Main Session: ALTITUDE - Starting a National Conversation on Embedding Universal Design in Tertiary Education

The diversity of Ireland’s tertiary education learner population is rapidly increasing; almost 40% of the tertiary education learner population is made up of ‘non-traditional’ students (Quirke et al., 2020). In particular, there has been a notable increase in the number of students with disabilities enrolling in higher education over the last decade (AHEAD, 2023). Universal Design offers an evidence-based approach to respond to this trend and ensure we are best supporting all learners.

While there is significant activity around Universal Design taking place across Ireland, there is a need to consider how it can be sustained with a greater effort to take a national, coordinated approach to UD practice.

Session Outline

• 30 minutes Toolkit for Inclusive Tertiary Education - University College Dublin
• 30 minutes Student Perspectives on Universal Design - Diverse Student Panel Discussion

Participants will be led through the UCD Toolkit for Inclusive Higher Education which empowers education institutions to move the diversity and inclusion conversation from concept to reality.

We will then hear from FET and HE students to gain insight into their priorities when it comes to universal design and how we can embed universal design for both practitioners and the learners we serve.