Navigating inclusive education in the United Arab Emirates: Perspectives from school leaders and teachers

Abstract Inclusive education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been promoted through ambitious policies. These have included a mandated change in nomenclature alongside strengthening the infrastructure and professional development to support inclusive education in mainstream schools. Perspectives from school leaders and teachers across the country about these changes and their implementation have not been captured. This research used a qualitative methodology to explore school leaders' and teachers' perspectives of inclusive education policy and practice. Participants included 22 school leaders and 57 teachers from public and private schools across the seven Emirates of the UAE. Data were collected through group and individual interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were generated through the data: believing in the changes; worrying about preparedness; debating curricular pathways; and building a culture of inclusion. These themes reflect common challenges in the process of inclusive education. For the UAE, the specific nuances highlight a policy imperative to co‐create pathways for students with disabilities as they move through and beyond school so they can be part of the inclusive society policy intends. Implications for practice and further research are considered.