Universal Design for Learning: an holistic approach to teaching

Occupational therapist Dr Danielle Hitch incorporates the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into her senior lecturing role at Deakin University, and sees it as a natural extension of her clinical work with people with diverse needs.

By using multiple means of engagement to cater to different learning needs, and teaching these skills to her university students, Danielle employs UDL techniques on a daily basis.

“A decade working in clinical occupational therapy, mainly in the mental health field, has provided a great foundation for teaching at Deakin and using the principles of UDL framework,” said Danielle. “Every person is different, and requires a holistic approach to finding ways to support their individual needs.”

Danielle joined Deakin University almost nine years ago and is also a Research Fellow working with North West Mental Health. “Whether we are learning or teaching, everyone can benefit from universal design for learning, which makes opportunities accessible for all. Resources such as the Inclusive Curriculum and Capacity Building project’s Inclusive Teaching Toolkit allows staff to engage with the topics they are interested in through an easily accessible and convenient website. Every little step each of us make goes a long way towards making teaching and learning an empowering experience for everyone.”

Danielle has employed the UDL framework in the occupational therapy course, having recently rewritten a unit to enable more inclusive ways of teaching. This involved a range of material such as written text, videos and quizzes to vary the ways students could learn. “The content was similar but presented in different ways, which meant students could engage with them in ways that best suited their approach, and then move on to the next challenge.” Making information accessible was Danielle’s priority, so she embedded links throughout for ease of navigation. “I want students to be engaged with the learning material rather than how to find it.”

Danielle promotes the view that universal learning is about “what’s good for all, not just people from minority groups. Rather than thinking we need to include those with differences, the point is that we are all individuals and we are all in this together as a team. By making the learning experience as accessible as possible for everyone, we can find common ground and make opportunities for mutual and collaborative learning.”

A good curriculum is a good curriculum, according to Danielle, and UDL provides a rigorous framework to enable courses to be inclusively designed. This means allowing students should be able to engage with teaching content and opportunities regardless of their prior learning experience, cultural background, personal abilities or circumstances. “I think my course is characterised by a high proportion of mature age students, with life or other experiences that have emphasised for them that one size does not necessarily fit all.”

UDL and the Inclusive Teaching Toolkit are practical resources that build on what most academic and administrative staff already know to some degree, says Danielle. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and feedback from seminars and workshops I have run in this area show staff to be very enthusiastic about it. The main issue is time, or lack of time, but if you try to implement just one new tip, that’s how it can start to make a difference. One step at a time.”