Universal Design for Learning Infusion in Online Higher Education

This qualitative case study explored the development of online teaching capacity to incorporate the universal design for learning (UDL) framework in an online graduate program. The participants in the study were purposefully selected from multiple levels at a Canadian university: (1) the program level, (2) the faculty level, and (3) the institution level. Using a series of semistructured interviews and document analysis, four themes were identified: (1) leadership, (2) community of practice, (3) educational development, and (4) challenges. In addition to highlighting the roles of academic leaders in fostering UDL adoption in online learning, the findings also revealed forms of support that need to be in place to increase online teaching capacity. The findings from the study provide valuable input toward setting the stage for UDL to be meaningfully adopted in an online learning setting.