Research
The Centre’s mission is to empower the education community with the knowledge they need to be effective with all students. This is accomplished through research, and knowledge mobilization activities. Many of the members of the Centre are actively involved in both initiatives.
Click on the links below to learn more about current projects underway.
Navigating the Special Education System: Parents Supporting Parents
rs. Jacqui Specht, Nicole Neil and Jess Whitley were awarded a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant and have partnered with Paula Boutis from Inclusion Action in Ontario to conduct a project highlighting the successes and needs when navigating special education in Ontario. The project has conducted 34 interviews with families across Ontario to highlight their experiences within the education system and where they feel they could be more supported in advocating for their child(ren).
The project aims to create an online, accessible module for families to utilize as a tool throughout their special education journey with their child. This module will be informed by our interviews with families to explain processes and procedures, provide tools for advocacy, and highlight the importance of parent support in education.
These modules will be available in the Fall of 2024 and accessible to all Ontario parents. Check back in for the link.
Students' Understandings of and Attitudes Towards Disability from the ABC Educational Program
Drs. Monique Somma and John Freer, in collaboration with ParaSport Ontario and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, conducted a research study with students in the Niagara Catholic District School Board. The focus of this project was to foster positive and encouraging attitudes around inclusivity for primary students (Grades 4-6).
Teachers and students learned about disability and diversity and subsequently had the opportunity to learn about and play sledge hockey with ParaSport athletes. Their findings have been presented at various conferences and featured in the ParaSport Magazine Summer 2023 Issue.
Beginning Teachers Study
What is the Beginning Teachers Study?
The Beginning Teachers Study is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Scholars from multiple disciplines related to education (equity and diversity, human rights, advocacy, disability studies and special education) across Canada are collaborating on the important issue of creating competent and confident teachers for the inclusive classroom.
We are interested in the self-efficacy, beliefs and instructional practices of beginning teachers, the factors that shape their development in their initial teaching experiences, and over time. We followed beginning teachers throughout their program and into their first years of teaching to determine how they develop their practice to teach in diverse classrooms.
Please see the Newsletters below for more information and updates, including curated resources for educators during Covid-19.
Pandemic Insights and Response
Pandemic Insights and Response
Diversity via Distance
The Covid-19 pandemic demanded a quick response to gather and share insights. Dr. Jessica Whitley led a team comprised of Centre members MacCormack, Matheson, Specht, Sider and Maich to research and report on diversity at a distance and the lessons learned from families supporting students with special education needs during remote learning. Access the article at
Edcan article on Diversity Via Distance
School Leaders & Pandemic
Two additional studies have focused on the experiences of school leaders during the pandemic. One of these studies (Sider) included survey data from 82 Ontario principals, and a second study (MacCormack) included interviews with 38 principals primarily from Alberta and Ontario. Some of the findings from these studies are available at:
MacCormack et al. Edcan Article: Does it have to be that hard
Sider International Studies in Educational Administration
School Leadership and Inclusive Education In an article from the Winter 2021 issue of the Canadian Association of Principals, Drs. Sider, MacCormack and Whitley share three common themes from the above studies to inform what we know about how school administrators have interacted with students with special education needs – and their parents – during the pandemic. Second, we provide insights into what the pandemic has taught us about inclusive education. Finally, we raise questions for exploring the intersection of school leadership, family engagement, and inclusive education going forward. Access this article at: Schools as an Equalizing Force: What the pandemic has taught us about school leadership and inclusive education – CAP (cdnprincipals.com)
A Review of Programming through the Lenses of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with the Winnipeg School Division
Drs. Lesley Eblie Trudel and Kishi Anderson Leachman, along with Wayne Davies, are beginning a new project titled: A Review of Programming through the Lenses of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with the Winnipeg School Division. The purpose of this study is to examine the shift in service delivery in a large urban school district, from specialized programs for students with additional learning needs to programming for all students incorporating elements of equity, diversity and inclusion.
This is a mixed methods study capturing data through an online survey and focus groups with students, parents/caregivers, and various school division staff. The results will be shared with the school division’s senior administration and board of trustees, and the findings will be published. As this project is underway, please check back for updates!
School Leadership
School Leadership
School Leadership for Inclusion
Dr. Steve Sider together with other Centre members have been investigating the experiences of school principals experiences with inclusion over the last few years. Most recent SSHRC insight grant “Inclusive School Leadership” is led by Dr. Sider and includes centre members Sheila Bennett, Jeffrey MacCormack, Kimberly Maich, Donna McGhie-Richmond, Nadia Rousseau, Monique Somma, and Jacqueline Specht . This grant builds on previous work and continues to investigate experiences that shape the approaches that school leaders use in creating inclusive school environments. More information and resources are available at www.leadtoinclude.org
International Outreach
International Outreach
Children in Haiti creating chalk art. Photo credit: ELICollaboration.org
Initiatives | Haiti | ELI Collab (elicollaboration.org)
Supporting Inclusive Education in Haiti
In June of 2021, Dr. Steve Sider, co-applicant members of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education Drs. Kimberly Maich and Jacqui Specht, collaborators and partners were notified that their proposal had been successful, and they were awarded nearly $200,000 for a Partnership Development Grant from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). During the three-year duration of the grant, Western University, through the Centre, along with four other Canadian universities and three partner organizations from Haiti will develop a partnership between the two countries to strengthen research and teacher education on disability and inclusion.
Below is a link to a brief TEDX talk (13 minutes) given by Steve Sider, as he shares experiences from recent collaborations with school principals in Ontario and Haiti. Re-Imagining Education in Haiti: Steve Sider at TEDxSixteenMileCreek - YouTube
Promoting Successful Inclusion in Ghana (2019-2022)
A team of Canadian and Ghanaian academics/stakeholders have assembled as part of an SSHRC Partnership Development Grant to share indicators of successful inclusive education in Ghana and provide resources to promote inclusive education for Ghanaian students. Principal Investigator: Dr. Magnus Mfoafo-M’Carthy. Co-investigators from the Centre: Drs. Jacqueline Specht, Steven Sider and Kimberly Maich.
Dr. Steve Sider’s blog regarding the experience: https://glocalperspectivebuilding.blogspot.com/2019/12/
