Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a well established concept, but implementation remains at the edges of teaching. A large body of literature researching how to do it is useful but many education systems still treat it as “special” learning especially in schools. But there is some movement on UDL at The University of Sydney.
UDL follows the same concept of universal design found in other disciplines. It is about creating inclusive learning environments, tools, and activities. And in the same way that universal design benefits everyone, UDL does the same.
There seems to be a little more progress for UDL in higher education where students are adults rather than children. The right to an education becomes more evident at this level and UDL is a good way to create inclusive leaning for everyone. But it does require a change in mindset.
ADCET is a good resource
The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) is a good resource for the tertiary education sector. Their one hour webinar on implementing UDL at The University of Sydney tells an interesting story.
Presenter, Sarah Humphreys, introduces the significance of UDL and how she established a pilot project in 2021 at the University of Sydney. The pilot, “Designing for Diversity” focused on one academic and one unit of study. Part of the process was developing relationships with stakeholders to find a common language to support a shift in mindset.
Sarah Humphries provides examples of the evaluation processes to illustrate how the iterative process worked and generated resources. The UDL is still in its early phase because the focus is not to prescribe or standardise how UDL is used. It is more about a cultural change over time.
The title of the ADCET webinar is, Implementing Universal Design for Learning at the University of Sydney – Lessons Learned and Scaling Strategies. It is available on the ADCET website or on YouTube below.
Student coping strategies
Most literature analyses the difficulties students with disability face, but not how they cope. A systematic review of student coping strategies highlights what students and their families already know at a personal level. Nevertheless, it is good to have it documented with a call to co-design supportive strategies for coping.
The following abstract and conclusions are from Coping strategies used by university students with disability: a systematic review.
From the abstract
We need more knowledge about the coping strategies that students find helpful, and how universities can promote and support their use. This systematic review analyses 17 studies that included a total of 674 students with disability as participants and analysed their coping strategies.
The results of the analysis identified different types of coping strategies participants used to successfully complete their studies. We make recommendations for higher education institutions to improve the academic experience of students with disability through the promotion and support of these strategies.
The results highlight the reality of the hardships experienced by university students when having to make certain efforts due to their disability. Institutions need to offer
greater support to facilitate their university experience.
From the conclusions
The findings underscore the importance of effective time management, the use of assistive technologies, and the reliance on social support networks. These include family, friends, and university student services. The importance of university support in this area cannot be understated. This is particularly pertinent with the increased number of students with disability enrolled in university, and their outcomes, when compared to those of their non-disabled peers.
Despite the progress in supporting students with disability, significant challenges remain. Higher education institutions need to adopt a more inclusive approach to better accommodate the diverse needs of students. Also, training programs for both students and faculty and support services staff are required. Fostering social inclusion are crucial steps to creating a more supportive learning environment.
Providing students with disability a voice to co-design coping strategies with institution staff is a good way to support their success. Support must be designed in a more holistic way.