Teacher psychological readiness and institutional support as determinants of inclusive education implementation for students with special needs in post-conflict Somali higher education: a structural equation modeling study

Inclusive education remains an important yet underdeveloped goal in post-conflict higher education systems, where psychological and institutional barriers hinder implementation. Grounded in Expectation–Disconfirmation Theory (EDT), Social Cognitive Theory and Organizational Support Theory, this study examines the roles of teacher psychological readiness and perceived institutional support in shaping inclusive education implementation for students with special needs in post-conflict Somali higher education. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 296 university lecturers in Mogadishu and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that teacher psychological readiness and perceived institutional support significantly predict teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practices and inclusive teaching practices. Inclusive teaching practices emerged as the strongest direct predictor of inclusive education implementation, while teacher self-efficacy functioned as a key psychological mechanism linking readiness and institutional conditions to practice. Mediation analysis further revealed both direct and indirect pathways, with inclusive teaching practices playing a central mediating role. The model demonstrated substantial explanatory power, accounting for over half of the variance in inclusive education implementation. The study contributes theoretically by integrating psychological and institutional perspectives within a unified SEM framework and empirically by extending inclusive education research to a post-conflict higher education context. The findings offer practical implications for policymakers and universities seeking to promote inclusive education through psychologically informed and institutionally responsive strategies.