Universal Design For Learning Approach Research Articles

Tactile Trees

Phylogenetic trees are used throughout biology to represent evolutionary relationships and communicate ideas about evolutionary processes. Dedicated instruction in how to read and interpret phylogenetic trees (i.e., tree thinking) is necessary for students to be able to access this information. There are many cognitive barriers to mastering tree-thinking skills, and for some students, such as students who are blind or low-vision, there are physical barriers. We used a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach to increase the accessibility of the Great Clade Race, an effective activity for teaching tree-thinking skills. Here we provide an example of how applying a UDL approach reduced not only known barriers, but also barriers that were undetected until they were removed, providing benefits to all students.

Universal design for learning in financial education: na accessible board game proprosal

Education consists of the exercise of citizenship, therefore a right for everyone, therefore the school curriculum must be inclusive. This work seeks to present a proposal for an accessible educational product, in the form of a board game, in light of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and that addresses the theme “financial education”. To this end, exploratory research was carried out, with a qualitative approach and bibliographic procedure. At first, the research presents the principles and guidelines of the UDL approach that aims to minimize barriers and expand equality of opportunities in the face of an inclusive school curriculum. Next, the planning of the aforementioned board game is presented, entitled “Game of life: structuring monthly finances”, capable of working on fundamental concepts of financial education and guided by the principles of UDL.

UDL for Inclusive Teaching

This qualitative case study investigates the impact of the universal design for learning (UDL) framework paired with multiple educational technologies on student engagement and sense of inclusion and belonging in the classroom. Research has indicated that a sense of belonging has a direct impact on success among undergraduate students. I saw increased evidence of belonging among students in my class after incorporating choice for my students in all the ways they interact with me, each other, and the course content. This article summarizes the revisions made to the course, the educational technologies used to implement those changes, and qualitative data that supports my hypothesis that a technology-supported UDL approach can have a positive impact on feelings of belonging among college students.

Implementation of Universal Design for Learning in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: ‘I Thought These Principles Could Have Been Written by Me’

UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report (2020) strongly recommends the adoption of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at the government level so that it becomes an integral part of countries’ inclusive education policies. However, UDL has largely been developed in high-income countries with technology as a central theme. The question is whether the purported benefits of the UDL approach can translate into low and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts. This study explores the relevance and fit of UDL to LMIC contexts by use of interviews (either individual or group) with 12 representatives of international agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and UDL experts who have experience in providing inclusive education services in LMICs. Three themes are reported: understanding of UDL, UDL supporting inclusive education, and UDL in teacher-training initiatives and capacity building. The concept of UDL is not new in LMICs, although the name may be. The potential for UDL to support inclusive education in LMICs is recognized. UDL needs to be mainstreamed in teacher training programs, and its implementation should be adapted to respond to the contextual realities of LMICs. The encounter between UDL proponents from high-income countries and education stakeholders in LMICs should be mutually enriching rather than imposing the approach from high-income countries on those in LMICs.

Beyond adaptive practices: physical education for all

Legislation and policy internationally are underpinned by the expectation that educators remove barriers to learning, emphasize inclusion, and improve access for all learners. Extensive investment has provided support to assist teachers to adopt inclusive education approaches. And yet, as evidenced in international literature, the lived experiences of many young people in physical education (PE) classes, and particularly those who are identified, or who self-identify, as in need of special support, indicate that PE is anything but inclusive and equitable, and may in many cases result in learning outcomes counter to what is desired. We contend that, while much of the rhetoric of PE speaks to inclusion, institutional systems, the traditional framing of PE as curriculum policy, ‘classroom’ practice’, professional development offerings, and how research publications and or guidelines present PE leads to diagnostically driven and deficit-focused adaptative PE offerings for students in need of support. Moreover, PE as it is often presented curtails opportunities for equitable outcomes and inclusive approaches, and instead has the potential to reinforce and perpetuate ableist agendas. Accordingly, we argue that the adoption of a Universal Design for Learning approach that aims for ‘education for all’ by designing flexible curriculum that is focused on learner-centred, barrier-free education, is a vital step toward a more equitable, engaging, meaningful, and relevant PE experience. The foundational principles using this approach are that difference is valued, celebrated, and accounted for in all aspects of education. Implementing such a change requires that normative assumptions and practices are challenged by re-evaluating definitions of (physical) educational success and considering how teachers/schools can transcend traditional curriculum programmes to better meet the needs of all learners. We conclude with a call for a transformative shift in PE programming and practices to ensure that every student has the opportunity to reap the benefits of PE.

