Universal Design for Learning as a theory of inclusive practice for use by educational psychologists

Abstract

Educational psychologists seek to keep abreast of significant theoretical and practical developments within the field of inclusive education. This paper outlines and discusses Universal Design for Learning as a theory of inclusion, highly applicable for use by educational psychologists. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is introduced by exploring the contextual history of its development and explaining the three pillars of the framework; the ‘affective networks’, the ‘recognition networks’, and the ‘strategic networks’. Application of the UDL framework is demonstrated with classroom-based examples, drawing on existing research. A critical stance is taken towards understanding the current drawbacks of UDL, and direct links to educational psychology practice are made and critically reviewed considering these.