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.

Attitude and concern measurement; Positive behaviour Support; Inclusive curricular strategies; Inclusive education in developing countries; Teacher efficacy to implement inclusive education