Research Outputs 2024_2025

Brennan, A. & Pennycook, C. (2025). Fostering Teacher Leadership for Inclusion: The Role of School-University Partnerships and Professional Learning Communities. School Leadership & Management. https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13632434.2025.2587117

Brennan, A. (2025). 'A complex issue': the concerns around special education teaching, RTE Brainstorm:https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/0404/1505659-special-education-teaching-ireland-training-support-resources/

Brennan, A., Pennycook, C., & Barr, L. (2024). “It didn’t feel like something extra we had to do; it was something we all looked forward to” - How school-based professional learning communities can reimagine teacher professional learning for inclusive practice. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice.https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2024.2401593. Access here

Burke, P. & Lehane, P. (2024). Integration, pedagogy and assessment in the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum: Innovations, issues and implications. Irish Teachers' Journal, 12, 50-77. Link.

Dunne, O. (2023) ‘Gifted and LGBTQ: A Review of the Literature’, SENG Journal: Exploring the Psychology of Giftedness, 2(1), pp. 57–66. Available at: https://doi.org/10.25774/VNTA-S564.

Dunne, O., O’Reilly, C. and O’Hara, J. (2025) ‘Positive Discoveries: Identity Development and the Experiences of Gifted LGBTQ+ Students in Ireland’, Gifted and Talented International, pp. 1–14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/15332276.2025.2518162.

Francis, S. S., Margolis, J., & King, F. (2025). Spanners and enhancers: The role of teacher leaders in school evolution. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 0(0). https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/17411432241307788

Gibson, J., L., & McNally, S. (2024). Play in the Education and Care of Young Autistic Children. In B. Anderson, Z. Nikiforidou, & W. Robles-Melendez (Eds.) Resilience and Wellbeing: Children, Families and Communities. European Early Childhood Education Research Association.

Giltinan, K., Goodall, C., & Kenny, N. (2025). ‘Anxiety floods the entire system’: A qualitative study exploring teacher perspectives regarding how anxiety impacts autistic pupils with co‐occurring intellectual disabilities. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. [FULL TEXT]

Gorman, A., King, F., Madrid Miranda, R., Jones, M., & Harris, A. (2025). System leadership: implications and considerations for school leaders. School Leadership & Management, 1–4. https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13632434.2025.2464387

Gormley, L. & Hines, R. (2024). The well-being of early childhood providers in Ireland. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01767-w

Gormley, L., Ramey, D., Grennan, C., & Kóka, N. (2024). Individual education plan (IEP) priorities: Insights from the Autistic community and educators supporting Autistic learners. European Journal of Education. http://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12800

Greene, M., Kavanagh, A. M., & Kenny, N. (Nov 2025) The experiences of autistic trans and nonbinary students in Irish schools. RTE brainstorm.  https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/1103/1456945-autistic-trans-nonbinary-youth-students-irish-schools/

Hinch, L., Cross, J.R., Cross, T.L., O'reilly, C. and Bilgic-Erdem, S., 2024. Irish teacher practice of differentiation for gifted students. Gifted Education International, 40(2), pp.233-253.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Lehane, P., Hannify, C. (2025). Can Structured Literacy be a new dimension for Interprofessional Practice between Teachers and SLTs? Perceptions of Irish SLTs on their capacity and practices in supporting children with literacy difficulties. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders  60,  no. 6:e70135. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.70135.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S. (2024). The School Completion Programme: A Review of Current Evidence. Report commissioned by the Department of Education as part of the review of the allocation of DEIS resources. Department of Education.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Carey, A., O'Mahony, K., and Povey, R. (2025). Conceptualising the development of the national guidance on the participation of disabled children and young people in decision-making in Ireland through the lens of Implementation Science. The International Journal of Children's Rights, 33: 170-199. Link.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Dunne, K. & Scully, C. (2025). Implementation of Evidence-Based Programmes and Practices in School Completion Programmes. Commissioned Report. Tusla Education Support Service.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Kenny, N., Carolan, S. & Doyle, A. (2025). “It’s wishy-washy [...] You are getting this diagnosis because we’ve ruled out everything else.” Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) diagnosis in the Republic of Ireland: A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of parents and clinicians. PLOS ONE, 20(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327373

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Lehane, P., Hannify, C. (2025). Literacy for Equitable Interprofessional Learning: Implementation Protocol for an Online Community of Practice for Irish Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists. Irish Educational Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2025.2523299

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., O'Mahony, K. & Carey, A. (2024). A Literature Review on the Inclusion of Disabled Children and Young People in Participation in Decision-Making. Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Report.

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., O'Mahony, K. & Carey, A. (2024). Scoping Document on the Inclusion of Disabled Children and Young People in Participation in Decision-Making. Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Report.

Keenan, L., Sweeney, R., & McNally, S. (2025). Knowledge of autism and attitudes towards inclusive education for autistic pupils: A representative survey of school communities in Ireland. Irish Educational Studies.

Kenny, N. (Oct, 2025). Growing numbers of autism diagnoses reflect progress, not crisis. Irish examiner: opinion. https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41714583.html

Kenny, N., & Doyle, A. (2024). A phenomenological exploration of the lived experience of adults experiencing pathological demand avoidance. Neurodiversity, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241277075

Kenny, N. & O'Kelly, J. (2024) How Autistic people can be supported accessing employment in Ireland. RTE Brainstorm

Kenny, N., Neilson, S., O'Kelly, J., Doyle, J.K. and McDonald, J. (2024), "Exploring the Paradigm of Co-Produced Research Within the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic", Rose, R. and Shevlin, M. (Ed.) Including Voices (International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, Vol. 23), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-363620240000023012

Keoghan, C., Kenny, N., & Goodall, C. (2025). Teachers' Perspectives on Their Role in Supporting Early Inclusion for Autistic Pupils in Mainstream School Early Intervention Classes. Middletown Centre for Autism Research Journal.

