Managing Inclusive Early Childhood Education in Resource-Limited Settings: A Qualitative Case Study of Learning Provisions for Children with Special Needs in Indonesian Preschools

Abstract

Indonesia has extended inclusive early childhood education to ensure equal provision of learning experiences for children with special needs, but implementation outside large metropolitan centers differs. The objective of this study was to explore how inclusive early childhood education providers implement educational activities for children with special needs and identify factors affecting implementation in a non-metropolitan regency in Indonesia. A qualitative case study design employed in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis at four inclusive kindergartens. The Mazmanian–Sabatier policy implementation framework and thematic analysis were applied in analyzing data. Overall, inclusive learning management included planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluation; however, coordination between these functions remained largely informal. The key enabling factors were defined as committed leadership, parental involvement, teacher collaboration, and partnerships with disability associations. On the negative side, implementation was constrained by insufficient physical resources, a lack of special assistant teachers, limited curriculum flexibility, poor intergovernmental collaboration, socio-cultural views on disability, and family financial limitations. Inclusive learning management is feasible in resource-constrained settings, conditional on sustained district-level funding, the availability of special assistant teachers, curriculum differentiation, and strengthened cross-level governance. Implications: These findings provide empirical evidence to inform policy and practice in inclusive early childhood education.