Inclusive education policy in differentiated contexts: A comparison between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Greece, India and Sweden.

Abstract

Inclusive education has animated education policy the last decades especially since the Salamanca declaration. Countries across the world have been putting-in place policies to support the implementation of an inclusive education system. This paper examines inclusive education policies in five selected countries in relation to how it is defined, what values and goals underpinned inclusive education and the framing of multisectoral involvement. The aim is to develop a deeper understanding on how the policy enactments in these different national contexts may converge and diverge in the construction of inclusive education. The results show that national policies on inclusive education are weak, lacking a clear-cut definition of inclusive education, while access, equity and equality are core values and goals that underpin inclusive education. The results also reveal the policies highlight the involvement of different stakeholders albeit in varying ways in the different countries.