Creating Inclusive Classrooms

Disability Resources encourages faculty to think about ways that course design can impact accessibility and utilize principles of universal design to increase access for all students.

While providing accommodations is legally required and can be helpful in creating access to students with disabilities, not every student with a disability will request accommodations through Disability Resources. A student may not feel comfortable disclosing the existence of a disability, or cannot obtain appropriate documentation. Universal Design is based on the concept that we should move from the reactive individual-centered accommodation model to proactive inclusive design and practices, which benefits everyone.

There are many resources for faculty looking to make their classrooms more inclusive. Below are some places to start:

• DO-IT provides publications and videos applying universal design principles in various environments
• Rachel Smith & Tara Buchannan, Practice Brief: Community Collaboration, Use of Universal Design in the Classroom, Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(3), 259-265 (2012), available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ994291.pdf 
• Jay Domage, Universal Design: Places to Start, Disability Studies Quarterly, 35(s) (2015), available at http://dsq-sds.org/article/downloadSuppFile/4632/700