Developing a Contextual Teacher Leadership Framework for Inclusive Education in Malaysia

Abstract

Teacher leadership has been increasingly recognised as a critical driver of inclusive education, particularly in classrooms that require sustained collaboration between mainstream and special education teachers (Wenner & Campbell, 2017; Harris, 2020). While existing teacher leadership models provide valuable theoretical foundations, limited attention has been given to how these models operate within inclusive education contexts in non-Western settings. This study aims to develop a contextual teacher leadership framework for inclusive education in Malaysia by synthesising empirical evidence from a qualitative case study. Guided by Katzenmeyer and Moller’s Teacher Leadership Model (Katzenmeyer & Moller, 2001, 2009), data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations involving six experienced teachers from two public schools in Johor Bahru. Thematic analysis identified leadership strategies and challenges that informed the construction of a contextualised framework comprising seven leadership dimensions, enabling conditions, and implementation pathways. The proposed framework extends existing teacher leadership theory by integrating contextual constraints and practical strategies relevant to inclusive education. The study contributes a theoretically grounded and empirically informed framework that can guide professional development, school leadership practices, and inclusive education policy in Malaysia and similar contexts