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Faculty Perspectives on UDL: Exploring Bridges and Barriers for Broader Adoption in Higher Education

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Hills, Melissa, Overend, Alissa, Hildebrandt, Shawn·2022·The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
DOI 10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.13588
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Abstract

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies aim to reduce learning barriers in the classroom for all students and remove the need for students with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf. Leadership in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning has a role to play in advancing inclusive learning cultures in higher education. At the frontline of higher education delivery, faculty are best positioned to implement UDL practices. Initiatives to encourage broader implementation of UDL require an understanding of the barriers and opportunities in higher education. Published studies that investigate faculty understanding and implementation of UDL have been almost exclusively conducted in US institutions. Our study enriches the existing literature through a mixed methods approach with interviews and a faculty survey in a Canadian context. Themes revealed in our interviews were reinforced by survey findings. Many of the issues raised by faculty, including time and resource constraints, a lack of institutional support, and a lack of understanding are consistent with previous research done in the US, highlighting the systemic challenges for UDL implementation in higher education. To conclude, we explore the limits of a strictly bottom-up approach and contend, in line with recent studies, that top-down initiatives are also vital to encouraging broader implementation of UDL practices.

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Authors
Hills, M., Overend, A., & Hildebrandt, S.
Affiliations
MacEwan University (CA)
ORCID
Hills, Melissa
Venue
The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Publisher
University of Western Ontario, Western Libraries
Published
2022-02-15
Volume
13
Issue
1
ISSN
1918-2902 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.13588
OpenAlex
W4220735661
Cited by
55
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 2
FWCI
11.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
  • Social Sciences › Education › Innovative Teaching Methods
Keywords
Universal Design for Learning, faculty perspectives, inclusive pedagogy, institutional support, time and resource constraints, top-down and bottom-up approaches, higher education

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