Policy implementation of disability education in inclusive schools: a comparative case study of Islamic and public education systems in Indonesia

This study examines disability education policy implementation across Indonesia's dual education system through a comparative case study in East Java Province, comparing two provincial-level institutions: the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs East Java (Kanwil Kemenag Jatim), overseeing Islamic education (madrasah), and the East Java Provincial Education Department (Dindik Jatim), overseeing public schools. Using Anderson's policy framework, this research analyzes four policy stages: problem mapping, formulation, implementation, and evaluation. Data were collected through participant observation, interviews with seven key informants, and document analysis across two institutional contexts. Findings reveal significant differences: Kanwil Kemenag follows a three-stage reactive proposal process (receiving, classifying, verifying madrasah proposals) focusing on access provision, while Dindik Jatim emphasizes comprehensive educational services. The study identifies a critical gap in Islamic education where evaluation results are not systematically integrated into policy improvement cycles, contrasting with the public system's integrated approach. These findings contribute to understanding inclusive education policy implementation in diverse institutional contexts and highlight the need for systematic approaches moving beyond access provision to comprehensive service delivery.