Beyond Adjustments: Embedding Inclusive Design in University Classrooms
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.
About the autistic author markerDean, L. (2026). Beyond Adjustments: Embedding Inclusive Design in University Classrooms. Adult Learning, 37(3), 243-250. https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595261464596
- Journal or book title
- Adult Learning
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 243-250
This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:
Authors
Abstract
Inclusive teaching is often misunderstood as offering special provisions for a few, rather than being recognized as good pedagogical practice that benefits all learners. This Innovations in Practice article presents four inclusive teaching strategies implemented in higher education classrooms with adult learners, particularly neurodivergent and international students. Drawing on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, each practice was developed in response to recurring structural challenges and learner feedback, not individual diagnoses, thereby allowing all students to access, engage with, and demonstrate learning on their own terms. The first strategy explores flexible assessment and participation formats, enabling learners to choose how they best demonstrate understanding. The second highlights the use of anonymous, low-stakes tools to surface support needs early, reducing the burden of disclosure. The third describes a peer mentoring initiative that supported cultural and academic transitions, with benefits for both mentors and mentees. The final strategy focuses on reducing power distance in the classroom by offering learners greater autonomy over how they navigate sessions and signalling that their needs are valid without formal justification. These practices have been tested across postgraduate and undergraduate modules in a UK university and are grounded in classroom narratives and learner reflections. Each intervention was designed not to respond to specific impairments but to pre-emptively remove barriers for a diverse cohort. The article concludes with practical takeaways for adult educators seeking to embed inclusive design principles in their teaching. Inclusive education, the paper argues, is not an ideological position but a commitment to effective and equitable teaching.
Bibliography cited by this reference
Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.
Cited bibliography overview
These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 3 Oct 2026 01:01.
- With a DOI
- 1
- Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
- 8
- References with detected author names
- 9 / 9 (100.0%)
- Without detected author names
- 0
- Without a structured title
- 0
- Without a stable identifier
- 8
- References with raw author names still to review
- 0
- References with external metadata lookup issues
- 0
- From DOI or external metadata
- 11
- From validated raw bibliography text
- 0
- Raw names already validated
- 0
- Raw names still to review
- 0
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Rose D. H. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning . Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning.Type: OtherCrossref
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Tett L. (2006). Adult literacy, numeracy and language: Policy, practice and research . Adult literacy, numeracy and language: Policy, practice and research.Type: OtherCrossref