Selected Current Publications

Please note: Centre-affiliated researchers' names appear in bold type. Graduate students' names are underlined.

Response to Covid-19 Challenges:

The Covid-19 pandemic demanded a quick response to gather and share insights. Dr. Jessica Whitley led a team comprised of Centre members Specht, MacCormack, Matheson, Maich and Sider to research and report on diversity at a distance and the lessons learned from families supporting students with special education needs during remote learning. Citations:

MacCormack, J., Fitzgerald, C., Whitley, J. & Sider, S. (2022). “Listen, adjust and repeat”: Principals’ and parents’ perspectives of home-school collaboration during emergency remote teaching in Canada. Leadership & Policy in Schools. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2022.2081217  

Whitley, J., Matheson, I. A., Specht, J. & MacCormack, J. (2022). Perspectives of parents of children with special education needs (SEN): Self-efficacy and school supports during COVID-10. Exceptionality Education International, 31(1), 97-114. 

Whitley, J., Specht, J., Matheson, I., & MacCormack, J. (2022). Holes, patches, and multiple hats: The experiences of parents of students with special education needs navigating at-home learning during COVID-19. In R. Turok-Squire (Ed.), COVID-19 and education in the global north: Storytelling as alternative pedagogies. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-02469-6_3

Whitley, J., MacCormack, J., Matheson, I., Specht, J., Sider, S., & Maich, K. (2020). Diversity via distance: Lessons learned from families supporting students with special education needs during remote learning. Education Canada, 60(4). https://www.edcan.ca/articles/diversity-via-distance/

For more information visit: www.jesswhitley.ca 

Selected Recent Journal Articles

Bennett, S., Specht, J., Somma, M. et al. (2020). Navigating school interactions: Parents of students with intellectual disabilities speak out. Current Developmental Disorders Report 7, 149–154 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-020-00203-z

Delorey, J., Specht, J., Fairbrother, M., Ismailos, L., Villella, M., Charles, E., Vanderloon, M., Gallagher, T., Howell, G., & Whitley, J. (2020). Experiences that shape pre-service teachers’ inclusive practice beliefs. International Journal of Inclusive Education.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1862403.

MacCormack, J., Sider, S., Maich, K., & Specht, J. (2021). Self-determination and inclusion: The role of Canadian principals in catalysing inclusive-positive practices. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 17(2). https://journals.sfu.ca/ijepl/index.php/ijepl/issue/view/213 

Maich, K., Sider, S., Morvan, J., Specht, J., & Smith, D. (2020). Making the unknown or invisible accessible: The collaborative development of inclusion-focused open access case studies for principals and other school leaders. Exceptionality Education International Special Issue, 30(2), 68-79. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/eei/vol30/iss2/7/

Sider, S., Maich, K., Morvan, J., Villella, M., Ling, P., & Repp, C. (2021). Inclusive school leadership: Examining the experiences of school principals in supporting students with special education needs. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12515 

Sider, S. & Villella, M. (2020). Violence in schools: What can we learn from critical incidents? Canadian Association of Principals Journal, Winter 2020. https://cdnprincipals.com/violence-in-schools-what-can-we-learn-from-critical-incidents/

Somma, M., & Bennett, S. (2020). Inclusive education and pedagogical change: Experiences from the front lines. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 6(2), 285-295. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.6.2.285

Young, G. D., Philpott, D., Butler, E., Maich, K. & Penney, S. C. (2019). Exploring the impact of quality early child education on special education: Can we prevent placement in special education? Exceptionality Education International, 29(3), 6-21.  

Books and Book Chapters

Sider, S., & Maich, K. (Eds.). (2022). Leadership for inclusive schools: Real cases from real leaders. Rowman & Littlefield. Note: Contributors include nine additional members of the Centre. 

Cover of Book Leadership for Inclusive Schools

Bennett, S., Gallagher T., Somma, M., White, R. & Woldczyk, K (2020) Transitioning from segregation to inclusion: An effective and sustainable model to promote inclusion through internal staffing adjustments and role redefinition.  In Goldan, J., Lambrecht, J & Loreman T. Resourcing Inclusive Education, Vol 15.  Emerald Publishing.  

Bennett, S., Gallagher, T., Somma, M., with Dworet, D. (2019). Special education in Ontario schools (8th Ed.). Burlington, ON: Highland Press.