‘How does universal design for learning help me to learn?’: students with autism spectrum disorder voices in higher education

ABSTRACT The number of students with autism spectrum disorder in university is progressively increasing, which implies great challenges for higher education. Existing literature indicates that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder face many barriers to their participation and learning, some of which are attributed to teaching practices. Thus, this keeps us still on the road towards achieving genuinely inclusive institutions. With the purpose of promoting more inclusive practices according to students’ preferences, this article aims to analyse the learning enablers for students with autism, which are related to inclusive teaching practices based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). A qualitative approach was selected, which allowed to gather the testimonies of seven university students with this disorder through semi-structured interviews conducted at a university in Spain. These students reported several enablers that supported their learning at university. Many of them indicated highlighting key concepts or receiving the information progressively. The majority described feeling more engaged when teachers considered their opinions and valued their efforts, among other facilitators. The study concludes with valuable recommendations, based on students’ testimonies, for teachers to incorporate into their teaching practices. The perspectives of students with ASD have highlighted the significance of their voices. However, there is still a need to develop a shared speech that directly impacts the transformation of practices. The UDL approach could benefit students with ASD and others. Therefore, investigating how to introduce these practices into teacher training programs in higher education should be a priority for future research.

Effects of a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Training Course on the Development Teachers’ Competences: A Systematic Review

The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) training course on the competence development of teachers working in inclusive classrooms. This model provides a useful framework to address this issue, establishing evidence-based guidelines for creating learning environments that meet the needs of all learners. The move towards inclusive education requires teachers to reassess their pedagogical practices by considering the contributions of neuroscience and cognitive psychology to support effective teaching in heterogeneous classrooms. Consequently, teacher training should include, in its curricula, practices and evidence that support teachers to develop skills for working in inclusive contexts. The study aimed to answer the main research question, namely, how effective the UDL approach is in developing teachers’ skills. To answer this question, a systematic review was conducted in different databases allowing the extraction and the analysis of 12 studies. Results were organized around the four dimensions linked to the model of the European Profile of Inclusive Teacher (PIT). Outcomes of the review highlighted three main findings: 1. a UDL training course has significant effects on students’ diversity valuing skills; 2. the effectiveness of the course appears to be independent of its duration, delivery mode, and the type of teachers to whom it is addressed; 3. UDL training fosters the implementation of accessible lesson planning and implementation skills. Still uncertain or unexplored, however, are the effects on teachers’ areas of collaboration and reflective practice.

What next for Universal Design for Learning? A systematic literature review of technology in UDL implementations at second level

AbstractIn the last two decades, there has been a global movement towards pedagogies that create more inclusive school environments in order to meet the needs of diverse learners. One such approach is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which foregrounds the design of flexible and accessible learning experiences for all, regardless of learner characteristics. Technology is a key enabler in this. To date, much of the research on UDL has focused on its impact in higher education, with less evidence available on the use of UDL within second‐level education. This systematic literature review of n = 15 empirical studies selected from a wide‐ranging search that returned an initial result of n = 1253 explores how the affordances of digital technology have been harnessed for UDL enactment at second level. The findings show that, to date, empirical research at second level has focused mostly on the easy wins within the UDL principle of Representation, where educators offer choice about how learners access content. However, there is a clear gap in UDL research on the use of technologies to support the Engagement and Action & Expression principles of UDL, supporting student self‐regulation and self‐assessment, and on technology‐mediated communication and collaboration. The paper highlights the potential for future cross‐pollination of research in educational technology with UDL. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Universal Design for Learning has been extensively researched in higher education and special education contexts but much less so at K‐12, in particular at second level. Technology offers many affordances that can provide choice and variation in the learning process, which can be harnessed in a UDL approach. The transformative potential of technology in educational contexts was not fully realised pre‐COVID. The COVID pandemic saw an acceleration in technology adoption for learning, but it remains to be seen whether technology is being deployed to complement or transform existing practices. What this paper adds This paper clearly identifies which affordances of technology are commonly deployed in UDL implementations, particularly noting the provision of choice through multi‐media options for Representation and expression. There is a clear gap in UDL research on the use of technologies to support self‐regulation and self‐assessment, (eg, peer, teacher and automated feedback tools) and on technology‐mediated communication and collaboration. The UDL literature does not address the potential negative impacts of technology within the learning context or the short‐lived nature of positive impacts (novelty effect). Implications for practice and/or policy While technology affords great opportunities for choice and Engagement, the design of the learning experience must take priority, availing of technology as needed. There are great opportunities for cross‐pollination of research at the forefront of educational technology and universal design to address any gaps in technology use in UDL implementations.

