Into the mesa: A case study of Jordanian inclusion policy

This chapter introduces original research designed to understand what is occurring between the writing of policy to its implementation in schools in Jordan. Previous scholarly work has provided analysis of inclusion policy in multiple countries. However, research on inclusive education can do more to directly engage the policy stakeholders who have crafted and implemented the legislation. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis at the mesa-level: a case study of the Jordanian policyscape, bound by the discourse between policy-level stakeholders and recent legislative initiatives. Data collection consisting of semi-structured interviews, ethnographic field notes and document collection reveal a complex path towards inclusion. Collected data was analyzed using activity systems, and while most previous research concluded that a lack of teacher training and cultural shame are the largest barriers for inclusion, the research reported in this chapter revealed more mesa-level challenges such as competition for funding, distrust of the government, high turnover and siloed efforts towards inclusion as being more significant.