Abstract

The inclusion of students with disabilities in higher educational institutions remains a global challenge, particularly in developing nations where structural and institutional limitations persist. In Pakistan, higher education continues to face significant obstacles that restrict the full participation of students with disabilities despite existing policy frameworks. This study aims to identify, evaluate and prioritize the barriers hindering disabled students’ inclusion in Pakistani higher educational institutions. An explanatory sequential research design was employed using data collected through structured questionnaires administered to the targeted respondents and focus group discussion. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation (FSE) approach, which provided a systematic means to measure the agreement level, weight and internal consistency of each identified barrier, while the qualitative data was used to discuss the findings. Findings revealed nine key barriers, with knowledge and training barriers ranked as the most severe, followed by institutional and financial barriers. These findings highlight deficiencies in educator preparedness, institutional commitment and funding support as critical impediments to inclusive education. The study contributes theoretically by applying FSE to inclusive education research, offering a quantifiable framework to assess multidimensional barriers. Practically, it provides directions for policymakers, administrators and educators to design targeted interventions and implement enforceable institutional policies. This study is original in its methodological approach and regional focus, offering empirical insight into Pakistan’s path toward sustainable and inclusive higher education.

Keywords:Inclusive education; Disabled inclusion; Higher educational institutions; Fuzzy synthetic evaluation; Pakistan