Handbook of Universal Design for Learning: Research and Practice (Elgar Handbooks in Education)

This vital Handbook explores Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a flexible framework that helps educators design learning environments that address the diverse needs of all students. James Basham and K. Alisa Lowrey bring together global experts in sociology, neuroscience, education and design to assess how UDL can transform education.

Contributing authors explore how UDL’s principles of engagement, representation and expression can be applied across educational contexts from K-12 through to teacher training. They illustrate the ways in which UDL can reduce systemic barriers and encourage designing for learner differences from the start of one’s educational journey, rather than retrofitting lessons after challenges arise. This Handbook addresses pressing issues in the field, including the need for stronger research evidence and implementation, drawing from cutting-edge research in neuroscience, education, and design fields. Focussing on technological innovations such as AI, VR and digital tools, chapters examine practical case studies to emphasize UDL’s potential to promote equity and accessibility.

The Handbook of Universal Design for Learning is an essential resource for students and academics in inclusive education, particularly those focused on instructional design approaches. It will also enlighten educators, educational policymakers and instructional designers developing inclusive educational policy and practice.

Edited by James D. Basham, Professor of Special Education, Department of Special Education, University of Kansas and K. Alisa Lowrey, Professor of Special Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, USA