Personality and universal design for learning in management education

Purpose This paper aims to improve the understanding of student readiness for universal design for learning (UDL), thereby reducing a barrier to its adoption by management faculty. It explores how students’ personality (conscientiousness and openness to experience) affects their readiness to embrace UDL and investigate how that relationship is mediated by self-directed learning (SDL). Design/methodology/approach Analysis uses survey data from students in management courses. From these data are created multi-item constructs and control variables. A mediated regression model that uses bootstrapping to estimate parameters and standard errors generates the results. Findings The findings were that SDL is strongly related to student readiness for UDL and that SDL fully mediates the relationship between conscientiousness and UDL. Openness to experience, however, directly relates to UDL without any mediation. Research limitations/implications This research applies only to one institution and two management courses. The methodology used in this study is limited to one part of the UDL model, which is a measure of student readiness to engage in choice. Future research can extend this model to other courses and institutions and other parts of the UDL model. Practical implications These findings provide insight into the student characteristics that enable them to gain empowerment and motivation from the UDL approach. Implementation of UDL in management education may require learning management strategies that accommodate student readiness for UDL. This study makes progress in identifying student characteristics that explain this readiness. Social implications UDL can improve management education by making it more accessible to students with different personalities and learning styles. Originality/value This study developed a method for analyzing the applicability of UDL in management education. It also devised and implemented a new survey measure for student readiness for UDL.

Opening the Pathway: An Example of Universal Design for Learning as a Guide to Inclusive Teaching Practices.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a flexible framework for supporting a wide variety of learners. We report here on a conference that presented the UDL framework as a way to increase success of deaf and hard-of-hearing (deaf/hh) students in introductory biology courses. The Opening the Pathway conference was an NSF Advanced Technological Education project focusing on raising awareness about careers in biotechnology and student success in introductory biology, a key gateway course for careers in biotechnology. The participants were professionals who work with deaf/hh students at pivotal points in students’ educational pathways for raising awareness of biotechnology career options, including community college faculty, high school faculty at schools for the deaf, and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. The conference goal was to provide an effective, meaningful professional development experience in biology instruction. The conference explicitly addressed the role of a UDL approach in building accessible, inclusive, productive learning environments, particularly for deaf/hh students, and demonstrated how to make effective pedagogical practices, specifically case-based learning, inclusive and UDL-aligned in an introductory biology context. We describe the conference, conference outcomes for participants, and in particular the application of the UDL framework to create an inclusive experience.

Universal Design for Learning and Inclusive Teaching: Future Perspectives

This contribution aims to reflect on the didactic and methodological changes brought about by Distance Learning, with particular regard to the concept of Inclusive Teaching. During the last year, in fact, the epidemiological emergency dictated by Covid-19 has led to the emergence of new needs, imposing a redesign of tools and resources in use. All this has had a strong impact on students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), who, in addition to having fewer digital skills than their European peers, were suddenly forced to follow lessons at home without the physical support of the teacher. It was necessary, in fact, to think and re-think about the design of inclusive educational interventions. From a methodological and conceptual point of view, Inclusive Teaching is linked to the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an inclusive psycho-pedagogical approach that aims to break down the barriers that exist in learning processes. During the pandemic period, one of the major challenges that scholars have begun to consider is applying the UDL approach, generally used in in-person classes, lectures and online courses.

‘So, you want me to read for my degree?’: a Universal Design for Learning approach to reading

It seems logical to those of us working in higher education that students need to read for their degrees. Yet both research and practical experience indicates this is not so obvious to students themselves. Even when students do understand the importance of reading, they may experience challenges in engaging with it, whether through physical or learning disabilities, or ‘time poverty’ (working long hours, commuting or care responsibilities). This article outlines a collaborative research project undertaken between Library Services and the School of Education at the University of Worcester aiming to address these issues. It utilized a Universal Design for Learning approach to enable all students to access reading materials in a variety of formats using accessibility tools. Our results explore how both students and staff have engaged with these tools and the impact on their learning and teaching experiences.

Engagement SPIRALS in Elementary Students: A School-Based Self-Regulated Learning Approach

SPIRALS program was designed in accordance with the inclusive Universal Design for Learning approach and the social cognitive model of self-regulated learning. This project aims to promote cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement among elementary students, and especially those at high risk of dropping out (such as Roma students). To test the efficacy of the program, an intervention study was performed for four months within a truly inclusive learning environment, involving the whole classes. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with a control group (n = 63) and an experimental group (n = 57) was used. The dependent variables were student engagement (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral), academic self-concept, perceived climate of support, reading comprehension, and academic performance. Students in the experimental group exhibited statistically significant improvements compared to the control group in six of the seven dependent variables analyzed (behavioral and emotional engagement, academic self-concept, perceived climate of support, reading comprehension, and academic performance). Further, the magnitude of differences tended to be larger in student engagement, perceived climate of support, and reading comprehension than in academic self-concept or academic performance. These results provide evidence supporting the usefulness of intervention programs aimed at promoting student engagement, specifically among students at higher risk of failure or dropout.

