An analysis of Universal Design for Learning at collegial level: effective ways to maximise learning outcomes, inclusion, and equity

ABSTRACT

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is considered to provide equitable opportunities for all learners with or without disabilities. This study aimed to examine the extent to which UDL was implemented in ESL classrooms at the university level. A mixed-method approach was conducted to explore the effective ways to maximise learning outcomes, inclusion, and equity regarding UDL principles; both students’ and teachers’ voices were addressed. Online questionnaires for students and semi-structured interviews for teachers were used to probe the UDL application in the classrooms. The findings revealed that teachers employed UDL principles in their classrooms to varying degrees. They also explored various strategies to enhance levels of engagement, representation, action, and expression. However, they experienced different tensions during the process. The study concluded with implications for researchers, teachers, and policymakers in developing a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

KEYWORDS:

• UDL
• engagement
• representation
• expression & actions
• inclusion
• equity

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Herat University, Afghanistan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Strongly Disagree 1 Disagree 2 Neutral 3 Agree 4 Strongly Agree 5

Engagement

I am provided with choices for how I will learn new knowledge and skills.

My teachers really know my interests, my life outside of school, and how I learn best.

I feel safe and accepted in the classroom for who I am.

I understand why everything I am learning is important in the classroom.

My teachers designed the courses in a way that I always have the support I need to challenge myself.

I love being a part of this classroom because the community feels like a family.

My teachers promoted a variety of group works in the classroom.

I receive helpful feedback and tips from my teacher to help me reach my goals.

My teachers are great at helping me to believe in myself as a learner who can meet high expectations.

When I am having a difficult time in class, I know what strategies and resources to use to get back on track.

I am provided with opportunities to reflect on my learning and think about what I need to work on to be a better learner.

Representation

My teachers provide several ways to personalise the presentation of information.

My teachers provide alternatives for understanding auditory information.

My teachers provide alternatives for visual information.

My teachers clarify complex vocabulary when teaching in the classroom.

My teachers start each lecture with an outline of what will be taught in the classroom.

My teachers review key points throughout the lecture.

My teachers provide support to understand the texts and concepts.

My teachers use a variety of ways to increase my understanding across languages.

My teachers explain the lessons using different media (e.g., lecture, text, graphics, audio, video).

My teachers activate background knowledge during the lessons.

My teachers show relationships between ideas and their critical characteristics.

The courses supplements teachers’ lectures and readings with visual aids such as charts, diagrams …).

My teachers help me transfer what I learned to my life.

Action and Expression

The courses use technology to support communication among students and teachers.

I am allowed to use tools and technology to help me learn and show what I have learned.

I am provided with choices in how I show what I have learned.

I am allowed to express my comprehension of material in different ways (e.g., tests, exams, written essays, projects, and portfolios).

My teachers create fluencies for practice and performance with graduated levels of support.

I learned how to set appropriate learning goals.

I am learning how to keep organised and create action plans for completing my work.

Interview

Demographic questions:

1. What is your name? Pseudonym?

2. How long have you been teaching?

Engagement

1. What do you know about Universal Design for learning?

2. How do you engage your ESL students in learning new knowledge and skills? Do you provide your students with choices? Why?

3. Do you know your students’ interests, their lives outside of school, and learning preferences? How do you collect this information? How do you incorporate these data while instructing?

4. How do you make the learning environment suitable for learning and foster community building in your ESL classrooms?

5. Do you explain the significance of the concepts and skills your students will learn? Why? What kept you from not showing the significance?

6. How do you create an appropriate level of challenge for students to engage? What prevent you from doing it?

7. How do you incorporate cooperative learning to engage your students?

8. How do you support your students when they have difficulty with learning the concepts?

Representation

1. What do you do to personalise the presentation of information in the classroom?

2. What alternative do you provide for your students to understand auditory and visual information in the classroom?

3. What strategies do you apply to increase your students’ understanding when lecturing?

4. What media do you use when instructing? Why and what challenges do you face?

5. How do you include your students’ background information when instructing?

6. How do you help your students to transfer what they learn in the classroom to their real lives? What are the challenges that prevented you from supporting students in this case?

Action and Expression

1. What do you do to support communication among students and teachers?

2. What technologies and tools do you use to help your student learn and show what they learned? What prevented you from doing it?

3. Do you provide your students with choices to select how to show what they learned? What kept you from not giving students choices to express their understanding?

4. Do you teach your students to set appropriate learning goals prior to the programme? How? Why not?

5. Do you teach your students to keep organised and create action plans for completing their projects? How? Why not?

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Tahera Yaqoubi

Tahera Yaqoubi is an ESP instructor at Herat University. She holds BA in English Literature and has participated in several professional development programs. Her research interests are the issues related to digital equity and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Zahra Mohammadi

Zahra Mohammadi is an ESP instructor at Herat University. She obtained her BA degree in English Literature. She is interested in conducting research about gender, social justice, equity, and UDL.

Jawad Golzar

Jawad Golzar is a faculty member at the English Department, Herat University, Afghanistan. He holds a master’s degree in TESOL, and he has obtained it through Fulbright Scholarship from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA. He has participated in numerous academic, personal and professional development programs within the past few years. His research interests include teacher identity, educational technology, teaching methods and issues related to giving voices to others.