Fundamentals of universal design for learning from an international perspective

Abstract

The present study was carried out in the frame of the educational field, specifically in the area of​​inclusive education, going deeper into the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is conceived as a theoretical and practical approach that acts as an effective tool to achieve quality education and equity within the educational inclusion movement. The objective of this study is to analyze the presence of the fundamentals of UDL (education law; diversity; Universal Design; flexible curriculum; equal opportunities; neuroscience and information and communication technologies) in documents published by international organizations with competence in education and global impact. The research methodology is of a qualitative nature and uses documentary analysis. The categories of analysis correspond to the seven fundamentals of UDL. The documentary sources of the study were mainly the web pages of international organizations and the UNESDOC database, obtaining a definitive sample of eleven documents belonging to the gray literature. After the document review, the results showed that not all documents under study include the categories of analysis in their content. In summary, there are gaps in the presence of the seven fundamentals of UDL in the published documents analyzed, which is why a new international treatment of the UDL is needed to promote an inclusive and quality education that meets and respects individual differences within the teaching-learning process.