UDL-CIC Domain One: Higher Education Culture and Environment

Element 1: There is collegial design of a culture that supports inclusion and equity within the organizational units. (D1.E1)

Intent

To ensure that all members of the higher education professionals and units, departments, and programs are included in and benefit from learning opportunities, the higher education organization commits to design equitable and inclusive

learning experiences and environments. Learning experiences and environments have been designed to consider the variability of the whole learner, including dimensions of cultural, social, emotional, cognitive, perceptual, physical, and sensory variability. When a higher education organization views individual and wide-spread decisions through a person-centered lens, every member of the learning environment is valued.

Indicators

The higher education organization ensures a culture (which includes beliefs, processes, activities, and procedures) that supports inclusion and equity by:

• committing to design for the variability of all members, including cultural, social, emotional, cognitive, perceptual, physical, and sensory variability;
• using a welcoming and engaging design process representative of different and differing perspectives to resolve culture issues related to inclusion and equity;
• actively fostering a sense of belonging for every member of the higher education organization; and
• actively fostering meaningful relationships within the higher education organization.

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Element 2: The higher education organization designs a culture that supports agentic learning. (D1.E2)

Intent

To ensure that the higher education organization sets high expectations for all, learning environments and experiences are intentionally designed so all members become purposeful and reflective, resourceful & authentic, and strategic & action-directed, By designing a learning environment that aligns with the UDL framework and promotes a “learning how to learn” perspective, all members can become self-directed, lifelong, agentic learners.

Indicators

The higher education organization designs a culture (which includes beliefs, processes, activities, and procedures) that supports a collective learner agency by:

• setting high expectations for all faculty and staff members as evidenced by the higher education organization’s language, environment, processes, activities, and procedures; and
• making learner agency a priority, as evidenced by the higher education organization’s language, environments, processes, activities, and procedures.

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Element 3: The higher education organization communicates in ways that reflect a commitment to UDL. (D1.E3)

Intent

Strategically planned and regularly monitored communication helps to unify the higher education organization around the commitment to UDL. It serves to forge strong partnerships among members and provides open channels for reflective feedback to ensure effective implementation of UDL. Communication should occur in multiple modalities and across multiple platforms.

Indicators

The higher education organization intentionally designs communications that:

• have a specific purpose/goal in mind,
• anticipates variability within the organization,
• ensures content is accessible, and
• includes content that builds an understanding of UDL throughout the organization, shares evidence of UDL implementation outcomes, and promotes learner agency throughout the higher education organization.

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Element 4: The higher education organization designs learning spaces to support variability. (D1.E4)

Intent

Learning spaces are intentionally designed to respond to anticipated learning variability of the higher education organization (including cognitive, physical, perceptual, sensory, social, emotional and cultural variability). Community, classroom, and digital spaces are

designed, adopted, or adapted to be accessible, flexible, goal oriented and welcoming. Design can include either reducing barriers to existing design constraints where possible or proactively designing newly renovated/adopted physical and digital spaces with the principles of UDL.

Indicators

With a focus on access, learner agency, inclusion, and equity, the higher education organization intentionally ensures learning spaces (including appropriate curriculum, technology, and/or physical spaces) that:

• improve accessibility and ease of use;
• address the social, emotional and cultural needs of all within the organization; and
• promote learner agency.

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UDL-CIC Levels: Continuum of Practice

Level 1: Explore

Key Characteristics: Initial exploration of UDL principles and their potential benefits for learners.

Learner Experiences: Learners may experience limited exposure to UDL practices, but may benefit from:

• Increased awareness of their own approaches to learning and preferences.
• Opportunities to provide feedback on their learning experiences.
• Access to basic accommodations or supports.

Actions:

• Openness to changing or abandoning existing practices and policies that are not learner-centered or aligned with UDL.
• Willingness to critically examine current communication practices and identify areas for improvement.

Communication Practices:

• Information Dissemination: Analyze the effectiveness of current communication channels in reaching all members of the institution, regardless of their backgrounds or preferred communication styles.
• Inclusive Participation: Evaluate the extent to which communication practices foster open dialogue, respect for diverse perspectives, and opportunities for all members to contribute to decision-making processes.
• Accessibility: Assess the accessibility of communication materials, ensuring they are available in multiple formats and can be understood by individuals with different abilities.

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Level 2: Implement

Key Characteristics: Beginning implementation of UDL practices, with some evidence of positive impact on learners.

Learner Experiences: Learners may benefit from:

• Increased flexibility in learning activities and assessments.
• Opportunities to collaborate with peers in diverse learning environments.
• Access to a wider range of instructional materials and resources.

Learner Variability: Learners may experience increased flexibility in learning activities and assessments, and be able to access a variety of instructional materials and resources that cater to their individual needs.

Actions:

• Willingness to try new things and learn from mistakes.
• Use of the best available data on how to implement and measure UDL practices.
• Continuous improvement and adaptation based on feedback and results.

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Level 3: Scale-Up

Key Characteristics: Consistent UDL implementation across multiple areas of the institution, with significant positive impact on learners.

Learner Experiences: Learners may benefit from:

• Personalized learning experiences that cater to their individual needs.
• A strong sense of belonging and inclusion in the learning community.
• Increased confidence in their ability to learn and succeed.

Actions:

• Effective communication and collaboration across departments and units.
• Use of data to inform decision-making and measure progress.
• Active involvement of learners in the UDL implementation process.

Learner Variability: Integrate learner variability considerations into all aspects of instructional design and implementation, including accessibility audits, UDL audits, UDL frameworks, and differentiated instruction.

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Level 4: Systems and Cultural Change

Key Characteristics: Advanced UDL implementation, with a strong culture of UDL and ongoing innovation.

Learner Experiences: Learners may benefit from:

• A highly personalized and equitable learning environment.
• Opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Preparation for lifelong learning and success in a diverse world.

Actions:

• Mentoring and leadership development across disciplinary boundaries.
• Collaboration with other higher education institutions and organizations.
• Ongoing innovation and development of new UDL practices.

Learner Variability: Ensure that learner variability is deeply embedded in the institution’s culture and practices, leading to a highly personalized and equitable learning experience for all learners.

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Dimensions of UDL Implementation

To assess progress within each level, consider the following dimensions:

Inclusive Culture:

• Collegial design of a culture that supports inclusion and equity.
• Commitment to agentic learning.
• Effective communication practices.

Accessible Learning Spaces:

• Design of learning spaces that support variability.
• Accessibility of physical and digital spaces.
• Integration of technology to enhance learning experiences.

Equitable Practices:

• Use of data to monitor progress towards equity and inclusion goals.
• Intentional design of procedures and processes to promote equity.
• Active fostering of a sense of belonging.

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Assessment and Evaluation

Data Collection: Gather quantitative and qualitative data to assess progress along the continuum, including learner feedback and outcomes.

Self-Assessment: Use surveys, interviews, and observations to gather feedback from faculty, staff, and learners.

External Review: Consider involving external experts to provide an independent evaluation.