Using Universal Design for Learning to Create Inclusive Provisions for Indigenous Students in Higher Education

Abstract

The decolonization of the curriculum has become a much-discussed process in higher education, and it is particularly pertinent to the inclusion of Indigenous students in the tertiary sector. While the momentum grows for a rapid integration of decolonization of the curriculum into higher education practices, the literature suggests that these efforts so far have tackled content rather than pedagogy itself. Universal design for learning (UDL), on the other hand, appears as a promising framework to support instructors as they engage more deeply with the process of decolonizing pedagogical practices. The chapter explores the phenomenological insights of the author regarding the ways UDL is contributing to this reflection on the inherently Euro-centric nature of classroom practices. The chapter also examined wider repercussions the implementation of UDL to the Indigenous student experience will have on UDL advocacy generally, on higher education reform, and on the future format of support services for this clientele.