12:00 pm - Genio Sponsor Presentation

Accessible by design - Based on learning science principles for all

Note: This session is at capacity and no further registrations can be accepted.

Sponsored information session by Genio (formerly known as Glean)
Lecture Theatre 309
12:00 – 1:00 pm

12:30 pm - Registration desk open

Level 4 Foyer: Meet and Greet

Online Meet and Greet: 1:00 - 2:00 pm

2:00 pm - Welcome

Conference Opening - Samantha Poulos MC

Conference Housekeeping
Welcome to Country
Welcome and Perspectives - Prof Lucy Marshall, DVC Community and Leadership
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
2:00 – 2:20 pm (Presenter/s: in-person)

2:20 pm - Keynote

Turbocharging Accessibility? Negotiating Paradigm Shifts for Inclusive Learning, Teaching and Assessment in the Shadow Light of AI

Dr Seán Bracken, Principal Lecturer, University of Worcester
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
2:20 – 3:20 pm (Presenter/s: in-person)

3:20 pm - Break

3:20 – 3:30 pm

3:30 pm - Concurrent Workshops

Stream A: Growth of UDL Implementation among faculty: Understanding the risks that lead to instructors losing momentum

Dr Frederic Fovet, Assistant Professor, Thompson Rivers University, Canada
Workshop: 60 minutes
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
3:30 – 4:30 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

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Stream B: Making the Potential of UDL a Reality: Challenging Barriers to Institution-Wide Adoption

Dr Katie Butler, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator; Dr Carl Leonard School of Education, University of Newcastle
Workshop: 60 minutes    
Lecture Theatre 308
3:30 – 4:30 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

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Stream C: Toward an Institutional-Wide Approach for Embedding UDL in Tertiary Education Settings

Dr Erin Leif, Senior Lecturer; Dr Amanda Gigliotti, Senior Lecturer, Monash University
Workshop: 60 minutes
Lecture Theatre 309
3:30 – 4:30 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

4:30 pm - Gallery Presentations, Book Launch + Welcome Drinks

Event Space 416
4:30 pm onwards

• Book Launch: Decolonizing UDL
  Frederic Fovet
• From a university sessional advocate to an emerging universal design for learning institutional-wide approach
  Christine Krol, Assoc. Lecturer/Researcher, Western Sydney University 
• UDL in Vocational Education & Training (VET) - Communities for collaboration on assessment practices
  Trina Bianchini, Teaching & Learning Specialist, TAFE SA; Jennifer Cousins, Coordinator SA and NT, Positive Partnerships
• Institutionalising UDL: Bottom Up Meets Top Down
  Susan Hemsley, Educational Designer, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney 
• Cultivating Sustainable and Inclusive Learning through Proactive Design Intensives
  Ella Collins-White & Monique Laura, Educational Designers, University of Sydney
• Innovative UDL Practices in Teaching and Learning: Supporting Self-Regulated Learning in Higher Education
  Kria Coleman, Education Designer, University of Sydney

Pre-recorded Video Presentations

• Exploring University Services: Insights from the Student Perspective
  Dr Ana Lobo, Senior Teaching Fellow and Academic Coach, UTAS
• From Intent to Action: Academic Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion in Higher Education Classrooms
  Adam Holden, Lecturer of Prosthetics and Orthotics, University of the Sunshine Coast
• HOUSE: A transferrable and interactive resource for students that introduces them to digital accessibility
  Trevor Boland, Assistive Technology Officer, Dublin City University

Gallery presentation information

8:00 am - Registration desk open

Level 4 Foyer: Meet and Greet

Online Meet and Greet: 8:00 - 9:00 am

9:30 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream A)

Building an Institutional Culture of UDL: Empowering University Faculty to Foster Learner Agency

Dr Annjanette Bennar, Director of Mathematics and Computer Literacy; Dr Robert LeGary, Director, Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership, Goodwin University, Connecticut, USA
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
9:30 – 9:55 am (Presenter/s: Online)

BREAK 9:55-10:05

Beyond the Excuses: Advancing Inclusive Education Without Compromising Academic Excellence

Dr Susannah French, Academic/Administrator, Australian National University
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
10:05 – 10:30 am (Presenter/s: In-person)

9:30 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream B)

Leveraging AI and Assistive Technology to Enhance Inclusion in Higher Education

Dr Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, Assistive Technology Specialist/Instructional Design Specialist, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, USA
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
9:30 – 9:55 am (Presenter/s: Online)

BREAK 9:55-10:05

Universal Design for Learning: A Pilot Study on Improving Student Success Rates

A/Prof Kelly Linden, 2025 ACSES Equity Fellow, Charles Sturt University
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
10:05 – 10:30 am (Presenter/s: Online)

9:30 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream C)

Stream C: Liberatory Pedagogy: Where UDL Meets Anti-Racism

Dr Tanya Manning-Lewis, Assistant Teaching Professor; Dr Frederic Fovet, Assistant Professor, Thompson Rivers University, Canada
Workshop: 60 minutes
Lecture Theatre 309
9:30 – 10:30 am (Presenter/s: In-person)

10:30 am - Morning Tea

Level 4 Foyer
10:30 – 11:00 am

11:00 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream A)

Institutional Change Through UDL: Building a Culture of Inclusion at Maynooth University, Ireland

Dr Margaret Flood, Assistant Professor, Inclusive and Special Education, Maynooth University, Ireland
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
11:00 – 11:25 am (Presenter/s: In-person)

