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 67

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Education, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341, USA
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

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Guest Editor
Department of Special Education and Literacy, Kean University, Union, NJ 07083, USA
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

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Guest Editor
Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership, St. John's University, Queens, New York, NY 11439, USA
Interests: instructional leadership; special education leadership; qualitative research methods

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

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Keywords

  • inclusive education
  • inclusion
  • disability inclusion
  • inclusive practices
  • ableism
  • curriculum
  • educational policy
  • educational leadership
  • disability studies
  • equity

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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