Professor Joanne Deppeler was Associate Dean of Research Degrees in the Faculty of Education at Monash University from 2010 to 2016. As a qualified educational psychologist and teacher, Joanne Deppeler has spent most of her career in educational contexts, with a particular focus on students experiencing learning challenges that result from personal or social circumstances and other areas of disadvantage. She is committed to advancing theory, research and practice in the field of inclusive education. Professor Deppeler has extensive experience in leading inclusive education research and consultancy across different sectors in education. In particular, her work has focused on the examination and development of effective practices of teaching and learning with diverse students, structures and practices in schooling and practitioner research. Her research has been founded on the belief that to achieve change there needs to be collaboration, both within schools and amongst stakeholder groups, government ministries, and universities. This work has simultaneously involved collaboration with local, national and international organisations and with teachers and other health professionals to improve outcomes for students and families. For more than a decade, Professor Deppeler has engaged in international inclusive education reform and research in Ukraine with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), in India and China (AusAid) and in Bangladesh and Ghana with doctoral students and the recent project funded by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) in the Pacific (2013-2016).As the twice chair and member of the International Inclusive Education Research Forum (IIERF), a network of leading scholars in the field in Canada, England, Hong Kong, Ireland, Scotland and the USA, I regularly contribute to International Forums and their associated research publications.

In Australia, Professor Deppeler’s research and teacher professional development projects have been in partnership with The Catholic Education Office Melbourne (CEOM), Victorian Department of Education and with the Commonwealth government.  In 2011-2013, in partnership the Victorian education department she worked with teachers and other professionals in 15 schools in evidence informed practices that resulted in improved academic and social participation outcomes for students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Current research is focused on understanding how the actions of teachers can provide quality teaching and learning experiences for everyone in classrooms within and across a number of specific curriculum domains and in models of student support in school systems. She was selected as the recipient of the 2012 Deans Award for Excellence in Innovation and External Collaboration and nominated for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Innovation and External Collaboration.  Professor Deppeler has made a substantive contribution to the professional and policy domains of the education of students with disabilities at state, national and international levels.

Examples of current research projects include: Investigating modesl of student support staff with Catholic Education Melbourne; Investigating inclusive pedagogy in teacher education in Australia, Canada and the UK; Understaning teachers and other professionals experiences of individual learning support;  Young people's experiences of inclusive schooling; Professional knowledge development in the social services sector; and Teacher and student experiences of equity and quality in education.

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