Inclusion matters. – David Roy

By David Roy

Why We Wrote The Inclusive Teacher

There are few ideas in education that attract as much agreement in principle—and as much anxiety in practice—as inclusion.

Across Australia, most teachers will say they believe in inclusive education. They want classrooms where all students belong, where difference is expected, and where no child is quietly edged out because they are “too hard”, “too complex”, or “don’t fit the system”. And yet, many teachers will also tell you—often in private—that inclusion feels overwhelming, under-resourced, inconsistently supported, and sometimes deeply unfair on both students and staff.

The Inclusive Teacher was written directly into that tension.

We wrote this book because inclusion matters. But more than that, we wrote it because teachers matter; and too often, they are expected to carry the full weight of inclusive education without the practical tools, systemic backing, or professional trust they deserve.

Inclusion: benefits, challenges, and the reality in classrooms

Educational inclusion delivers enormous benefits. Research has consistently shown that inclusive classrooms improve learning, wellbeing, and social outcomes—not only for students with disability, but for all students. Inclusive practices strengthen routines, clarity of instruction, behaviour support, and classroom relationships. In short, they lift the quality of teaching itself.

At the same time, we would be dishonest if we ignored the real or perceived challenges teachers face when inclusion is poorly implemented. These include rising behavioural complexity, declining student attendance, mental health concerns, system failures, gatekeeping practices, and a growing sense among teachers that they are being asked to “do inclusion” without sufficient training, time, or support.

This book does not pretend those challenges don’t exist. Instead, it names them—and works through them carefully, compassionately, and practically.

Why our voices—and why lived experience matters

Pre-service teachers in Australia will benefit from this book and use it often. Pre-service teachers are prepared for classroom reality by The Inclusive Teacher with clear, simple advice, e.g. on documenting inclusion, e.g. what to do if they think a student is experiencing poor mental health. Content is mapped explicitly to graduate teacher standards (AITSL) to give the reader confidence.

Existing teachers who want to update or further their practice will want this book when they are updating their practice or face tricky situations in the classroom and want to know how to do things differently. Deeper dives are also provided, for example, on trauma-informed teaching, and on engaging ‘hard to reach’ parents. This information was provided by experts in this area. Case studies are used throughout the book to aid learning, with activities provided to help unpack issues. These are based on real classroom situations, real students and real schools from my experience over the years.

Why this book is unique

Between us, we bring decades of classroom teaching, school leadership, teacher education, and research focused on inclusive education. We have seen inclusion done badly—and we have seen it done extraordinarily well, even in difficult conditions.

We also bring lived experience to this work. As people with disability, parents of children with disability, or both, we know inclusion not just as a policy aspiration, but as something that shapes real lives. Lived experience does not make our voices the only ones that matter—but it does give an authenticity and urgency to what we recommend.

When professional expertise and lived experience meet, the result is a form of knowledge that is grounded, practical, and ethically sharp. That combination sits at the heart of The Inclusive Teacher.

Why focus on students with disabilities?

Inclusion is broader than disability. It always has been.

We fully acknowledge that many students face systemic disadvantage in Australian schools, including First Nations students, students from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, and students affected by poverty or trauma. Inclusion must speak to all of these realities.

However, this book deliberately focuses on students with disability for one clear reason: they are currently among the most excluded groups in Australian education. Increasing numbers of students with disability are suspended, informally excluded, withdrawn by families, or simply not attending school at all. The Disability Royal Commission made this painfully clear.

Focusing on one group does not deny the struggles of others. Instead, it allows us to go deeper, be more precise, and offer practical guidance where the need is urgent and the consequences of inaction are severe.

A practical book for real classrooms

One of our strongest motivations for writing this book was the persistent claim—often repeated in media and policy discussions—that teachers are “not prepared” for inclusion.
Sometimes that claim is fair. Often it is not.

What teachers need is not more blame, but clear, evidence-based, classroom-ready guidance that respects their professionalism and recognises the complexity of their work.

This book addresses the “sticky” issues teachers repeatedly raise, including:
● supporting positive behaviour
● ensuring safety for students and staff
● responding to mental health concerns
● establishing effective routines
● differentiating curriculum and using Universal Design for Learning
● working with parents as partners
● understanding how learning actually happens, and how students can get stuck

These are not abstract ideas. They are the daily realities of classrooms.

Why is the structure different

Rather than a traditional chapter-by-chapter academic text, The Inclusive Teacher is organised around core professional practices. Each section is designed to be used flexibly—as professional learning, as part of initial teacher education, or as a focused workshop for school staff.
Every section is mapped to the relevant AITSL Professional Standards, not as a compliance exercise, but to give teachers confidence that what they are learning matters professionally and systemically.

The book is split into two parts:
● Educational inclusion: the why — addressing legal responsibilities, professional standards, and common myths and objections
● Educational inclusion: the what and how — providing practical strategies, case studies, vignettes, and recommendations for action

Throughout, we have worked hard to “make inclusion real”, showing how policies, attitudes, and system failures play out in actual schools and classrooms.

Inclusion is not a favour—it’s good teaching

One persistent myth about inclusion is that it only benefits students with disability. Decades of research tell us otherwise.

Inclusive practices—clear routines, effective praise, differentiated instruction, calm and predictable classrooms—benefit everyone. They improve learning conditions for all students and reduce stress for teachers. Inclusion, done well, is not an add-on. It is simply high-quality teaching.

That is why this book is ultimately not just about disability. It is about improving teaching and learning in Australian schools—full stop.

A book that ends by handing responsibility back to the reader

The final section of The Inclusive Teacher deliberately resists the temptation to tell readers what to think or do next.

Instead, it invites reflection.

What have you learned?
What matters most in your context?
What can you change—tomorrow, next term, next year?

Inclusion is not a destination. It is an ongoing professional and ethical journey. Our hope is that this book supports teachers not just to include students with disability, but to feel more confident, capable, and supported in their work.

If it helps teachers stay, grow, and teach well—then it has done what we hoped it would..

The Inclusive Teacher

This quick-reference, highly practical guide is designed to help teachers successfully include students with a disability in the classroom, as well as being a research text.

An essential read for pre-service teachers, this book will also be of interest to new and in-service teachers in the mainstream sector as well as in the special education and alternative school sectors.

Grab Your Copy!