BREAK 11:25-11:35

Enhancing Authentic Engagement in Group Assessments

Dr Jessica Zanuttini, Lecturer of Special and Inclusive Education, University of Sydney
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
11:35 – 12:00 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

11:00 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream B)

UDL as the basis for inclusive digital education – Analysis of an intervention program in higher education for teachers at vocational schools

Dr René Wüthrich, Lecturer, Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
11:00 – 11.25 am (Presenter/s: In-person)

BREAK 11:25-11:35

Teaching UDL by doing UDL: Modelling inclusive design in Initial Teacher Education

Dr Ana Garcia-Melgar, Lecturer, Inclusive Education, La Trobe University
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
11:35 – 12:00 pm (Presenter/s: Online)

11:00 am - Concurrent Presentations (Stream C)

Experiencing Universal Design for Learning: An Immersive Approach to Inclusive Teaching

Raymond Rutgers, Learning Accessibility Consultant; Bec Inwood, Manager, Access & Inclusion, Murdoch University
Workshop: 60 minutes
Lecture Theatre 309
11:00 – 12:00 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

12:00 pm - Break

12:00 - 12:15 pm

12:15 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream A)

Beyond Accommodation: Embedding Inclusive Assessment for Institutional Change

Dr Nattalia Godbold, Project Officer; Christopher Frost, Manager e-learning, University of Queensland
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
12:15 – 12:40 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

BREAK 12:40-12:50

Rethinking Examinations in the Age of AI: Enhancing Student Agency and Inclusion Through Universal Design for Learning

Dr Kashmira Dave, Senior Lecturer; Kylie Day, Manager, Exams & eAssessment; Jeanne Heath, Coordinator, Exams & eAssessment, University of New England
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
12:50 – 1:15 pm (Presenter/s: Online)

12:15 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream B)

University Pathway Teachers’ Adoption of Universal Design for Learning: An Observational Case Study

Nelson Lo, PhD Candidate & Sessional Academic; Professor David Evans, Special Education; A/Prof Ilektra Spandagou, Inclusive Education, University of Sydney
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
12:15 – 12:40 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

BREAK 12:40-12:50

The UDL quandary of organisational implementation

Jennifer Cousins, Coordinator SA and NT, Positive Partnerships; Trina Bianchini, Teaching & Learning Specialist, TAFE, SA
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
12:50 – 1:15 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

12:15 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream C)

Implementing innovative and effective UDL 3.0 in your classroom: a collaborative workshop

Adjunct A/Prof Cathy Snelling, Education Specialist, Title Holder, Faculty of Health & Medical Science; Dr Hayley McGrice, Associate Dean, Learning Quality, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology; A/Prof Beth Loveys, Associate Head of School (Learning and Teaching), School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide
Workshop: 60 minutes
Lecture Theatre 309
12:15 – 1:15 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

1:15 pm - Lunch

Level 4 Foyer
1:15 - 2:00 pm

Online Lunch Box Chat
1:15 - 2:00 pm

2:00 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream A)

UDL 3.0 in Action: Reducing Stress and Enhancing Inclusion for Students in Higher Education

Elizabeth Hitches, PhD Candidate, Sessional Academic, University of Queensland (Research); Griffith University (Teaching); A/Prof Stuart Woodcock, Griffith University; Dr Melissa Johnstone, Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland; A/Prof Dean Dudley, Macquarie University
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
2:00 – 2:25 pm (Presenter/s: Online)

BREAK 2:25-2:35

Attending to (neurodivergent) identity:  universal design and professional identity formation

A/Prof Laura Gray, Deputy Director, Drapac Centre for Equity in Health Professions Education; A/Prof Jo Tai, Deakin University
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 320
2:35 – 3:00 pm (Presenter/s: Online)

2:00 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream B)

Empowering Students as Co-Designers: Innovative Assessment Design for Equity and Engagement

Dr Karen-Anne Wong, Sessional Academic and Research Affiliate, University of Sydney
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
2:00 – 2:25 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

BREAK 2:25-2:35

Reclaiming “SLACKERS”: Co-designing accessibility with students

Ashley Willcox (filling in for Katie Duncan, Inclusive Practices Coordinator); Liz Penny, Manager, Accessibility and Financial Assistance Service, University of Technology, Sydney
Presentation: 25 minutes
Lecture Theatre 308
2:35 – 3:00 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

2:00 pm - Concurrent Presentations (Stream C)

Leveraging AI to Create Inclusive Educational Podcasts

Mark Shelton, Senior Teaching Fellow, University of Tasmania
Workshop: 60 minutes
Lecture Theatre 309
2:00 – 3:00 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

3:00 pm - Break

3:00 - 3:10 pm

3:10 pm - Keynote

Empowering Learners through Universal Design for Learning: Voice and Agency

Dr Seán Bracken, Principal Lecturer, University of Worcester
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
3:10 – 4:00 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

4:00 pm - Student Panel

The Importance of Lived Experience in UDL

• Gemma Lucy Smart, PhD Scholar, School of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Sydney
• Sarah Huffman, current Juris Doctor Student, University of Sydney Law School
• Remy Lebreton, currently serving Disabilities Co-Officer and councillor in the 2025 University of Sydney SRC
• Victor Zhang, Disabilities Inclusion Action Plan Coordinator, University of Sydney Union (USU)

Panel Discussion: 45 minutes
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
4:00 – 4:45 pm (Presenter/s: In-person)

4:45 pm - Symposium Wrap-up

Dr Samantha Poulos
Julie Wu Lecture Theatre 321
4:45 – 5:00 pm