Accessibility Best Practices, Procedures, and Policies in Northwest United States Academic Libraries

Academic libraries are responsible for providing accessible copies of collection materials to individuals facing a variety of accessibility needs. Accessibility needs differ from user to user, often making each request an individualized service. However, do academic libraries have a responsibility to embrace a Universal Design for Learning approach to their acquisitions process? Do academic library workers need to establish policies as part of the procurement process? This research surveyed academic libraries at institutions similar to Boise State University in size, graduate program offerings, and within the same region to help answer the questions: how academic libraries in the Northwest United States establish practices, policies, procedures, and workflows to meet these needs, and: how do academic libraries currently meet these needs when providing streaming media services, and other collection materials, to users with accessibility needs?

Examining a Universal Design for Learning Approach in Music Education

typical classroom in Ontario is filled with a variety of learners with diverse needs. These various needs require teachers to differentiate instruction or create a universal design for learning (UDL) so that all students can participate. As a result, research is needed to explore and describe successful programs that can support all learners. One way to do this is to develop pedagogical practices for atypical learners and examine how these could be broadened for more typical learners. This research examines a series of general music lessons, including singing, playing percussion instruments and musical games, for atypical twelve-year-old learners. An Action Research methodology was used to examine six weeks of lessons taught to three students by the primary researcher. Data were collected using reflective journals, portfolios and videos of the sessions. Thematic analysis was conducted to examine similarities and differences in learner profiles, trends in the content of the lessons and pedagogical development over time, as well as to define some strategies or activities that could form the basis of a UDL approach. Despite the students’ atypical learning profiles, only minor accommodations were required during lessons. Overall, this research demonstrates the value of a pedagogical approach that articulates learning goals while allowing the path to achieving those goals to be different for each student, reinforcing the importance of the UDL approach. Moreover, the action research methodology highlights the importance of incorporating opportunities to work with atypical students in music teacher education, so that future teachers can develop a UDL approach.

Assistive learning technologies for learners with ADHD and ASD

This literature review was a part of a research project investigating how technologies can be utilised to support learners with developmental and attention deficit to be included in mainstream learning contexts. The review contains research within the field of assistive learning technologies for learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder from 2006 to 2016. The review is conducted, by using systematic and qualitative academically acknowledged literature search methods. Seven categories of technology-based interventions are recognised from current research, where technologies have been used to support: 1) memory disabilities and/or brain training, 2) increasing focusing attention, 3) time and task management, 4) communication, 5) reading, writing, language and literacy skills, 6) changing behaviour and 7) group work and collaboration. The results indicate that the overall findings of the rendered studies present mixed conclusions. The review calls for more research in a mainstream learning context with a universal design for learning approach.

Universal Design for Learning in the University Classroom

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is based on the architecture and industrial design paradigm, universal design. The UDL framework provides guidelines for teachers when they create, instruct, and assess the delivery of content. Based on three underlying principles: multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement, UDL targets the needs of every learner in the classroom. Although much has been written about UDL in the K-12 classroom, the principles apply equally to higher education. Most faculty are well versed in the delivery of content through a traditional lecture format, yet few consider applying UDL principles. It is not enough that an instructor provide knowledge. He or she must also ensure that critical content is accessible to all students entering the university classroom. Faculty members recognized for their excellence in teaching include teaching strategies that are aligned to UDL principles. These strategies include creation of positive learning environments, use of humor, active engagement vs passive engagement, and explicit structure. The primary purpose of the article is threefold: to discuss the importance of using a UDL approach in higher education, to help faculty begin using a UDL approach through professional development, and sharing strategies for students in the higher education classroom. Recommendations are made for providing professional development to faculty to increase their use of universal design for learning principles with questions for consideration. Additional recommendations are made for teaching students through the UDL lens. By using a UDL framework, all students have access to curriculum in ways meaningful to each individual.