King, F. (2024). Professional learning: a call to criticality, action and reflexivity. Professional Development in Education, 50(6), 1053–1055. https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/19415257.2024.2420509

Lehane, P., O'Connor, G. & O'Leary, M. (2025). Back to the future? Reflections from 25 years of empirical research on Leaving Certificate assessment in Ireland. Irish Educational Studies, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2024.2441158

Logan, A., Brennan, A., Pennycook, C., Scanlon, D., Furlong, C., O’Grady, S., … Doyle, A. (2025). ‘Going wild with placement’: exploring a model of engagement in individual, dyadic and team reflective practice in the context of collaborative self-study supporting teacher educator critical reflection, interrogation of practice, professional learning, collaboration and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Reflective Practice, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2024.2445348

Lynam, A., Sweeney, M.R., Keenan, L., & McNally, S. (2024). Autistic pupils’ experiences in primary and post-primary schools: A scoping review and consultation with autistic pupils in Ireland. Autism and Developmental Language Impairments.

McCabe, U.; Downes, P.; Kazmierczak-Murray, S. (2025) DCU Educational Disadvantage Centre’s Inclusive Systems and Inclusive Arts Education Key Principles: A Strategic Framework for Fighting Words’ Poverty and Social Inclusion Commitments. Dublin: Fighting Words. Fighting Words.

McDonnell, R., Riedl Cross, J., O’Reilly, C., Cross, T.L., Hinch, L. and Mishra, A., 2023. Gifted Irish students’ perception of academic experiences during the pandemic. Gifted and Talented International, 38(2), pp.190-202.

McNally, S., Sweeney, M.R., Keenan, L., Lynam, A.M., Ramsbottom, C., & Radhakrishnan, A. (2025). A Framework for an Autism-Friendly School Informed by Autistic Students. Dublin City University.

McNally, S., Sweeney, M.R., Keenan, L., Lynam, A.M., Ramsbottom, C., & Radhakrishnan, A. (2025). Autism-Friendly Schools: Including the Voices of Autistic Students in Primary and Post-Primary Education in Ireland. Dublin City University.

Morrissey, B. (2025) 'De-mystifying the "Cinderella" leadership model: Premia in the practice of curriculum leadership', Educational Management Administration & Leadership, OnlineFirst. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251386325

Morrissey, B., Keating, S. and King, F. (2024) ‘Enacting a child safety education programme in special education contexts’, Children and Youth Services Review, 163, pp.1-11.

Morrissey, B., King, F. and Keating, S. (2024) ‘Conceptualising inclusive curricula for learners with complex special educational needs: narrowing the design gap between commonality and difference', International Journal of Inclusive Education, Online First.

Neilson, S., O'Kelly, J., Doyle, J. K., Kenny, N., O'Neill, C., Butler, S., & McDonald, J. (2025). A Co-Produced Qualitative Exploration of Autistic Experiences at an Irish Higher Education Institution. Autism in Adulthood. 110.1177/25739581251362835

Neilson, S., & Kenny, N. (2024). Visually mapping the interplay between pandemic interest groups and ‘the vulnerable’ in newspaper accounts, 2018–2022. In Kara, Helen, Mannay, Dawn and Roy, Alastair (Eds). The Handbook of Creative Data Analysis, Bristol, UK: Policy Press, 2024. https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447369592

Nic Aindriú, S., Ó Duibhir, P., & Travers, J. (2024) 'The suitability of Irish immersion education for children with special educational needs'. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, . https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2024.2320306

O’Keeffe, C., & McNally, S. (2024). ‘It’s one of your main things in life like’: How Children’s Conceptualisations of Play can inform Educational Practice. Education 3-13.

O’Keeffe, C., & McNally, S. (2025). A Strengths-Based Understanding of the Play of Autistic Children. Autism. 29(6): 1469–1482

O’Keeffe, C., & McNally, S. (2025). ‘Understand more what we do’: A review of children’s perspectives of play in education. Child Indicators Research.

O'Kelly, J., Kenny, N., Butler, S., & Scully, C. (2024). Future Expectations: A Qualitative Exploration of the Perceptions and Expectations of Autistic Adults Regarding the IMPACT Programme. Drumcondra: DCU.

Shiels, T., Kenny, N. and McNamara, P.M. (2024), "A Disrupted Life: A Study of Young People Who Experience Traumatic Brain Injury in Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland", Rose, R. and Shevlin, M. (Ed.) Including Voices (International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, Vol. 23), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 127-137. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-363620240000023010

Slattery, E. J., Lehane, P., Butler, D., O'Leary, M., & Marshall, K. (2025). Assessing the benefits of digital game‐based learning with Minecraft in children, adolescents and young adults: A broad systematic review. Review of Education, 13(1), e70035. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70035

Travers, J., & Downes, P. (2025). Developing a concentric spatial turn for inclusive and special education: key issues for systems development. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1–26. https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/08856257.2025.2529010

Travers, J., & King, F. (2025). Social justice leadership in Irish schools: conceptualisations, supports and barriers. Irish Educational Studies, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2025.2479432

Travers, J., O’Reilly, C., Hinch, L., Kenny, N. (2024). Review of gifted education in Ireland with reference to provision and practice in Scotland, England, Finland, Canada, and Australia. Department of Education.

Ward, L. & Gormley, L. (2025). Gathering autistic children’s views on their educational experiences: A systematic review of methods. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 60(1), 49-70.