Professor Suzanne Carrington
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Education
Biography
Suzanne is a Professor in The Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE) and a member of the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice. Suzanne’s areas of expertise are in inclusive education, ethical leadership for inclusive schools, disability and teacher preparation for inclusive schools. She has engaged in research to inform policy and practice in Australian and international education contexts. She has published over 100 journal publications, books, book chapters and research reports. She was the Program Director of Program 2: The School Years for The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) (2013-2022). http://www.autismcrc.com.au/. Her work appears in leading international journals including Autism, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Journal of Autism andDevelopmental Disorders, BMC Public Health, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice. Her work has also been cited in numerous reports and policy recommendations such as
- World Report on Disability 2011, by the World Health Organization
- Inclusion in Education towards equality for students with disability: policy recommendations written with Children with Disability Australia 2013
- Engaging young early school leavers in vocational training: Informing Policy and Practice in Australia’s Training System, an NCVER Research Report
- Literature review: Student-centred schools make the difference, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.
Personal details
Positions
- Professor
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Education
Keywords
Inclusive Education, Intellectual Disability, School Reform, Service-Learning, Student Voice
Research field
Education systems, Specialist studies in education
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- PhD (University of Queensland)
- MEd (James Cook Uni. of North Qld)
- BEd (James Cook Uni. of North Qld)
- DipTeach (Griffith University)
Professional memberships and associations
Reviewing for Editorial Boards
- International Journal of Inclusive Education
- Teaching Education
- Learning Support : A Journal of the Nat Assoc for Special Educational Needs (Britain)
- International Journal of Disability, Development and Education
- Canadian Journal of Education
Teaching
Suzanne contributes to teaching in the areas of inclusive education at QUT. In addition, Suzanne leads and contributes to a range of international teaching programs in the Pacific Islands and South West Asia to support inclusive culture, policy and practice in schools. For example, we have conducted programs in Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Indonesia, Philippines, and in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.
Experience
Suzanne Carrington was a teacher 1983-1993 and taught in special schools, primary and secondary schools in QLD, Australia and in London, UK. She worked as a Lecturer at the University of New England in Armidale, NSW before moving to Brisbane to take up the role of Lecturer at QUT. She completed her PhD at the University of QLD in 2000. Suzanne was seconded from QUT in 2002-2004 to establish the Staff College, Inclusive Education in Education Queensland. In her role as Principal of the Staff College, she directed professional learning of staff in Education Queensland to support the development of a more inclusive approach to culture, policy and practice. Suzanne`s leadership in this area engaged international visitors from Universities in Northern Ireland, Britain , New Zealand and the Ministry of Education in New Zealand.
Her publications, podcasts and TED talk are available on
ps://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Carrington,_Suzanne.html
Publications
- Schuelka, M. & Carrington, S. (2022). Global Directions in Inclusive Education: Conceptualizations, Practices, and Methodologies for the 21st Century. Routledge. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227722
- Dukpa, D., Carrington, S., Mavropoulou, S. & Schuelka, M. (2022). Exploring the congruence between Bhutanese teachers' views about inclusion, Gross National Happiness, and Buddhism. In M. Schuelka & S. Carrington (Eds.), Global Directions in Inclusive Education: Conceptualizations, Practices, and Methodologies for the 21st Century (pp. 293–311). Routledge. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227826
- Shochet, I., Saggers, B., Carrington, S., Orr, J., Wurfl, A., Kelly, R. & Duncan, B. (2022). A School-Based Approach to Building Resilience and Mental Health Among Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study. School Mental Health, 14(3), 753–775. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227679
- Carrington, S., Spina, N., Kimber, M., Spooner-Lane, R. & Williams, K. (2022). Leadership attributes that support school improvement: a realist approach. School Leadership and Management, 42(2), 151–169. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227419
- Lassig, C., Poed, S., Mann, G., Saggers, B., Carrington, S. & Mavropoulou, S. (2024). The future of special schools in Australia: complying with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(9), 1701–1719. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/228729
