Inclusive Design

We understand that learners are best served by a learning design that takes into account diverse strengths and needs.

At fully inclusive schools, all students are welcome and are able to take part in all aspects of school life. Diversity is respected and upheld. Inclusive schools believe all students are confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners. Inclusive design ensures that students’ identities, languages, abilities, and talents are recognised and affirmed and their learning needs are addressed.

Inclusive schools have well-organised systems, effective teamwork and constructive relationships that identify and support the inclusion of all students. Innovative and flexible practices respond to the needs of all students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for looking at how we plan our goals, our teaching methods, the resources and materials we use, and the way we design assessments. UDL is based around three principles that ensure that there are options for all learners to have equal access to learning. There is increasing interest in applying UDL as a lens to underpin inclusive learning design, driven by an increasing appreciation for learner-driven curriculum and pedagogy.

Increased access to digital technologies can enable more inclusive and personalised learning pathways through the curriculum, especially for those students who need additional supports to learn.

Students and teachers can work together to find the most effective ways to integrate digital technologies into learning environments: removing barriers to learning, providing increased choices matched to student needs and interests, and expanding collaboration opportunities.