UDL in Lab environments at LTH

Abstract

Universal design in education is a framework designed in accordance with research into how humans learn and, at the same time, reduce barriers in education for students with disabilities. A cornerstone in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the provision of multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. We have interviewed two people employed at the Department of Physics at the technical faculty of Lund University (LTH) regarding how the UDL framework is or can be employed during experimental laboratory work for entry-level courses at the department. In their general studies, we found that there are accommodations in place for students with certain kinds of disabilities, i.e., hearing difficulties and/or dyslexia, but these do not always transfer to laboratory work. Further, we found that the interviewees thought that there is a lack of a framework for how UDL can be applied during coursework and uncertainty in who is or would be responsible for doing so.