Municipal Support for Inclusive Education and Disability Services: A Case Study of Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract

Disability-inclusive services depend not only on formal policy commitments but also on the capacity of local governments to translate those commitments into accessible, coordinated, and participatory practices. This study examines how the Makassar City Government implements disability-inclusive services and identifies the factors that shape the gap between policy and practice. A qualitative case study design was employed, drawing on observations, interviews, and document analysis involving government institutions, social service actors, education and health stakeholders, disability organisations, and persons with disabilities. The findings show that the city government has introduced several initiatives, including disability-related policies, improvements to public facilities, awareness programmes, and stakeholder engagement activities. However, implementation remains uneven across sectors and locations. Persistent barriers include inconsistent accessibility standards, inadequate maintenance of facilities, limited budget allocation, weak inter-agency coordination, and insufficient integration of disability inclusion into routine planning and service delivery. The participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making also remains limited, reducing the responsiveness of policies and programmes to their lived experiences. Although collaboration with disability organisations has strengthened public awareness, it has not yet developed into a stable and institutionalised mechanism for shared planning and evaluation. The study concludes that bridging policy and practice requires stronger enforcement, dedicated resources, cross-sectoral coordination, and formal mechanisms for the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities. These findings offer practical implications for strengthening disability-inclusive services, including educational and social support systems, in rapidly developing urban contexts.