Like Fire to Water - Building Bridging Collaborations between Disability Service Providers and Course Instructors to Create User Friendly and Resource Efficient UDL Implementation Material

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by awa

Study examining a post-secondary campus experience with systematic promotion of Universal Design for Learning, using data gathered over 24 months and instructor responses to the framework. The work tests an initial hypothesis that adoption successes and failures can be explained by facilitator and stressor variables. Results indicate that mapping “winning conditions” enables rapid UDL uptake by course instructors, while full identification of key factors requires collaboration beyond disability services, including teaching and learning support and equity and diversity offices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

What is UDL?

Like Fire to Water: Building Bridging Collaborations between Disability Service Providers and Course Instructors to Create User Friendly and Resource Efficient UDL Implementation Material Frederic Fovet, Tynan Jarrett, Heather Mole & David Syncox, McGill University Abstract This study presents a post-secondary campus` experience with systematic and global promotion of Universal Design for Learning. It analyzes data collected over a 24 months period, relating to course instructors’ responses to the framework, through the lens of the initial hypothesis that successes and failures in adoption might be explained by the existence of variables that act asfacilitators or stressors in the eyes of the participants. It is argued that identifying these variables allows campuses to map winning conditions for the rapid adoption of UDL by course instructors, irrespective of institutional context and resources. Importantly the study highlights that the full identification of these factors requires the involvement and collaboration of not simply the disability service provider, but also the Teaching and Learning support unit and the equity and diversity office. The study argues that such a collaboration model is transferable to other institutions. Key Words Universal Design – diverse learners – inclusion – Higher Education – instructors-Disability – Equity-diversity Introduction Confronted with the changing and varied nature of disability in Higher Education, campuses are becoming increasingly sensitive to the social model (Swain, French, Barnes & Thomas, 2004) . Many disability service providers are moving away from the ‘accommodations’ approach, to focus instead on introducing sustainable changes to the learning environment itself. Universal Design is therefore now the model of choice and seeks the implementation of winning conditions in the classroom, by widening access and eliminating the need for retrofitting (Burgstahler, 2008) . While conceptually this paradigm shift appears logical and seamless (McGuire & Scott, 2002), in reality the transformation of service provision has created tension: it requires a willingness on the part of course instructors to examine their own practices; it is forcing disability service providers to redeploy staff who originally focused solely on student assistance so that they may assist faculty; it also forces new and innovative collaborations and requires the establishment of dialogue and openness between these sometimes uneasy partners; last and not least, the paradigm forces a reexamination of the notion of access, a domain that is no longer the sole preoccupation of disability service providers, but incorporates parallel concerns of equity and diversity in Higher Ed learning (Gradel & Edson, 2010; Howard, 2004) . This paper analyzes a campus` experience and data collection opportunities as it journeyed through this transition over a two year period. It highlights how UDL implementation requires an increased degree of collaboration with teaching staff and how this complex support itself must integrate input from disability service providers, equity and diversity services and teaching and learning support equally. What is UDL? The literature on UD in higher education is abundant and far ranging (Rose, Harbour, Johnston, Daley & Abarbanell, 2006; Gradel & Edson, 2010) . The aim of the study was not necessarily to scrutinize the adoption of each detailed item of the universal design framework, but rather to identify variables which seemed to facilitate or hinder the implementation process with instructors. The research partners did not therefore, for this project, adopt a rigid or narrow definition of the theoretical model or reading of the literature; the intention was to identify the spirit of the proposed framework and examine the facilitators and stressors apparent in teacher feedback. A key notion to retain concerning UDL is the idea that environments and practices can equally e

FAQs

What problem does the study focus on regarding UDL adoption?

It focuses on how course instructors adopt UDL and what variables may act as facilitators or stressors in the adoption process.

What timeframe and type of data does the study use?

The study analyzes campus experience and data collected over a 24-month period, relating instructor responses to the UDL framework.

Which units must collaborate to fully identify the factors for rapid UDL adoption?

The study argues that disability service providers alone are insufficient; collaboration is also required from the teaching and learning support unit and the equity and diversity office.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by awa