Aims & Scope

The Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education (AJSIE) is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE).

AASE aims to enhance access for students with disability and/or additional learning needs to quality educational programs by

• promoting professional standards of a high order
• providing educational leadership
• supporting research and professional learning
• building partnerships with community, families, service providers, schools, and universities
• influencing policy- and decision-making in education in the Australian context and beyond.

To further these aims, AJSIE publishes articles for a readership professionally engaged or interested in the education of students with disability and/or additional learning needs or the education of those who will work with these students.

The editors seek articles in line with the theme of the journal — that is, the programs, policies, and research that relate to the education of students with disability and/or additional learning needs and any other disadvantage that they experience.

Articles may be original qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research papers, literature reviews, or brief research reports relevant to any aspect of special and inclusive education practice and policy and descriptions of research-based programs or classroom practices.

The journal will consider research on special and inclusive education at the preschool, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. AJSIE particularly welcomes research conducted with students, families, educators, and communities, including participatory, co‑design, and practitioner‑research approaches that centre lived experience and student voice. The journal also encourages research that engages respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, Māori and Pasifika contexts, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including work that explores the intersection of disability with culture, language, gender, geography, and socioeconomic context. Although AJSIE welcomes studies from outside Australasia, authors are expected to connect their study’s contributions to the Australasian context and demonstrate relevance to the journal’s primary readership.

Typical topics covered in AJSIE include but are not limited to:

• pre- and in-service teacher preparation
• programs and policies relating to students with disability and/or additional learning needs
• models of special and/or inclusive education
• resourcing of regular and special schooling
• perspectives of various stakeholders about the education of individuals with disability and/or additional learning needs
• comparison of various aspects of education, services, and employment options for individuals with disability and/or additional learning needs
• use of AI to support individuals with disability and/or additional learning needs across various settings
• evidence-based instructional practices and interventions
• behaviour support, engagement, and inclusive classroom participation
• curriculum access, differentiation, and adjustments for learners with disability and/or additional learning needs
• partnerships with families, communities, and interdisciplinary professionals
• leadership in special and inclusive education across schools, systems, and professional contexts
• implementation of policy and system reform in special and inclusive education.

By pursuing these aims, AJSIE upholds its dedication to disseminating rigorous, Australasian-relevant research while also supporting innovation, diversity, and the evolving challenges facing education worldwide.

Special Education Perspectives

The journal also features an applied section, Special Education Perspectives, to inform practising teachers in regular, inclusive, and special education settings and others interested in the education of students with disability and/or additional learning needs. Authors submitting works to this section are encouraged to foreground practical relevance, application, and clarity over methodological complexity. Topics considered for Special Education Perspectives include, but are not limited to, evidence‑informed classroom practices, reflections on the implementation of policy or reform, and practitioner inquiry or school‑based innovation.

Keywords

The following keywords are indicative of topics commonly published in AJSIE and are intended to guide prospective authors; the list is not exhaustive:

inclusion; inclusive education; special education; students with disability and/or additional learning needs; disability; learning; literacy; evidence-based practices; teacher education; preservice teachers; differentiated instruction; student voice; multi-tiered systems of support; neurodiversity; paraprofessionals; self-efficacy; school-based interventions; teaching methods; professional development; behaviour support; classroom management; collaboration; decision-making; legislation; advocacy; policy and law; leadership; curriculum adaptations; augmentative and alternative communication; positive behavioural interventions and supports; universal design for learning; applied behaviour analysis; functional behavioural assessment; qualitative; quantitative; mixed methods

AJSIE is a Gold Open Access journal published online only as two issues per volume per year.

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Article Types Accepted

Article type	Length	Description
Brief Research Report*	3,000 words	A short version of a research article, short being defined as substantially shorter than the subject area's standard for research articles. Note that this must contain original research findings or analysis and situate that research within the established literature. This article type should not be used for short news items, information or announcements.
Literature Review*	7,000 words	A state-of-the-field article, survey piece, literature review, scoping review, systematic review, meta-analysis or discussion paper that reflects critically on a research topic.
Original Article*	7,000 words	A research article. Note that research articles typically report original research findings and analysis, cite the literature to put those findings in context, and develop an argument.
Special Education Perspectives*	5,000 words	As for Original Article but shorter in length and with a focus on applied practice.

Please note that in all cases word count includes abstracts, references, endnotes, tables, and figures.