Associate ProfessorIlektra Spandagou

PhD(Sheff), MEd(Sheff), BEd(Athens) GradCertEdStud(Higher Education)(Sydney)

Associate Professor Ilektra Spandagou worked as a special teacher and completed her PhD at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom in the area of inclusive education. She worked as a researcher at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and as a lecturer at the University of Athens and the University of Thessaly, Greece before moving to the University of Sydney. Her research interests include disability, classroom diversity, and curriculum differentiation.

Ilektra has been involved in teacher education and teacher training in special and inclusive education both in Greece and Australia. She has experience working with general and special education teachers in the area of philosophy and theories of inclusive education, policy and legislation issues, and curricula adjustments for students with a disability and special education needs. She has also experience in preparing materials, including audio-visual resources for teacher training. She had taught at special education master programs (University of Athens, Greece), special education undergraduate programs (University of Thessaly, Greece) and teacher specialisation programs in blindness/vision impairment.

Ilektra currently teaches in the pre-service special education mandatory units of study and the Master of Education (Special Education) in the area of special and inclusive education. She is involved in higher degree supervision and other research projects. Her publications include the book ‘Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice’ (co-authored with A.C. Armstrong and D. Armstrong, and published by Sage)and 'Inclusive Education in Schools and Early Childhood Place (co-authored with C. Little, D. Evans, M.L. Bonatti, and published by Springer).