
Research into special and inclusive education aims to understand and respond to the needs of students with a lived experience of disability. An associated research team at UNSW – the Special and Inclusive Education Research Group (SIERG) – seeks to engage with the wider community of schools, people with disability and service providers, with the goal of improving the outcomes of people with disability across at all stages of education.
SIERG membership is comprised of prominent researchers, higher degree research students, educators and people with lived experience of disability. Much of this research is accomplished through participatory and inclusive research, action research and community consultation.
We work towards ensuring the principles of inclusive and special education and research are promoted where all people – regardless of disability, difficulty or disadvantage – are afforded quality education through appropriate adjustments to learning activities and resources, throughout their lives.
This goal is reflected in the vision statement of our associated research group, SIERG:
“A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest achieving citizens, but by how it values, embraces and supports all people, especially its most vulnerable ones.”
Some of the methods we use to achieve our aims include:
Through these methods, we strive to lessen the ‘research-to-practice’ gap and promote the concept that all people should have the opportunity to be educated to reach their full potential to become positive and confident individuals who are able to self-advocate and embrace lifelong education.
Matraville High School
Centennial Park High School
Self Advocacy Sydney
Arizona State University Department of Special Education