Teachers’ Perception Towards Implementation of Principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Teaching Students with Learning Difficulties

Abstract

This study aims to assess teachers' implementation of the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) when teaching students with learning difficulties and the barriers they face in its implementation. The descriptive survey approach to describe participants' experiences using the UDL framework, a survey was conducted on 78 study participants, all teachers with learning difficulties. The questionnaire was created with 36 questions on UDL concepts using the four domains of 1) engagement, 2) representation, 3) action and expression, and 4) barriers to applying UDL. The study's findings supported that UDL implementation levels were generally high. The results also indicate that the most central principle of UDL was the representation domain, ranking first, while the action, expression, and engagement domains ranked second and third, respectively. Furthermore, the barriers that prevent teachers from implementing UDL principles in teaching were found within the intermediate level. Lastly, we recommend that professional development programs be conducted before or in service to increase teachers' knowledge of the UDL principles. Educational institutions should also overcome all barriers by creating an educational environment that supports teachers of students with learning difficulties by implementing the principles of UDL in teaching.