This paper will report on the first findings of a study, funded by the Spanish Government, aimed at analyzing current practices of educational support in Spain, focusing on the role of Special Education Needs (SEN) teachers.

According to the Spanish legal framework, the role and responsibilities of the special teachers have not changed within the last twenty years.Our study shows that the inclusion of SEN students requires new and flexible support conception. Special teachers provide resources and support for adapting the curriculum to include school and community activities for students with SEN, However, the engagement for inclusion process in Spanish schools implies new ways of understanding intruction and educational support.

Deppeler, Loreman and Sharma (2005) suggest that schools support inclusive education through “invisible” models of support to teachers rather than to students. Under this model, it is the special teacher who implements most inclusive practices, working collaboratively with families and teachers.

The study describes a variety of practices currently coexisting in SEN supports, the teachers' rationale behind the different approaches, their perceived advantages, wealness and challenges, and the identification of best practices.

The research sets out to address the following research questions:

How can special teachers work be used to stimulate inclusive practices among teachers?

How can they improve the capacity for students’ diversity in the schools?

What aspects of the current regulations, general or specific functions, negatively affect the development of a collaborative support?

What changes in the normative and the design of the SEN teachers' functions could improve their outcomes?

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