Integrating Inclusive Islamic Pedagogy to Cultivate Self-Confidence among Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Inclusive education requires pedagogical approaches that accommodate learner diversity while fostering students' socio-emotional development. However, Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in inclusive schools continues to rely on uniform instructional practices that inadequately address the learning needs of students with disabilities. Despite growing evidence supporting Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), and the Humanistic Approach, their integration as a coherent pedagogical model in IRE remains insufficiently examined. This study aimed to explore how these three approaches are integrated to cultivate self-confidence among students with disabilities and to propose an Inclusive Islamic Pedagogical Model. Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, the study involved IRE teachers, shadow teachers, school leaders, inclusive education staff, and students with disabilities at an inclusive elementary school in Samarinda, Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis and analyzed thematically, with triangulation, member checking, and researcher reflexivity ensuring trustworthiness. The findings indicate that UDL enhances learning accessibility, TaRL aligns instruction with students' learning readiness, and the Humanistic Approach fosters supportive teacher–student relationships. Operating synergistically, these approaches promote participation, reduce learning anxiety, and strengthen students' self-confidence. This study advances Islamic Religious Education pedagogy by proposing an Inclusive Islamic Pedagogical Model that integrates global inclusive education frameworks with Islamic educational values, providing a conceptual foundation and practical guidance for strengthening inclusive learning across diverse educational contexts.