Examining Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education
*** NOTE: I am on the portfolio track, therefore, this is more of a rationale as to why I
am conducting a lit review on UDL. The section headings were revised to provide better
alignment to my literature review.
Overview/Purpose

With an increase in students with a disability attending postsecondary institutions,
changes in disability legislation, and the goal of universal access to postsecondary
students with disabilities, researchers in higher education are exploring the principles of
more inclusive pedagogies (McGuire and Scott, 2006).

Data from Ontario universities and colleges suggest that approximately five percent of
university students and eleven per cent of college students are registered with a Disabilities
Services Office (McCloy & DeClou, 2013).

This increase is reflected in the number of students registering with disability offices on
campuses, with university registrations increasing by 69 per cent between 2003-2004 and
2010-2011, and by 63 per cent in colleges over the same time period, for an overall increase
of 66 per cent (McCloy & DeClou, 2013).

With the rate of students attending postsecondary on a steady incline, the sustainability of
the current accommodation model used at many post-secondary institutions is
questionable. (Fuller, 2004).

For example, keeping up with the specific needs of students registered at a Disabilities
Service Centre (DSC) can result in a new set of challenges, such as the quality of the
service when a system is overburdened.

As well, the cost of resources for retrofitting courses to meet individual student needs on
a semester basis is not only a financial burden but very time consuming for both student
and instructor (Fovet, 2013; Lightfoot& Gibson, P. 2000).

Changes in disability Legislation have resulted in a move towards a barrier free and
inclusive learning environment.

Legislation such as the American Disabilities Act require not only physical spaces to be
accessible, but that courses, curricula, and academic programs be accessible as well for
students with all types of documented disabilities (Higbee, 2011)

The equivalent in Ontario is the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

The ODA is to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing
accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities by
2025 (AODA, 2005).

For example, postsecondary institutions are mandated to provide accessible formats of all
teaching and learning materials upon request (AODA, 2005j, s 17).

In addition , “obligated organizations that are school boards or educational or training
institutions shall provide educators with accessibility awareness training related to
accessible program or course delivery” (AODA, 2005, s 16).

Well-developed inclusive practices, which give equivalent attention to students with
disabilities, provide a platform for all students to have an equal opportunity to learn
(Fovet and Mole, 2013).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that is gaining momentum in postsecondary institutions (Rose, 2010).

“A UDL curriculum takes on the burden of adaptation so that the student doesn’t have
to, minimizing barriers and maximizing access to both information and learning” (Hall et
al., 2003, p. 7).

A universally designed curriculum is designed from the outset to meet the needs of the
greatest number of users, making costly, time-consuming, and after-the-fact changes to
curriculum unnecessary (Rose & Meyer, 2002).

The purpose of this literature review was to examine some of the existing research as it
pertains to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education. A review of
twenty articles revealed four themes which are the focus of this literature review: the
UDL framework, faculty and student perceptions regarding UDL as a learning
framework, and the integration of technology to implement UDL.
1.1 Technology (to be added to my lit review)

The variety modalities for information available on the internet provides ample choice for
students to construct their learning in a way that is accessible to them (Higbee, 2011).

For example, unlike the printed word with its fixed size, color and spacing, digital media
can be converted from text to audio and translated from one language to another.

The availability of information technology provides tools to support instructional
approaches previously not feasible at colleges (Higbee, 2011; Scott, McGuire, & Shaw,
2003).

Videos, podcasts, interactive websites, gamification, and social media are only a few
examples of how course content can be represented in multiple ways for a diverse student
population (Edyburn, 2011).

Edyburn (2011) reminds us that “one of the key tools for implementing a UDL
philosophy involves recognizing the value of digital media.”
Method
A detailed search of the literature was conducted analyzing recent literature examining
Universal Design for Learning in higher education settings. The search for empirical articles
focusing on Universal Design for Learning in higher education was conducted in three stages.
First, electronic databases (such as EBSCO, ERIC, Academic search Premier, Google Scholar
and the UOIT library) were searched for peer-reviewed papers. The terms “Universal Design for
Learning (UDL),” and “Inclusion” in combination with “higher education,” “post-secondary
education,” “college,” and “university” were used to locate articles.
The second stage involved examination of the reference lists of the articles located in the
electronic databases. Third, tables of contents of refereed open-access electronic journals that
were specifically concerned with UDL, disability and higher education were scrutinized for
additional works. Journals such as Learning Disability Quarterly, Journal of Higher Education
and Disabilities (JPED) and the Canadian Journal of Disabilities Studies resulted in further
attainment of refereed articles related to UDL and higher education. Since the focus of this
literature review was on higher education, any articles on elementary and secondary schools
were discarded.
The search revealed twenty articles that were further broken down into primary and
secondary resources based on two criteria: empirical research studies or information articles.
Ten primary articles formed the bases for this paper that on the following topics: the UDL
framework, faculty and student perceptions regarding UDL, and the integration of technology to
implement UDL.
Gaps in Current Research (incomplete)

Limited research regarding the impact of the UDL approach and strategies on student learning
outcomes (Izzo et al., 2008).

Limited research on faculty attitudes towards UDL

Limited research on types of technologies that support UDL

Limited research on the types of professional development that faculty preferred when
learning about UDL.
References to follow