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Program
The ADCET UDL Symposium program is now available to download.
Please note: the program is subject to change without notification. Check back here for the latest version.
All presentations will be available to both online and in-person participants, with every session live-streamed and live-captioned. Presenters will either appear in person at the venue or join remotely via live stream
UDL Symposium 2025 Program as at 25 June 25 (doc)
Day 1: Wednesday 25 June 2025
This program outlines the running order and times of the presentations.
Select from the times below to view more details about each session.
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)
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)
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
Gallery Presentations
- 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 - Transforming Placement Preparation for Asynchronous Online Learners with a Multimodal, Universal Design for Learning Approach
Jessi Dillon, Senior Learning Designer (Educational Developer), Victoria University
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
Day 2: Thursday 26 June 2025
8:00 am - Registration desk open
Level 4 Foyer: Meet and Greet
Online Meet and Greet: 8:00 - 9:00 am
9:00 am - Welcome
Lecture Theatre 320 Dr Samantha Poulos
Welcome 9:00 – 9:10 am
Dr Seán Bracken
Reflections on yesterday and setting the scene for the day’s keynote
9:10 – 9:20 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)
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: Online)
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)
Key dates
Abstract submissions closed: 9:00 am Monday 3 March 2025 AEDT
Abstract acceptance notifications: Thursday 13th of March 2025 AEDTRegistrations are now closed
Silver Sponsors
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Since 2004, disability advisers, academics, and learning designers across Australia have trusted Captify.live to deliver gold-standard solutions that create truly inclusive educational environments.
This UDL Symposium is brought to you by ADCET
In partnership with:
Supported by:
ADCET is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education
