Universal Design for Learning is a pedagogical approach that aims ‘to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn’ (CAST website, n.d.). Originating in the context of K12 education in the United States, the core principles involve the provision of multiple means of representation, engagement, and action/expression. Despite high instructor satisfaction with UDL, evidence of effectiveness for students’ learning is insufficient. Effectiveness aside, the purpose of this policy research note is to describe additional issues in UDL specifically relating to disabled students. First, I argue that the core tenet of UDL to meet all learners’ needs by emphasizing variability in approaches to learning (and consequently avoiding reference to ‘disability’) may inadvertently marginalize disabled students. Second, I argue that the focus on instructional design as a panacea to meet the needs of ‘all people’, including disabled students, is insufficient. This potentially distracts well-intentioned educators from more substantive challenges experienced by disabled students, relating to the built environment. Until the sensory and social needs of disabled students are met, instructional approaches like UDL cannot provide an equitable learning experience for many disabled students. Therefore, I argue that higher education leaders should attend to the sensory and social environments of university campuses before retrofitting inclusive pedagogies to the current typical university campus.

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考虑高等教育中残疾学生的感官和社会需求：呼吁回归通用设计的根源

通用学习设计是一种教学方法，旨在“基于对人类学习方式的科学见解，改进和优化所有人的教学和学习”（CAST 网站，nd）。起源于美国K12教育背景，其核心原则涉及提供多种代表、参与和行动/表达方式。尽管教师对 UDL 的满意度很高，但学生学习有效性的证据并不充分。抛开有效性不谈，本政策研究报告的目的是描述 UDL 中特别与残疾学生相关的其他问题。首先，我认为 UDL 的核心宗旨是通过强调学习方法的多样性（从而避免提及“残疾”）来满足所有学习者的需求，这可能会无意中使残疾学生边缘化。其次，我认为将教学设计作为满足“所有人”（包括残疾学生）需求的灵丹妙药的关注是不够的。这可能会分散善意的教育工作者对残疾学生所经历的与建筑环境相关的更实质性挑战的注意力。在满足残疾学生的感官和社交需求之前，像 UDL 这样的教学方法无法为许多残疾学生提供公平的学习体验。因此，我认为高等教育领导者在对当前典型大学校园进行包容性教学之前，应该关注大学校园的感官和社会环境。