Developing inclusive education in Ireland: the case for UDL in initial teacher education

This chapter discusses the implementation and results of a reflective inquiry project carried out by a group of preservice teachers as part of the coursework for their final year of a four year Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) programme in Dublin City University’s Institute of Education. This research project is aligned and undertaken as part of their final practicum placement. The project involved the students learning about the principles and approaches of universal design for learning in the context of inclusive education and the increasing diversity of learners in Irish classrooms. The students were then asked to apply their new knowledge and understanding of UDL to plan and teach a number of lessons on their final practicum placement. Students documented the project as a piece of written research, including a literature review, findings and reflections. Key issues from the students’ findings and reflections on their efforts applying UDL in practice are discussed in the chapter. The title of the project was Developing Inclusive Education in Ireland: The Case for UDL in Initial Teacher Education, and it was developed in the context of the current developments in the curriculum and inclusive education in Ireland