Everyone has a right to an education, but this right remains mostly inaccessible to people with disabilities (PWD) globally, particularly in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Jordan, despite laws that are more progressive than the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and supportive policies for inclusive education, children and youth with disabilities still face numerous challenges to their educational participation. This systematic review aims to outline barriers Jordanian PWD face from 2010 to 2025 for accessing and succeeding in primary, secondary, and higher education. Methods: Using the PRISMA methodology, we defined the research problem and used the databases Google Scholar, EBSCO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The research was conducted within the 2010–2025 range using the Boolean and MeSH term combinations (disability AND education AND Jordan AND barriers). We focused on educational barriers for Jordanian PWD and incorporated peer-reviewed articles and books. Each stage underwent inclusion and exclusion criteria during the title and abstract screening and the full-text review.Data was recorded (author, year, setting, design, sample, methods, key findings, and barriers) and study quality was assessed using relevant tools (e.g. CASP for qualitative studies). A narrative thematic synthesis was conducted across four a priori themes: (1) legal barriers, (2) infrastructure issues, (3) social attitudes, and (4) gender issues. Results: From 470 records, 20 studies were included (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, K–12 and tertiary education). Integrated barriers divided into four categories. Legal barriers: There were evident gaps in inclusive education policy and practice. A significant number of educators were not knowledgeable about the enforcement and disability rights laws, and inclusive education was not practiced. Infrastructure barriers: A lack of accommodations, such as accessible buildings (”almost all” schools are inaccessible), adapted curricular, and assistive technology existed in schools and universities. These were compounded by inadequate funding and large class sizes. Social attitudes: Pervasive stigmatising attitudes and low expectations of disability in and out of school communities, the bullying of children with disabilities, and the marginalisation and lack of advocacy of parents for children with disabilities. Gender issues: Cultural norms such as over-protectiveness, early marriage, and the belief that educating girls with disabilities is “futile” meant that girls with disabilities experienced even greater difficulties, and resulted in less school participation compared to boys.These intersecting barriers help explain why an estimated 79% of Jordanian children with disabilities are out of school despite policy commitments. Conclusion: Jordanian barriers are multi-layered and interrelated. Legislative changes (i.e., Law No. 20/2017) have yet to be realized on the ground due to obliviousness and incomplete constructions of such changes. Systemic lack of resources (inaccessible constructions, insufficient supports, lacking staff preparedness) continues to impede inclusive education. Negative social attitudes and stigma are deeply entrenched and disabled girls are often doubly marginalised. To remove these barriers, Jordanian policy needs to be more strictly adhered to and supplemented with additional funding, teacher training, and community education, particularly for disabled girls. These changes are necessary to ensure Jordanian goals for inclusive education and the right to education for all.
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