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Resources
This article responds to the following question: In what ways can an international research partnership involving partners from Canada and Ghana contribute to efforts to foster inclusive education in schools? The authors utilize this question to analyze how international research partnerships are best positioned to accomplish their goals. Click on the image above to read this insightful article.
Listen to the three piece podcast, Leading Authentically, to hear Dr. Steve Sider and other experts guide school leaders on how to create inclusive environments for students with special needs by fostering self-awareness and building capacity in equity and accessibility
New Additions
This article written by Dr. Steve Sider et al provides an opportunity to examine the inclusive education policy and practice contexts of the countries which the authors have conducted their research, including England, Australia, the United States, and Canada. The authors analyze the identified countries policies and practices as well as compare the countries' relationships to one another.
This cutting-edge Research Agenda, written by Jacqueline Specht, Steve Sider, and Kimberly Maich, studies the people and processes that are involved in promoting equal opportunities within education. Employing the ecology of inclusion model, it provides insightful suggestions for implementing a coherent approach to the process of schooling for students with disabilities.
The article, written by Rebecca Stroud, Shamiga Arumutathas, and Steve Sider, explores how inclusion in international schools is defined and enacted amid tensions with special education, stigma, and market-driven, Anglo-American influences. It shows how support for students with disabilities is often provided but left unnamed, leading to both practical and epistemic exclusions. The authors call for a more critical, equity-centered approach to inclusion and disability justice in international schools.
This comparative case study, conducted by Deewakarsingh Authelsingh, Ajeevsing Bholoa, and Steve Sider, examines inclusive education policies and practices in Mauritius and Ontario, Canada, focusing on how students with disabilities experience these policies and the roles of key stakeholders in their implementation. Drawing on phenomenological case studies of students and parents, the findings highlight varied experiences shaped by support systems and resources, while also revealing gaps in policy awareness and consistent application despite strong commitments to inclusion.
This study, led by Kimberly Maich et al., analyzes how Ghanaian picture books depict disabilities and their role in promoting positive attitudes and inclusion in schools, using a content analysis of seven government-published books. The findings suggest that picture books can reduce stigma, support disability awareness, and serve as effective educational tools for fostering inclusion in inclusive classroom settings.
Sample Cases: Text and Audio Formats
These cases are from the book written by Dr. Steve Sider and Dr. Kimberly Maich, entitled Leadership for Inclusive Schools. The book includes 27 case stories that are based on research with school principals. To read this book, click on the following picture or refer to the "New Additions" section of our Resources page.
Choose-your-own-adventure cases
Explore the case of a new teacher who seeks support at a staff meeting for a student. Determine how the school principal should support the teacher and the student.
Explore the case of a principal who delivers news to staff about changes to specialized therapy funding. Decide how the principal should respond to the concerns of staff.
Explore the case of a teacher who approaches a school principal to discuss the ways he is struggling to keep up with the demands of his job. Decide how the principal should support the teacher’s mental wellbeing.
Explore the case of an elementary school principal who must decide how to respond when a student on the Autism Spectrum becomes aggressive with another student.
Explore the case of a high school vice-principal who must decide how to respond to a parent’s request for his daughter with Down Syndrome to participate in a co-op placement.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publications
"Choose Your Own Adventure": Web-Based Case Studies of Inclusive Education as a Form of Professional Learning for School Principals
Steve Sider, Kimberly Maich, Jacqueline Specht, Carolyn Treadgold, Hillary Winger
What have we learned from the COVID-19 global pandemic about school principals and the inclusion of students with special education needs ?
Steve Sider, NadineTrépanier-Bisson
Lessons Learned: Home-School Collaboration for Students with SEN during Emergency Remote Teaching
Jeffrey MacCormack, Carolyn Fitzgerald, Jessica Whitley, Steve Sider.
"Does It Have to Be That Hard?": Principals' stories of supporting students with special education needs during emergency schooling
Jeffrey MacCormack, Daniel John Anderson, Steve Sider
Inclusive school leadership: Examining the experiences of Canadian school principals in supporting students with special education needs
Steve Sider, Kimberly Maich, Jhonel Morvan, Mélissa Villella, Paul Ling, Chantelle Repp
The Conversation: Schools after coronavirus: Seize 'teachable moments' about racism and inequalities
Steve Sider and Ardavan Eizadirad
Schools as an Equalizing Force: What the pandemic has taught us about school leadership and inclusive education
Steve Sider, Jeffrey MacCormack, Jess Whitley
"Who is Your Nathalia?"
Steve Sider
Making the Unknown or Invisible Accessible: The Collaborative Development of Inclusion-Focused Open-Access Case Studies for Principals and Other School Leaders
Kimberly Maich, Steve Sider, Jhonel Morvan, Déirdre M. Smith Ms.
Self-Determination and Inclusion: The Role of Canadian Principals in Catalyzing Inclusive-Positive Practices
Jeffrey MacCormack, Steve Sider, Kimberly Maich, Jacqueline Specht
Diversity via Distance: Lessons learned from families supporting students with special education needs during remote learning
Jess Whitley, Jeffrey MacCormack, Ian Matheson, Jacqueline Specht, Steve Sider, Kimberly Maich
Ontario College of Teachers: Exploring Leadership Practices through Case Inquiry
English Version
School Principals and Students With Special Education Needs in a Pandemic: Emerging Insights from Ontario, Canada
Steve Sider
Steve Sider
Violence in schools: What can we learn from critical incidents?
