Universal Design for Learning as a Tool for Inclusion in the Higher Education Classroom: Tips for the Next Decade of Implementation

Abstract

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has gained significant momentum in Higher Education (HE) over the last decade in North America. It offers considerable potential to achieve the inclusion of diverse students in the HE classroom. It is a unique approach, first because it shifts the instructor mindset away from medical model practices, and second because it allows the development of inclusive practices that address the needs of the full spectrum of diverse learners. As a result of this growing interest, there have been implementation efforts within a wide range of disciplines and settings in post-secondary education. The time has come, however, to identify the challenges that remain, to seek appropriate solutions, and to develop strategic direction to shape UDL adoption for the next decade. This paper draws on phenomenological data collected by the author on his own practice through a process of auto-ethnography. This data emerges from three dimensions of the author's practice: his past role as manager of an accessibility unit, as well as his current role as UDL consultant within HE, and faculty member exploring UDL in his own teaching. The chapter identifies remaining challenges, explores solutions, and frames a vision for what UDL development might look like in HE over the next decade.

Towards New Instructional Design Models in Online English Literature Courses During COVID-19 for Sustainability Assurance in Higher Education

“…In addition, she explores the challenges that could face the instructor in embedding the design into online learning. Fovet (2020) highlights the challenges and their solutions for framing a development plan for how the UDL model could be continuously used in higher education for online teaching and learning based on his own experiences and practices. Rose et al (2006) explore the applications of UDL in university courses and give examples.…”

Increasing students’ engagement: The use of new instructional designs in English literature online courses during COVID-19

“…She also looked at the challenges that instructors could face when integrating the design into online learning. Highlighting the problems and their solutions of framing a development plan using the UDL model that could be used over and over by colleges and universities for online teaching was the focus of a study by Fovet (2020) who based his research on his own experiences. Rose et al (2006) researched the effects of applying UDL to university courses and highlighted the continuous improvement of these courses by implementing UDL principals into their design.…”

Rethinking Higher Education Unit Design: Embedding Universal Design for Learning in Online Studies

“…As Universal Design in architecture works to remove or lower access barriers to physical spaces, UDL works to remove or lower barriers to access curriculum content and increase participation in learning to meet students' varying learning needs. In education from early childhood through to higher education studies (Ashman, 2010;Fovet, 2020;Hayward et al, 2020;Lowrey et al, 2017). The UDL instructional framework is a proactive approach to support the facilitation of today's diverse learners, including, but is not limited to attributes such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, ability, and gender (Edyburn, 2010;Meyer et al, 2014) Developed and updated by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST, 2018), the UDL framework encompasses three core dimensions: limiting or reducing barriers to learning, multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action expression.…”

“…Examination of the impact of UDL within specific curriculum contexts such as literacy and numeracy for learners from diverse backgrounds (Kennedy et al, 2014;Kortering et al, 2008). The recorded benefits to date for UDL in higher education have shown it is a sustainable and efficacious framework for supporting students' engagement and outcomes with disabilities, Indigenous students, and those who are the first-in-family (Fovet, 2020). However, there is a paucity of research in the area of online learning in higher education environments in Australia (Cumming & Rose, 2021), and as such, exploration of a broader application of UDL for the engagement of students in the online higher education context is still required to confidently promote uptake of this approach.…”