A Systematic Literature Review on the effectiveness of Universal Design for Learning in second-level education: where next?

Abstract

Education systems around the world are grappling with increasingly diverse student populations and a focus on the right to education for every learner. New innovative pedagogies such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have emerged as a response to more traditional approaches to teaching and learning. While much of the research on UDL to date has been in further and higher education, less is known about its effectiveness in second-level education.

This Systematic Literature Review provides an analysis of the effectiveness of UDL in 22 empirical studies from 1200 papers screened and interrogates the aspects of the UDL framework commonly deployed in interventions. The review indicates growth in the evidence base for UDL effectiveness in second-level education. The findings confirm positive effects for UDL interventions on learners’ academic and social outcomes. The paper highlights that the aspects of UDL within the teachers’ control are well addressed (Representation), whereas elements that aim to build learner autonomy and self-regulation are less evident in the interventions.

The results of this literature review provide the first systematic insight into the effectiveness of UDL in mainstream second-level education. While many positive outcomes were identified, this paper highlights the need to acknowledge existing pedagogical approaches that could support the design of UDL implementations. In particular, teaching and learning strategies such as formative assessment, culturally responsive teaching and multilingual education, and autonomy-supportive pedagogy, could usefully be integrated within a broader UDL framework.