Umesh Sharma

Umesh Sharma is Professor in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, Australia where he is the Academic Head of the Educational Psychology and Inclusive Education Community. 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 Victorian Government, and the development of the National Policy on Inclusive Education for Solomon Islands.. 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 (2019) named the top Special Education Researcher in Australia based on the impact of his work locally and internationally 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.