Influence of ethnicity, gender, and immigration status on millennials’ behavior related to seeking health information

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the behavior diversities that exist among young millennials’ subgroups in ways they seek health-related information.Design/methodology/approachThe authors ran several sets of analyses on the 2012–2014 US Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Data using Stata. The population was stratified into four specific subgroups based on their gender, ethnicity—blacks, Hispanics and whites—immigration status, college status—whether they were enrolled in a program of study at the time of the survey. The outcome variables were sources of health information including print (books/magazines/brochures), traditional media (Radio/TV), internet, family/friends/co-workers and health professionals. The independent variables were gender, ethnicity, educational status and immigration status. The authors utilized the appropriate sample weight derived by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development so the findings can be generalized to the populations. The analysis included several descriptive statistics and χ2 test of independence.FindingsDespite similarities, young adults’ health seeking behavior is complex influenced by gender, ethnicity, immigration status and education. The results indicated that while the internet is the primary source of health-related information for all young adults, there are subtle differences in utilizing other available resources. For example while more educated young adults seek help from their family members, the less educated peers use the media to obtain health-related information. Ethnicity has also an effect on young adults’ information seeking behavior. The number of Hispanics and blacks that obtain their information from traditional media is significantly higher than their white counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has several limitations. First, the authors did not consider the effect of young adults’ digital literacy skills, problem solving skills and numeracy skills on their health seeking approach. Including these cognitive skills could reveal key information about young adults approach to information seeking that is not apparent by race, ethnicity and gender only. Another limitation of this study is the lack of the ability to claim causation, PIAAC data are designed strictly for cross-sectional analysis.Practical implicationsAlthough, behaviors often do not change simply by presenting information, trying to change behavior without improving individuals’ understanding of the issue by providing accurate information is likely to fail. Providing standardized health-related information sources that are accessible to all is vitally important. The results indicate that while the majority of young adults use the internet as their primary source of information only a few percentage of young adults seek information from health professional. Consequently, there is a need for an easily accessible and standardized online health-related source of information.Social implicationsHealthcare facilities and health related industries have the resources and the ability to develop a reliable infrastructure that could potentially provide reliable information that is easy to understand and navigate for adults with a variety of literacy and skills to use. Perhaps adopting the Universal Design for Learning approach and providing information that is accessible to a variety of individuals regardless of their education, learning skills and language skills. Flexible learning resources provided within a standard infrastructure accessible to all can help individuals find trustworthy and consistent information that they can trust.Originality/valueDespite the unique characteristics of the millennials and the profound change in the way young adults seek information, there is a paucity of research on the ways young adults seek health-related information. Most existing literature is based on locally developed surveys and convenient sampling with limited reliability and validity information. Consequently making a sweeping statement based on their findings is considered as hasty generalization. The PIAAC, on the other hand, is a nationally representative data, extensively examined for its validity and reliability.

Reimagining Disability and Inclusive Education Through Universal Design for Learning

In 1975, Congress enacted a law eventually known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures that children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate, public education. Since then, scholarly and popular debates about the effectiveness of inclusive education have proliferated and typically focus on the ability or inability of students with disabilities to succeed in so-called regular classrooms. These debates reflect widespread assumptions that the regular classroom is rightly the province of nondisabled students and a neutral, value-free space that students with disabilities invade and disrupt via their very presence and their costly needs for adaptation. But as many scholars in the field of Disability Studies in Education (DSE) have argued, these discussions often fail to recognize that the space of the regular classroom, far from neutral, is constructed for a nondisabled, neurotypical, white, male, middle-class "norm" that neither reflects nor accommodates the wide range of diverse learners within it, regardless of whether these learners have been diagnosed with a disability. A DSE perspective sees the educational environment, not students with disabilities, as the "problem" and calls for a Universal Design for Learning approach to education, or the design of instructional materials and activities that allows the learning goals to be achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities and backgrounds. Agreeing with this DSE perspective, this article uses an autoethnographic approach to reexamine inclusive education and to consider how university classrooms, pedagogy, and curricular materials can be improved in order to accommodate all students, not just those with disabilities. Ultimately, the article argues that Universal Design for Learning has the potential to radically transform the meaning of inclusive education and the very concept of disability.

Using the Universal Design for Learning Approach in Science Laboratories To Minimize Student Stress

This commentary discusses how the principles of universal design for learning (UDL) can be applied in the science laboratory with an emphasis on assisting students who experience stress in the laboratory environment. The UDL approach in the laboratory is based on three elements: open-mindedness, supportive communication, and analysis and adaptation of laboratory curriculum. “Supportive communication”, a novel element of our approach comprising interaction methods adapted from counseling therapy, is introduced. A brief discussion of a workshop for chemistry faculty and graduate students on the UDL approach is presented.