Inclusive Education as a Catalyst for Social Transformation: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67429/8yvz1j63Keywords:
Inclusive Education; Educational Equity; Social TransformationAbstract
Inclusive education has been increasingly recognized as a mechanism for advancing equity and driving broader social transformation, yet the pathways linking classroom-level practice to societal change remain fragmented across disciplines. This study aims to systematically synthesize existing literature examining how inclusive education functions as a catalyst for social transformation, identifying the mechanisms, contextual factors, and outcomes shaping this relationship. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings retrieved through the Scopus database. The review synthesized findings across pedagogical, institutional, and community-level dimensions of inclusive education. Results indicate that educational equity serves as the central mediating construct linking inclusive practices to social outcomes, while persistent structural barriers, including infrastructural limitations, teacher preparedness gaps, and entrenched societal attitudes, continue to constrain implementation across diverse contexts. Findings further reveal that inclusion extends beyond formal education into health, civic, and economic domains, reinforcing cross-sectoral pathways to social change. These outcomes demonstrate that inclusive education contributes directly to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), while simultaneously advancing Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), positioning it as a cross-cutting driver of sustainable transformation.
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