The emergence of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Irish curricula as an approach to inclusive education in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

UDL is a relatively new concept in early childhood, primary, and post-primary education in Ireland (Author, 2021). Efforts to embed UDL in learning and teaching in further and higher education are more established due to the work of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the training authority SOLAS in supporting educators develop inclusive practices in response to increasing diverse student populations. The momentum has been slower outside of this arena. However, there is evidence of progress, in particular the work of the NCSE (2019; 2024) in researching UDL in practice internationally as part of a model of full inclusion. This paper explores Ireland’s inclusion trajectory and it's evolving thinking around  UDL through an exploration of UDL’s  emergence in Irish curriculum.