This study examines parental perceptions of the implementation of inclusive education in Kazakhstan, with a specific focus on curriculum accessibility, school practices, leadership, teacher preparedness, and the overall inclusion climate experienced by children. While inclusive education has been formally embedded in national education policies in Kazakhstan, empirical evidence on how these policies are perceived and experienced by parents remains limited. Parents play a critical role in advocating for inclusive practices and supporting children’s learning and well-being; however, their voices are often underrepresented in policy implementation research.

Guided by international frameworks on inclusive education (UNESCO, OECD) and ecological perspectives on family–school partnerships, this study addresses the following research questions:
(1) How do parents in Kazakhstan perceive the effectiveness of systems and policies supporting inclusive education?
(2) How do parents evaluate curriculum relevance, adaptability, and school-level practices related to inclusion?
(3) How do parental perceptions of inclusion climate relate to their satisfaction with their child’s school experience?

The study adopts a quantitative survey design using a structured parental questionnaire administered nationally. The instrument captures multiple dimensions of inclusive education implementation, including curriculum design and adaptation, leadership and governance, teacher training and motivation, availability of resources, inter-agency collaboration, and parental access to information. In addition, the Parental Perception of Inclusion Climate Scale (PPICS) is used to assess parents’ views on their child’s sense of belonging, peer relationships, teacher support, emotional safety, and overall well-being at school.

The conceptual framework integrates policy implementation theory with inclusive education models that emphasise stakeholder engagement, systemic support, and school climate. By focusing on parental perspectives, the study complements existing research that predominantly examines inclusive education through institutional or teacher-centred lenses.

The international relevance of this research lies in its contribution to comparative discussions on inclusive education in middle-income and post-Soviet education systems undergoing systemic reform. Findings are expected to inform policymakers, school leaders, and researchers by highlighting alignment gaps between policy intentions and parental experiences. Moreover, the study offers insights relevant to other countries seeking to strengthen inclusive education through family–school partnerships and evidence-informed policy implementation.

The study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. Data will be collected using a structured parental questionnaire administered to parents across different regions of Kazakhstan. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will be anonymous to ensure ethical compliance and data confidentiality. The questionnaire consists of two main sections. The first section collects demographic information, including parents’ gender, age group, educational background, number of children, type of school attended (public or private), awareness of inclusive education policies, and whether the family includes a child with a disability. These variables allow for subgroup analyses and contextual interpretation of parental perceptions. The second section measures parental perceptions of inclusive education implementation using a series of Likert-scale items (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Items assess perceptions of curriculum relevance and adaptability, transparency of school admission processes, leadership commitment, teacher preparedness and training, availability of resources, inter-institutional collaboration, and the extent to which evidence-based practices guide inclusive education. In addition, the study incorporates the Parental Perception of Inclusion Climate Scale (PPICS), which captures parents’ views on their child’s school experience, including emotional well-being, peer relationships, teacher support, fairness, inclusion in school activities, and responsiveness to bullying or learning difficulties. This scale enables an assessment of the social and emotional dimensions of inclusion from a parental perspective. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses will be conducted to examine patterns in parental perceptions and relationships between inclusive education implementation and perceived inclusion climate. The use of a validated inclusion climate scale strengthens the reliability and comparability of findings with international research. The questionnaire design and content align with international inclusive education literature and are adapted to the national context of Kazakhstan.

The study is expected to provide empirical evidence on how parents perceive the implementation of inclusive education in Kazakhstan. Anticipated findings include variation in parental perceptions across dimensions such as curriculum adaptability, teacher preparedness, leadership commitment, and availability of resources. The results are also expected to highlight areas where inclusive education policies are perceived as well-articulated but inconsistently implemented at the school level. With regard to inclusion climate, the study is likely to reveal differences in parental satisfaction related to children’s sense of belonging, peer relationships, emotional safety, and access to support. These findings may underscore the importance of school climate as a critical mediator between inclusive education policies and students’ lived experiences. The outcomes of this research will contribute to evidence-informed policy discussions by identifying strengths and gaps in current inclusive education practices from a parental perspective. The study is expected to support the development of targeted strategies aimed at strengthening family–school partnerships, improving communication with parents, and enhancing inclusive practices at the curriculum and school levels. Furthermore, the findings will be relevant for international audiences interested in inclusive education reform in diverse sociocultural and policy contexts.

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