Steve Sider and MÄ—lissa Villella
Counternarratives of Pain and Suffering as Critical Pedagogy: Disrupting Oppression in Educational Contexts
Ardavan Eizadirad, Andrew Campbell, and Steve Sider
School Principals and Students with Special Education Needs
Steve Sider, Kimberly Maich and Jhonel Morvan
2019 Intersectionalities Conference
Considering the question, “What can inclusive comparative and international education research look like?”, Dr. Steve Sider situated his own experience to consider the three “Cs” for the future of comparative and international education: complexity, care, and cautions.
Perspectives of School Leaders on Supporting Learners with Special Education Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ethic of Care Analysis
Carolyn FitzGerald, Jeffrey MacCormack, and Steve Sider
"School Principals and Inclusive Schools: A Case Study of Complex Contexts and Competing Perspectives"
Michael Fairbrother, Kimberly Maich & Steve Sider
The Conversation: Every Child Matters
Steve Sider
School Principals: Leading the Way to Inclusive Schools
Un aperçu de la violence et des comportements agressifs auxquels sont confrontées sept directions d’école de langue française au Canada
Mélissa Villella and Steve Sider
Research and Advocacy Sites
Dr. Steve Sider University Research Site
Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education Site
Inclusive Education Canada Research Site
Podcasts
Let's Chat... About Inclusive Education
The Heart and Spirit of Inclusion VoicEd Radio
Listen to Kimberly Maich (Memorial University), Jhonel Morvan (Brock University) and Steve Sider (Wilfrid Laurier University) as they discuss how to support new school leaders as they begin to create inclusive school environments and communities.
Our first-ever Lead to Include Podcast has been released, brought to you by our Summer 2022 Research Team! Thank you for taking the time to listen and learn with us today. In this episode we introduce you to our diverse crew, their experiences, and passions behind research in the field. Watch and listen now: Bringing Research Assistants to the Table.
The third episode of the podcast focuses on how relationships between administrators work to create teaching and learning environments that reflect the fluid and responsive nature of the spaces and places that exist within school systems.
Listen to Gordon L. Porter, Diane Richler and Jacqueline Specht, accompanied by researchers, educators, parents and advocates who are engaged in the effort to make Canadian schools inclusive to discuss the diverse perspectives on the challenges, the progress and the issues related to the development of inclusive education in our country.
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The first episode of the podcast focuses on self-awareness and knowledge. Principals and vice-principals from Ontario reflected on their own awareness, knowledge, identities and positionality to highlight inclusive, accessible and equitable school leadership.
Schools after coronavirus VoicEd Radio
Listen to Sider and Eizadirad discuss "important issues that have been brought to light during the pandemic on the radar of schools and communities. In this conversation, we talk about systemic inequity, the language we use to frame the issues and some practical ways to begin conversations with staff, parents, and community members." -voicEd Radio
The second episode of the podcast focuses on student-centered school leadership. Ontario school administrators analyze their attitudes and beliefs, student belonging and relationship building to emphasize the importance of accessible, inclusive and equitable school leadership practices that centers students with special education needs.
Our newest feature is the Lead to Include Podcast episode for Summer 2023! This podcast was created and directed by four of our amazing research assistants: Jaron Bowman, Kiara Daw, Lok Chi Wong and Ruthie Dunham. In this episode, these passionate research assistants delve into the topic of inclusive education, discussing the promotion of inclusivity and the support of diversity in learning environments. To listen to this insightful podcast episode, please click on the picture above.
Resources to Support Inclusive Schools
Making Canadian Schools Inclusive: A Call To Action
Gordon L. Porter
K–12 Administration of Inclusive Schools in Canada: A Literature Review of Expectations and Qualifications of Formal School Leaders
Anders Lunde
Leading Authentically: Supporting Students with Special Education Needs and Students with Disabilities
Ontario Principals' Council
Inclusive Education and Pedagogical Change: Experiences from the Front Lines
Monique Somma, Sheila Bennett
School Principals: Leading the Way to Inclusive Schools (French Version)
Exploring School Principals' Experiences During the First Four Months of the Pandemic as a Way to Reimagine Inclusive Education
Daniel John Anderson, Jeffrey MacCormack, Steve Sider
School Principals: Leading the Way to Inclusive Schools
Implementation of a Differentiated Instruction Initiative: Perspectives of Leaders
Jessica Whitley, Cheryll Duquette, Suzanne Gooderham, Catherine Elliot, Shari Orders, Amy Klan
Ableism: Deal With It: And appreciate everyone's abilities
Kimberly Maich and Kay Nau
Associated Collectives
EDI & I Coalition is a collective composed of a community of educators within the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University dedicated to collecting resources dedicated to educator development and teaching tools to improve equity, diversity and inclusion in K-12 classrooms.
The Centre for Leading Research in Education is a research centre at Wilfrid Laurier University founded to encourage educational research from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Inclusive Education Canada is an NGO committed to providing leadership, advice and resources to parents, families, teachers, principals and other stakeholders in the education system. They focus on promoting the Canadian vision of inclusive education for all, working to improve policy and principles on inclusion.
Inclusion Ghana is an organization dedicated to providing equal opportunities and inclusion for all persons with intellectual disabilities in Ghana. Inclusion Ghana focuses on four core areas of intervention such as training, research, education and advocacy.