mobilised both to ensure that all students are cared for in regular schools under the principles of inclusive education and to maintain the current state and preserve special education for a particular and specific type of student who requires very specialised attention. In this way, as Madhesh (2023) states, it indicates different perceptions and prisms of the educational community on the schooling of students with SEN. Thus, the importance of analysing, researching and identifying the barriers that hinder this transition towards what international organisations are focusing on, and taking on the challenge of transforming special education centres together with the educational community to promote inclusive schools, escapes no one at present (Guirao et al., 2020).

We are therefore facing an open debate in accordance with the recognition of the right to inclusion proclaimed by international organisations and Spanish legislation. It is therefore essential to rethink the role of special education centres in our current education system, while also giving a voice to the protagonists of both regular and special education centres. It will mean indispensable knowledge to anticipate resistance and commitment to the schooling of all learners in inclusive learning environments. For these aforementioned reasons, this study aims to transcend the regional and national level to be installed, as an example for its adjustment according to the social reality, to the different European territories, since in studies on inclusive education it is important to bear in mind certain dimensions when improving the schooling of students and the reduction of inequality from the educational centres themselves (Belavi and Murillo, 2020).

Research design. A qualitative phenomenological research design was followed to understand the participants' meaning of special education centres from their subjective experiences. This type of research explores the phenomenon of the existence of special schools in education systems defined as inclusive from the point of view of those involved in them, through free dialogue. Participants. The population is composed of the educational community of all special education centres that operate in the Region of Murcia (Spain) during the school year 2023-2024. Concretely, 244 members of the educational community from 13 special education centres participated: 29 members of management teams (16 public and 13 private), 12 counsellors (8 public and 4 private), 67 teachers (45 public and 22 private), 36 students (26 public and 10 private), 40 family members (27 public and 13 private), 23 educational assistants (17 public and 6 private), 24 health professionals (18 public and 6 private) and, finally, 13 social workers/educators (8 public and 5 private). The sampling procedure was qualitative sampling of typical cases with representation by strata of each of the participating groups and the ownership of the educational centre to which they belonged. Data collection techniques. The semi-structured individual interview was employed. For students, the technique was adjusted to their communicative competence. The content script followed the guidelines of Hornby and Witte (2008) and three questions were formulated: a) what is the current role of special schools in an education system that defines itself as inclusive; b) should special schools change their role in the future; and c) what is the role they should assume? Field diaries were applied to record the information. The application of the technique was accompanied by audio and video recordings, which were stored in a specific file. Data analysis A literal transcription of the information collected was conducted and, subsequently, a content analysis was carried out, following an inductive model. The data were processed according to the cyclical process of qualitative data analysis explained by Rodríguez et al. (1996): a) data reduction; b) data arrangement and transformation; and c) obtaining results and verifying conclusions. The software employed for data processing and analysis was ATLAS.ti version 9 for Windows.

The results obtained in this study reveal different perceptions of the role that, according to the participating educational agents, special education centres will have to assume in the coming years. Specifically, three different roles stand out, ranging from a more conservative view, preserving their existence and current state, to a view associated with radical change and advocating their closure. Those roles are: the Maintenance Role (1), referring to the maintenance of the current state; the Transformation Role (2), referring to the transformation of these into resource, support and specialisation centres; and the Disappearance Role (3), linked to the elimination of these from the education system. In summary, the results of this research reveal a diversity of perceptions about the future of special schools in Spain. On the one hand, maintaining the current status reflects the preference of some participants for preserving the structure and function of these centres within the education system; this is perceived as the most conservative and least inclusive perspective. On the other hand, the transformation role suggests a significant evolution in their mission and operation, adapting them to new educational demands and trends, such as their transformation into resource and support centres for regular schools in its geographical area. Lastly, the disappearance scenario envisages the elimination of special education centres, fully integrating their students into regular education, which is considered to be the most advanced and inclusive perspective, and in alignment with international treaties. In conclusion, these findings raise a deep reflection, highlighting the need for a broader and more participatory debate due to the lack of consensus on the future of special education centres among the educational community. This reflection is required as it will promote the collective construction of educational solutions that fulfil the needs of inclusion and equity within the education system.

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