Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Academic Perspectives of Inclusive Practice and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

This paper examines teaching staff's perception of inclusive practices and UDL in one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland. This research forms part of a wider mixed-method study exploring staff and students' perceptions of inclusion as well as staff knowledge and implementation of inclusive practices, including UDL. This paper begins with a discussion around inclusive practice before exploring the development of UDL in higher education in Ireland. The data for this research were gathered through a survey administered to all teaching staff at a mid-sized Irish university, resulting in 200 responses. The survey instrument focused on staff training on inclusive practice and staff attitudes towards inclusive practices, including UDL. Findings echoed previous research regarding staff perceptions of barriers to UDL implementation, which include the time required to implement UDL and concerns about staff workload. However, findings also suggest that additional barriers to implementing UDL exist, including a lack of understanding and knowledge about UDL, as well as other institutional challenges, such as large class sizes. The findings also reveal that staff have undergone training, and many are interested in additional training, not just in UDL, but also in how to support neurodiverse students and provide formative feedback to large groups.