<![CDATA[Despite the implementation of Governor Regulation No. 65/2012 concerning inclusive education in South Kalimantan, Madrasahs continue to face significant systemic challenges in supporting students with special needs. This study explores the three-year narrative journey of an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher in a Madrasah in Banjarmasin in teaching a student with special needs from Grade 7 to Grade 9. Employing a qualitative narrative inquiry design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, pedagogical artifact analysis, and secondary data obtained from the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kementerian Agama) and the Center for Disability Services and Inclusive Education (PLDPI). The findings reveal a pedagogical paradox. At the classroom level, the teacher successfully implemented inclusive practices through an ethics of care approach and adaptive instructional strategies, resulting in the student’s significant developmental progress. However, at the systemic level, official administrative records did not recognize the school as implementing inclusive education. This condition reflects what the study conceptualizes as “invisible inclusion,” where inclusive practices exist in reality but remain unrecognized within formal educational systems. The study highlights that inclusive practices in Madrasah contexts are largely sustained by teacher professional agency and culturally grounded care practices rather than structured institutional support. The study concludes that stronger data synchronization and collaboration among educational authorities are essential to ensure that inclusive practices receive proper recognition, guidance, and institutional support.]]>
