Abstract:

Peripheral regions, rural, remote, island, mountainous, or socio-economically disadvantaged areas, continue to face persistent educational inequalities linked to limited-service provision, staffing shortages, delayed assessment pathways, and weaker access to specialist support. The present work examines how special education can contribute to bridge these gaps by functioning simultaneously as a rights-based mechanism for equitable access, a capacity-building lever for schools and local systems, and a driver of inclusive regional development. Rather than conceptualizing special education as a parallel or segregated subsystem, the article frames it as an enabling educational and social infrastructure that strengthens mainstream provision through early identification, multi-tiered systems of support, individualized planning, assistive technologies, and inter-professional collaboration.

Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, conceptual approach based on a structured synthesis of recent international literature, policy reports, and comparative datasets on inclusive education, regional disparities, and place-based development. The analysis is informed by a spatial justice perspective and pays particular attention to territorially differentiated implementation conditions, with illustrative emphasis on the Greek case, especially island, mountainous, and other peripheral regions.

The findings identify three interrelated result clusters. First, strengthened special education systems reduce territorial inequalities by improving participation, attainment, and post-school transitions for learners with disabilities and additional learning needs. Second, they generate institutional spillover effects by reinforcing teacher capacity, school resilience, and school-family partnerships in contexts often characterized by demographic decline and staff turnover. Third, special education contributes to peripheral development by reducing family relocation pressures, enhancing the accessibility of local institutions, and supporting community sustainability.

The paper concludes that inclusive education in peripheral regions requires territorially responsive implementation models, including regional support hubs, mobile interdisciplinary teams, digital accessibility tools, and spatially weighted funding mechanisms. By linking educational equity with territorial cohesion, the article proposes a place-based framework that positions special education as a strategic pillar of sustainable peripheral development, with relevance to the ongoing reform of inclusive education in Greece.

Keywords:

Inclusive education, special education needs (SEN), peripheral regions, territorial inequality, regional development, Greece.