Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the QAA

At DSA Mentoring & Consultancy, our consultancy is guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the requirements of the QAA Quality Code for Higher Education.

UDL, developed by CAST (2018), is an evidence-based framework that calls for:

  1. Multiple means of engagement – offering choice and flexibility to support motivation.

  2. Multiple means of representation – providing information in accessible ways.

  3. Multiple means of action and expression – enabling students to demonstrate learning in different formats.

Research shows that UDL benefits not only disabled students, but the whole student population:

  • Seale (2014) found that digital accessibility and flexible learning design improve retention and participation for neurodivergent students.

  • Samuels (2017) demonstrated that embedding UDL reduces reliance on individual adjustments by making teaching inherently more accessible.

  • Gibson (2015) highlighted how proactive UDL strategies reduce drop-out risk among disabled students in UK higher education.

The QAA Quality Code (2018) explicitly requires institutions to remove barriers, make anticipatory adjustments, and design learning inclusively in order to meet obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

By combining UDL principles with QAA standards, we help universities move from reactive, case-by-case adjustments to a systemic culture of inclusion. This ensures that compliance is not just met on paper, but experienced by students in everyday learning.

  • CAST (2018) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Wakefield, MA: CAST. Available at: http://udlguidelines.cast.org

  • Gibson, S. (2015) ‘When rights are not enough: What is? Moving towards new pedagogy for inclusive education within UK universities’, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(8), pp. 875–886.

  • Milton, D. (2012) ‘On the ontological status of autism: The “double empathy problem”’, Disability & Society, 27(6), pp. 883–887.

  • QAA (2018) UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Advice and Guidance – Enabling Student Achievement. Gloucester: QAA.

  • Samuels, D.R. (2017) Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education: Promising Practices. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

  • Seale, J. (2014) E-learning and Disability in Higher Education: Accessibility Research and Practice. 2nd edn. London: Routledge.

  • Weyandt, L.L. and DuPaul, G.J. (2008) ADHD in College Students: Developmental Findings. New York: Guilford Press.

  • Advokat, C., Lane, S.M. and Luo, C. (2011) ‘College students with and without ADHD: Comparison of self-report of medication usage, study habits, and academic achievement’, Journal of Attention Disorders, 15(8), pp. 656–666.

  • Crisp, G. and Cruz, I. (2009) ‘Mentoring college students: A critical review of the literature between 1990 and 2007’, Research in Higher Education, 50(6), pp. 525–545.

  • Gillespie-Lynch, K., Bublitz, D., Donachie, A., Wong, V., Brooks, P.J. and Medina, M. (2017) ‘“For a long time our voices have been hushed”: Using student perspectives to develop support services for neurodiverse college students’, Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 544