Abstract: Universal design for learning (UDL) is a pedagogical framework intended to promote accessibility and equity in learning environments, especially for students with disabilities. In UDL, instructors provide optionality and flexibility in the learning environment for representation, engagement, and expression, rather than expecting the learner to conform to a fixed structure of teaching and assessment. Examples of implementation of UDL are limited in engineering and in higher education. We assessed implementation of UDL-inspired course attributes in a graduate-level environmental engineering course by: (i) Quantifying student utilization of optional course attributes; (ii) Surveying student experiences with UDL-inspired course attributes; and (iii) Gauging overall student experience with inclusion, belonging, and accessibility. Student experiences and utilization of course attributes were assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester surveys, interviews, and by tracking assignment submissions, and then analyzed using mixed methods data analysis. Students found the course to be inclusive and found UDL-inspired course attributes highly beneficial, regardless of disability status. Students differentially utilized the presented options for learning. For instructors seeking to increase the accessibility of their courses, the most widely beneficial course attributes introduced here were the stretch break, open-resource exams, optional assignments to reduce the weight of exams (e.g., study guide, redoing missed exam questions), and posted notes and summary slides. This manuscript includes concrete examples of successful implementation of UDL principles in a higher education engineering course. The outcomes and course attributes described here can be more widely adapted to other disciplines and education levels.
DOI: 10.18260/3-1-1153-36074
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