This article examines how differentiation has been articulated in Swedish compulsory education policy since the 1960s, focusing on how the principalship has been constructed as an institutional site for governing differentiation. Drawing on policy and research corpora analyzed as coordinative discourse, three developments are identified: a redefinition of organizational and pedagogical differentiation; a transformation of the principalship from administrative manager to juridical guarantor; and a layering of equity ideals with logics of individualization, juridification, and marketization. These shifts reflect cumulative governance rearticulations, showing how tensions between inclusion, accountability, and marketization emerge as structural effects of accumulated rationalities.

This study presents a literature review exploring how school leaders conceptualize and implement differentiation at the system level, with a focus on fostering inclusion in complex educational settings. Fifteen articles (n = 15) were thematically analyzed, resulting in two overarching themes: system and leadership practices, with sub-themes such as students' rights, principals' system mindset, and links between leadership and differentiated instruction (DI). A key finding is the connection between distributed leadership and DI, where shared responsibilities promote collaborative cultures that support inclusive teaching. The review highlights principals' central role in advancing DI and inclusion, requiring systemic understanding and responsive leadership. Challenges such as administrative constraints and teacher resistance underline the need for collaboration, professional learning and policy alignment. Methodologically, the review was inspired by Gough and Thomas's approach. The study addresses a research gap on system-level differentiation and emphasizes the importance of school leadership in bridging policy and practice to promote educational equity.

Den här artikeln undersöker hur svenska rektorer hanterar spänningar mellan inkluderingsideal och krav på pedagogisk och organisatorisk differentiering, med särskilt fokus på elever med autism. Autism aktualiserar ofta dilemman kring både pedagogiska och organisatoriska lösningar och blir därmed relevant för att synliggöra rektorers handlingsutrymme. Med institutionella logiker och meningsskapande som teoretiska linser fokuserar studien på rektorers tolkningar, medan skolchefernas perspektiv fungerar som kontext. Utifrån digitala intervjuer med åtta rektorer och sju skolchefer identifieras flera samexisterande och ibland motstridiga logiker; inkludering, differentiering, effektivitet, hållbarhet, relationell tillit och politik, som påverkar hur rektorer motiverar och genomför beslut. Meningsskapande framträder som en nyckelprocess för att integrera förväntningar i lokala strategier. Resultatet visar att rektorer ägnar sig åt pragmatiska balansakter formade av normer, förutsättningar och stöd. Studien är begränsad till ett mindre urval och inkluderar inte elevers eller vårdnadshavares perspektiv, vilket påverkar generaliserbarheten. Framtida forskning bör inkludera dessa röster och följa hur inkluderingsstrategier utvecklas över tid och i olika organisatoriska kontexter.

Purpose: The aim of this case study is to describe what commitment and actions are needed in the Swedish school so that principals — within the Swedish school policy framework and with the goal of creating an inclusive school culture and practice — can positively affect schooling for students with disabilities, with a particular focus on students with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Three research questions guide the study: (1) What commitment and actions do principals consider important for developing an inclusive school for all students, with a particular focus on students with ASC? (2) How do the principals reflect on their own leadership in the development of inclusive education, with a particular focus on students with ASC? (3) Based on the results, what are the implications of the study in practice?

Design/methodology/approach: As part of a three-step data collection method, a snowball sampling was conducted in which n = 6 principals were initially interviewed and the data analyzed by an inductive thematic content analysis.

Findings: (1) Certain structures are needed when planning how to develop mutual values when organizing an inclusive school involving students with ASC, (2) the principals could, at times, feel a sense of loneliness in relation to their superiors and decision-makers and (3) more accountability from educators and greater consideration for the student perspective in decision-making are needed.

Practical implications: It was found that (1) certain structures are needed when planning how to develop mutual values when organizing an inclusive school involving students with ASC, (2) the principals could, at times, feel a sense of isolation in relation to their superiors and decision-makers and (3) more accountability from educators and greater consideration for the student perspective in decision-making are needed.

Originality/value: Index for inclusion and elements from the inclusive leadership model were used in the data collection and analysis.

This systematic research review identifies approaches of inclusive education concerning adolescents with autism spectrum (ASC) without intellectual disability (ID). The definitions of inclusion, whose perspectives are taken into account, approaches, and the implications suggested for best practices are reviewed in the articles included in this study. The results show how inclusion is defined as a sense of social acceptance and an approach that physical placement in a regular class can lead to social participation. Taking into account students’ perspectives is seen as important. Implications for best practice include information on how to improve school personnel’s reflections on their responsibilities and expectations of students with disabilities and points to difficulties for teachers in meeting the diversity of students in the classroom.