Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Umesh Sharma is Professor in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, Australia where he is the Associate Dean (Equity and Inclusion). Umesh’s research programs in the area of disability and inclusive education span India, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa as well as Australia, Canada, USA and New Zealand. He has conducted several award-winning national and international projects on topics like Funding of education for students with disability for the Commonwealth of Australia, the Development of Personalised and Support Guidelines for the Victorian Government, and the development of the National Policy on Inclusive Education for the Solomon Islands. He has also received several awards for his contribution to academia including the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Innovation and External Collaboration in 2012; the Dean’s Award for Research Impact (Economic and Social) in 2016; and, the Dean’s Award for Research Enterprise in 2017. He is the chief co-editor of the Australasian Journal of Special Education and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Inclusive and Special Education. He has authored over 150 academic articles, book chapters and edited books that focus on various aspects of inclusive education. His co-authored book “A Guide to Promoting a Positive Classroom Environment” was the recipient of the International Book Prize Award from the Exceptionality Education International. His project on the development of the Pacific Indicators for Inclusive Education received the Zero award for outstanding policy development from the United Nations in Vienna, 2016.
He was recently named as Australia's Research Field Leader in Special Education (a top rating for a researcher in his/her respective field).by the Australian Chief Scientist https://specialreports.theaustralian.com.au/1540291/.
His main areas of research are: positive behaviour support, inclusive education for disadvantaged children and policy and practice in special and inclusive education.
Research interests
Attitude and concern measurement; Positive behaviour Support; Inclusive curricular strategies; Inclusive education in developing countries; Teacher efficacy to implement inclusive education
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Inclusive Education
- special education
- attitude measurement
- disability studies
- Teacher Education
- Educating for diversity and inclusion
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Behaviour Assessment and Support in Schools (BASIS)
Sharma, U. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Leif, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Fox, R. (Chief Investigator (CI))
10/07/23 → 30/06/25
Project: Research
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Teacher capabilities in conditions of superdiversity
Kostogriz, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Wilkinson, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sharma, U. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fielding, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bright, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Gamble, N. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/08/20 → 31/07/26
Project: Research
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Engaging national employers in customising employment for job-seekers living with Down syndrome: An evidence- and knowledge-based strategy.
Patnaik, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Sharma, U. (Supervisor) & De Souza, D. (Supervisor)
29/07/19 → 29/12/08
Project: Research
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Universal Design for Learning: A Blended Professional Learning Program for Victorian Educators
Leif, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Sharma, U. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Jenkins, L. (Chief Investigator (CI))
20/03/24 → 31/10/24
Project: Research
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Understanding support for students with trauma
McGough, K. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Sharma, U. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (Australia)
6/06/22 → 31/10/22
Project: Research
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Canadian educators' post-pandemic recovery and students’ unmet needs: who is left behind?
Sokal, L., Sharma, U. & Eblie Trudel, L., Feb 2025, In: Teaching and Teacher Education. 154, 11 p., 104873.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Who is in? Who is out? Exploring primary school students’ sense of belonging using Photovoice
Zaman, R. A., Sharma, U. & Round, P., 2025, In: International Journal of Educational Research. 130, 19 p., 102545.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
A comparison of Australian and Swiss secondary school teachers’ attitudes, concerns, self-efficacy, and intentions to teach in inclusive classrooms: does the context matter?
Sahli Lozano, C., Sharma, U. & Wüthrich, S., 2024, In: International Journal of Inclusive Education. 28, 7, p. 1205-1223 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
19 Citations (Scopus) -
Are in-service teachers supported in Hong Kong? Teachers’ perceived support needs in the implementation of inclusive education
Chow, W. S. E. & Sharma, U., 2024, In: International Journal of Inclusive Education. 28, 11, p. 2546-2562 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
5 Citations (Scopus) -
A scoping review of perceived support needs of teachers for implementing inclusive education
Chow, W. S. E., de Bruin, K. & Sharma, U., 2024, In: International Journal of Inclusive Education. 28, 13, p. 3321-3340 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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2015 Outstanding author contribution award
Sharma, U. (Recipient), 31 Oct 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Dean's Award for Excellence in Innovation and External Collaboration
Sharma, U. (Recipient), 30 Nov 2012
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Dean's Award for Innovation for Learning and Teaching
Sharma, U. (Recipient), Grove, C. (Recipient), Laletas, S. (Recipient) & Finkelstein, S. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Dean's Award for Research Entreprise
Sharma, U. (Recipient), 31 Aug 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Dean’s Award for Research Impact (Economic and Social Impact)
Sharma, U. (Recipient), 30 Jun 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Rising from rejection: How educators can build school belonging in students - World Mental Health Presentation
Allen, K.-A. (Organiser), Williams, K. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Riley, K. (Invited speaker), Thomas-Suh, R. (Invited speaker), Elmeski, M. (Organiser), Sharma, U. (Speaker), Berger, E. (Member of programme committee), Grove, C. (Member of programme committee), Patlamazoglou, L. (Member of programme committee), Reupert, A. (Member of programme committee), Morris, Z. (Member of programme committee) & Wurf, G. (Organiser)
6 Oct 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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CITED: Inclusive Teacher Education and Development, International Consortium
Laletas, S. (Member of programme committee), Sharma, U. (Organiser) & Grove, C. (Member of programme committee)
9 Sept 2019 → 13 Sept 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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XVI International Congress and XXXVI Conference on Universities and Inclusive Education.
Sharma, U. (Keynote/plenary speaker)
8 Apr 2019 → 12 Apr 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Inclusion: An international Perspective
Sharma, U. (Invited speaker)
30 Aug 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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5th International Conference on Inclusive Education
Sharma, U. (Keynote/plenary speaker)
28 Nov 2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Press/Media
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How can school leaders create an inclusive culture and commitment?
Subban, P., Woodcock, S., Sharma, U. & May, F.
10/02/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Maslow before Bloom: Lessons from the lockdown for students with additional learning needs
30/06/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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5 evidence-based ways teachers can help struggling students
Leif, E., Subban, P., Fox, R. & Sharma, U.
12/12/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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We are with you: Parents share their teaching and learning lessons from the lockdown
Subban, P., Round, P., Grove, C., Laletas, S., Alfrey, L., Rosenbluh, I., Sharma, U. & Leif, E.
27/10/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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5 tips on how unis can do more to design online learning that works for all students
Leif, E., Grove, C., Alfrey, L., Laletas, S. & Sharma, U.
9/09/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature