UDL & Antiracism SIG

This SIG will specifically focus on Universal Design for Learning and anti-racism in the educational context.  We define anti-racism as actively supporting anti-racist policy through action; action that involves identifying, naming and eliminating oppressive ideologies, practices, structures and systems.  We will work toward the redistribution of voice and power to disrupt predictable outcomes based on race in our education systems.

 

Multiple pieces of legislation define Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as “a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice.”  Central to this framework is the ability to name and remove unnecessary barriers to learning. As a SIG, we stay committed to our mission to optimize teaching until learning has no limits.  We recognize that racism and white supremacy cause Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students and teachers harm and create barriers to learning. This SIG commits to identifying and  addressing the ways in which dominant culture is present in our work as UDL implementers. We commit to looking at the UDL framework with a critical lens as we seek to find the intersection between UDL and anti-racist practice.  

 

This SIG is timely as many in the UDL field have surfaced the fact that UDL does not specifically address the barrier of racism, inequity, and injustice. In order to design learning environments that are truly equitable, we must name this barrier to learning or we will not be able to dismantle oppressive practices.