Identifying and Delineating the Specific Needs of the VET Sector in Relation to the Implementation of Universal Design for Learning - Ireland
Context: This study examined how instructors in Ireland's VET/further education sector persisted with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation after completing the national UDL Digital Badge professional development program. Approach: Using an ecological paradigm and phenomenological methodology, researchers interviewed 40 participants (approximately half from VET/further education) and employed inductive coding and thematic analysis to examine their lived experiences.
Findings: The research revealed that VET sector perceptions of UDL differ from higher education, their specific implementation needs have been largely ignored, and future UDL growth must address this sector's unique characteristics. Conclusion: The study concludes that treating VET and traditional higher education as one context for UDL integration has been misleading, and future research must acknowledge the distinct needs of these two sectors. (Frederic Fovet, Thompson Rivers University, Canada) May 2025