Research on social inclusion often focuses on social exclusion. However, in order to gain greater insights into ways to facilitate social change, it is equally important to research the social inclusion of those normally excluded. Indeed, while one important purpose of studying disabilism is to catalogue and critique all its forms, another critical purpose is to better understand how disabilism can be resisted and/or ameliorated at individual and/or societal levels. Thus, it is equally important to understand when, why and how disabilism does not negatively impact the lives of people with impairments as well as when it does. This paper presents a single case study of Lynette, a young woman with a severe visual impairment who has a life-changing experience in an inclusive environment. In particular, it explores the impact of exclusive and inclusive contexts on Lynette’s identity development as she transitions to adulthood. By juxtaposing Lynette’s experiences of exclusion with those of inclusion, it highlights contexts in which there is a critical mass of people with impairments living alongside able-bodied people as a possible antecedent/impetus for greater social inclusion of people with impairments in society more generally.

Non speech methods of communication, such as the use of gesture and signing along with pointing or indicating icons on a screen or display is known collectively as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This paper is not research driven but does explore the critical role of the speaking communication partner in enabling and empowering the user of AAC to have a voice in social interactions. Transcription analysis is used to examine what communication partners do in three recorded interviews with people who have difficulty with spoken language. It is proposed that there would be more efficient and inclusive discourses if more communication partners through in-service and pre-service training, were comfortable with scaffolding techniques.

Childlessness in Australia is increasing yet there is limited research exploring women’s reasons for childlessness. Previous research has typically examined childlessness within the context of fertility rather than childlessness itself. The limited research that has moved beyond looking at involuntary childlessness has labelled women with a type of childlessness during recruitment rather than exploring women’s reasons for childlessness as a part of the research process. The aim of this mixed methods exploratory study (n = 50) was to describe women’s reasons for childlessness. Findings indicate that almost half of the women did not wish to have children. Reasons for childlessness included: having never wanted to have children; having never been in the ‘right’ relationship; and being in a relationship where the partner did not want to have children. The findings provide insight into women’s reasons for childlessness, how they feel about their decision, circumstance and position as a woman in a pronatalist society.

The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that will contribute to current knowledge and understanding of the social processes that marginalise individuals, families and communities. The journal will be published bi-annually under the guidance of an International Editorial Advisory Board. The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is an initiative of the School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that will contribute to current knowledge and understanding of the social processes that marginalise individuals, families and communities. The journal will be published bi-annually under the guidance of an International Editorial Advisory Board. The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is an initiative of the School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

In April 2009, the Australian Government announced plans to roll-out the National Broadband Network (NBN) Company Open Access Network in Australia. Australia’s NBN will bring high speed internet access to areas and people that otherwise would have been without. Predicting consequences (both positive and negative) arising from the NBN, as well as risks and opportunities that it will generate differentially between places, groups and sectors, is inherently uncertain. With little reliable data available on social impacts of NBN-style access at the household and community level, policy-making and regulation risks responding to optimistic speculation and commercially motivated spin rather than carefully weighed evidence. The research reported in this paper aimed to address this gap with a preliminary assessment of the social impacts of the NBN-like broadband roll-out at one New South Wales test site in southwest Sydney. The paper discusses the research methods and findings and frames recommendations for further research to address both limitations that arose in the research reported here, and broader gaps in understanding the social impacts of new forms of broadband access and associated applications. Due to the small sample size, this preliminary report provides details and findings from a scoping research perspective that aims to inform future research in this area.

The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that will contribute to current knowledge and understanding of the social processes that marginalise individuals, families and communities. The journal will be published bi-annually under the guidance of an International Editorial Advisory Board. The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is an initiative of the School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

Some young people who have been homeless during their secondary schooling manage to obtain a university place. These young people, and others who become homeless during their university courses, have the opportunity to build a sustainable exit from homelessness through education and support. Very little is known about how many young Australians are in this situation, or what can be done to assist them to complete their degrees. This article reports on research that aimed to document the experiences of 11 university students who had experienced homelessness. The research focussed on the difficulties that these young people faced, and the types of environments and service responses that can make a difference for them. The students were part of a larger study of a foyer-type service. The research found that these young people took longer than the standard duration to complete their degrees. Their study was facilitated by provision of stable, safe accommodation and support when they were acutely homeless, relief from other pressures such as family conflict, protection while maturing, time for overseas born including refugee young people to develop language, skills, and resources, support to heal from past damaging experiences and improve their health, assistance to gain entry to preferred university courses, and pathways into stable housing for the duration of their study.

The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that will contribute to current knowledge and understanding of the social processes that marginalise individuals, families and communities. The journal will be published bi-annually under the guidance of an International Editorial Advisory Board. The Journal of Social Inclusion (JoSI) is an initiative of the School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

While social inclusion has particular currency with the Australian government, a national policy that serves to exclude capable and motivated students from higher education pathways is clearly incongruous. Yet this situation is now in place, serving to entrench exclusion and disadvantage among Pacific Island communities who have used New Zealand as a migration pathway to Australia.