Advancing Inclusive Education: Policies, Practices and Cultural Shifts
A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 68
Special Issue Editors
Interests: understanding and addressing barriers to inclusive education for students with disabilities, particularly those with extensive support needs; effective training practices for school staff supporting students with disabilities; incorporating disability studies and curriculum into teacher prep and school curriculum
Interests: the intersectional experiences of students with disabilities who identify as LGBTQ+; the utilization of RtI frameworks for special education services; the academic and social/emotional impact of inclusive education, and teacher preparedness for inclusive education
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Inclusive education scholars have long documented the barriers faced by students with disabilities. These barriers manifest in exclusionary policies, inaccessible curricula, segregated educational placements, and institutional ableism, which limit opportunities for students with disabilities to engage in educational experiences fully. Despite progress in awareness and advocacy, many educational systems struggle to implement truly inclusive practices that address structural and cultural challenges.
Recently, the focus has shifted from identifying barriers to examining strategies promoting meaningful inclusion. In this Special Issue, we seek to highlight research that explores the intersection of policy, practice, and cultural change in fostering inclusive education. Under what conditions do educational policies support meaningful inclusion? How are educators and institutions adapting curricula and learning environments to support students with disabilities? What role does societal and cultural change play in sustaining inclusive practices?
This Special Issue of Social Sciences invites manuscripts on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- The impact of policy changes on disability inclusion in education.
- Innovative curricular approaches that support disabilities and diverse learning needs.
- Strategies for addressing ableism and fostering systemic change in schools.
- The role of educators and institutions in promoting inclusive practices.
- Comparative studies of inclusive education across different educational systems.
We welcome manuscripts from across education and social sciences, using a variety of methodological approaches.
Dr. Jessica McQueston
Dr. Joseph A. Hogan
Dr. James C. Coviello
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- inclusive education
- inclusion
- disability inclusion
- inclusive practices
- ableism
- curriculum
- educational policy
- educational leadership
- disability studies
- equity
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