- Walton, E., Carrington, S., Saggers, B., Edwards, C. & Kimani, W. (2022). What matters in learning communities for inclusive education: a cross-case analysis. Professional Development in Education, 48(1), 134–148. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/197194
- Carrington, S., Saggers, B., Harper-Hill, K. & Whelan, M. (2021). Research Approaches to Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum in Inclusive Schools: Outcomes, Challenges and Impact. Routledge. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208056
- Carrington, S., Saggers, B., Harper-Hill, K. & Whelan, M. (2021). Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum in Inclusive Schools: A Practical Guide to Implementing Evidence-Based Approaches. Routledge. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208057
- Mavropoulou, S., Mann, G. & Carrington, S. (2021). The Divide Between Inclusive Education Policy and Practice in Australia and the Way Forward. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 18(1), 44–52. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207678
- Carrington, S., Saggers, B., Webster, A., Harper-Hill, K. & Nickerson, J. (2020). What Universal Design for Learning principles, guidelines, and checkpoints are evident in educators' descriptions of their practice when supporting students on the autism spectrum? International Journal of Educational Research, 102, 1–11. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/201024
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Suzanne, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Filter publications:
A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/sx.carrington
Selected research projects
- Title
- Implementing and monitoring education policy and practices for people with disability in the South Pacific
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 66446
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Disability; Education; Inclusive Education; Professional Development
- Title
- Ethical Leadership: A collaborative investigation of equity-driven evidence-based school reform
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP120200647
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- Leadership; Equity; Learning Outcomes; Data Accountability
- Title
- The Transition to School for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities: The Impact of Interpersonal Relationships on Successful School Adjustment
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP0877587
- Start year
- 2008
- Keywords
- Transition to School; Disability; Early Childhood; Inclusion; School Adjustment; School Engagement
- Title
- The Health of Adolescents with Intellectual Disability Study
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 401647
- Start year
- 2006
- Keywords
- Health Curriculum; Intellectual Disability
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
Current supervisions
- Practices, Experiences, and Perceptions of Voice and Choice for Australian Secondary Students with Intellectual Disability
EdD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Glenys Mann - Public policy analysis on inclusive education in Bhutan
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Peter O'Brien, Associate Professor Sofia Mavropoulou - Transformational leadership and well-being in secondary schools
EdD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Beth Saggers
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Preparedness of Nepalese Teachers to Implement Inclusive Pedagogy (2025)
- Aspirations Through Time: The Transition Planning Experiences of Students with Disability in Queensland Schools (2024)
- Exploring Teachers' Knowledge, Perceptions and Practices for Supporting Students With Autism in Inclusive Schools in Bhutan (2022)
- Factors that Influence Teachers' Classroom Practices in Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum in Mainstream Settings (2022)
- Implementing a Tele-Classroom Consultation Approach in Rural and Remote Settings to Support a Community of Practice for Teachers Supporting Young Children on the Autism Spectrum and with Complex Needs in Mainstream Settings (2020)
- Overcoming Difficulties with Written Expression for Students on the Autism Spectrum (2019)
- Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education in Bhutan (2019)
- Aid, Attitudes and Ambivalence: The Impact of Australian Aid in the Introduction and Sustainability of Inclusive Education Initiatives in the Republic of Kiribati (2018)
- Meeting the needs of children with autism and their parents during out of hospital interactions with paramedics (2018)
- Examining the Primary School Experiences of Intercountry Adoptees: Perspectives of Adoptive Parents and Children (2017)
Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)
- Inclusive pedagogical practices for primary students who study in a language of instruction other than their first language in Sri Lanka (2026)
- Exploring Experiences of Intersectional Neurodivergent (ND) Identity, Wellbeing and Belonging Through the Eyes of Autistic/ADHD (AuDHD) Australians (2025)
- Exploring Fraction Knowledge with Telling Time: A Case Study of Students Who Have Learning Difficulties (2016)
- Understanding Curriculum Planning Practices That Promote Equity and Excellence for Students with Disability (2016)
The supervisions listed above are only a selection.