ADCET UDL Symposium: A Universal Design for Learning Initiative for first year Humanities Students

In-person presentation

Data analysis of first-year Humanities students at a large Australian university revealed concerning accessibility gaps, including disproportionately high fail and withdrawal rates among students with a disability and/or those from low socio-economic (SES) backgrounds. Additionally, the data revealed low rates of disability disclosure through university systems and significant overlap between students who applied for assessment extensions and students registered with a disability and/or from a low SES background. Addressing these gaps is an equity imperative and consistent with Australia's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2007) obligations.

In response, this project takes a systematic, large scale, institutional approach to embedding Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 principles into nine first-year Humanities units (in-person and online). The project includes the development of a professional learning (PL) framework and program for teaching staff to build capacity in multimodal content delivery, accessible assessment design and innovative and adaptive technology integration; and incorporates a student and expert advisory group. Teaching staff utilise these resources to redesign units, integrating UDL 3.0’s learner-centred principles with transition pedagogies to reduce cognitive load and create flexible, accessible learning pathways.

Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design, with an anticipated sample exceeding 5,000 students, the study evaluates the project’s impact on pass rates, withdrawal rates, assessment extension requests, disability disclosure in university systems, and learning management system (LMS) accessibility scores. Interviews with students and staff complement quantitative findings, centring student voice in co-developing future improvements.

This presentation shared the PL framework, practical strategies and early findings from qualitative interviews, inviting dialogue on how institutional-level UDL implementation can drive equitable outcomes for students with disabilities and those from low SES backgrounds in higher education.

Presenters

Rebecca Walker is Professor and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Humanities, Curtin University, where she's held senior School of Education leadership roles including Deputy Head of School and Director, Student Experience and Industry Engagement. With teaching experience across Australia and internationally, her scholarly expertise encompasses initial teacher education accreditation, equity-focused pedagogies, and educational policy. She is keenly involved in activities and research that promotes accessible and needs based approaches to education.

Humira Mirza is the Director of Student Engagement in the Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University, spanning three schools and the largest OUA cohort at the university. With a background in the international higher education sector and experience as a primary school teacher, she brings a deep commitment to educational equity and inclusive practice. Humira is known for building high-trust relationships, navigating complex regulatory environments, and translating strategic priorities into people-centred outcomes for staff and students.

(June 2026)