Faculty Collaboration to Improve Equity, Access, and Inclusion in Higher Education

Abstract

This article documents the Critical Friends Group (CFG) process five university colleagues used to blend the theoretical frameworks of Universal Design for Learning (Rose & Meyer, 2002) and Interactive Phase Theory (McIntosh, 1990) as tools to increase equity and access in our classrooms. Using the CFG reflective approach, the faculty collaboratively reviewed their syllabi and implemented innovations in their classroom practice. This article presents a theory of action that emerged as well as nine tensions related to teaching and participation in a learning community. Implications for equity and access in higher education and future inquiry are presented.

Notes

This project was funded, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Postsecondary Education, Grant #P33A99035 to the Institute on Disability/UCE, University of New Hampshire; Institute for Community Inclusion/UCE, University of Massachusetts—Boston; The Center for Applied Specialized Technology; and a Faculty Development Grant, from the College of Education and Human Development, University of Southern Maine.

1. AACU and AAHE have both created web-based resources detailing their diversity initiatives that are available at the two web sites, respectively http://www.aacu-edu.org/inclusive_excellence/index.cfm and http://www.diversityweb.org/