Between capacity development and contestation: a systematic review of the involvement of inter- and non-governmental actors in inclusive education

Abstract

ABSTRACT The adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has brought about extensive education policy reforms towards inclusive education in many countries around the world. At the same time, it has been observed that intergovernmental organisations and non-state actors have been extensively involved in establishing these reforms. To better understand the roles of these actors in this field, we conducted a systematic literature review combined with network visualisation techniques. Specifically, we applied the policy cycle framework to analyse peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2020 on the implementation of inclusive education and the roles of intergovernmental and non-state actors therein. The systematisation of findings from the studies included in our review indicates that inter- and non-governmental organisations are the dominant actor groups, which become involved through the provision of capacity development support and implementation in practice. At the same time, researchers and experts are becoming increasingly involved at different stages of the policy cycle, from policy formulation, to capacity development, to implementation in practice. Overall, our results provide a comprehensive picture of intergovernmental and non-state actor involvement in inclusive education and can contribute to a better understanding of implementation processes in the field of inclusive education.