A multi-level systematic evidence synthesis of inclusive education policy-practice gap across global contexts: interpretive implications for Ethiopia

Despite global commitments to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), a persistent policy-practice gap challenges the implementation of inclusive education (IE) worldwide. This systematic qualitative evidence synthesis, following PRISMA 2020 standards, reviews 32 international studies (2010–2024) through a narrative synthesis to identify mechanisms for bridging this gap, interpreted via the contextual lens of Ethiopia. Guided by an integrative framework combining ecological systems theory, policy implementation theory, the UNCRPD, the Index for Inclusion, and teacher agency models, the analysis reveals that the gap stems from ecological misalignment across four levels: (1) ambiguity in policy interpretation (28 studies), (2) constraints on teacher agency (32 studies), (3) variable school-level cultures and leadership (26 studies), and (4) systemic resource misalignment (24 studies). For Ethiopia, bridging the gap requires a shift from legislative aspirations to operational clarity, sustained investment in inclusive leadership, and cultivating teacher agency through embedded, collaborative support. The findings offer a rights-based, multilevel framework for strengthening systemic coherence in IE reform.