Educational researchers are asked to describe and analyse processes of inclusion and exclusion that they are observing in teaching processes as well as in schools. Referring to Niklas Luhmann (2002) they are doing second-order observations. Second-order observations allow to investigate the processes of constructing and addressing of differences as well as the inclusion and exclusion in communication systems, that go along with them. Moreover, educational researchers doing can be seen as a practice itself, a practice that also reproduces and produces differences. Research is not only confronted with the situation of reification on a theoretical level, but also in a methodological-methodical way. It is the goal of this paper to give an overview on contemporary research on inclusive education in the German speaking countries - mainly Austria, Germany and the German speaking part of Switzerland. While theoretical approaches often highlight the contradictions that the idea of inclusive education in an exclusive (school) system generates, empirical work does not pick this up universally. This is not only connected to a perspective that sees disability as a problem of certain students (the 'different student' in relation to the 'normal one'), instead of a societal or organizational one. Another challenge of educational research on inclusive practices is the reflection of the research conditions itself. This includes the offered ways of participation of the people whose practice is being investigated and as well as the sourcing of research. Especially when third-party funds are being granted possible interests of the funding organization need to be reflected. It is the goal to give an insight of the German speaking research on inclusive education as well as a critical view on its dealing with the tensions of inclusion and exclusion.

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