By Elizabeth Wanjiku

On June 5, the Office of Accessibility and Inclusion in partnership with the Office of Faculty Development and trainers from Teach Access hosted a dynamic, full-day training workshop for faculty members, academic advisors, librarians, and instructional designers. The aim of the workshop was to empower educators with the tools, language, and mindset needed to implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in their classrooms both online and in person.

Held on campus, the training offered more than just theoretical insights. It created space for honest dialogue, practical learning, and real-time reflection on what inclusive teaching should look like. The sessions touched on a wide spectrum of topics critical to inclusive education, including, what disability is and what it isn't, the shift from medical to social and human rights models of disability, disability etiquette and the importance of inclusive language, UDL principles for inclusive course and content design, and accessible web and digital content guidelines.

Participants explored how disability exists on a spectrum and how overlapping identities such as race, gender, and socio-economic background shape the lived experiences of students with disabilities. One of the key messages for the day was, “Nothing about us without us.”

The training wasn’t just theoretical; it was interactive and grounded in real scenarios faculty face. The discussions explored several key issues including, assessment accommodations where one participant asked how to support a student with an intellectual disability who prefers a mix of essay and multiple-choice questions but struggles to meet GPA requirements. The recommendation was that they should offer flexible options such as voice-to-text or verbal responses, while maintaining academic integrity.

Participants also explored the issue of using disability as an example in class. They sought clarity on whether it’s appropriate to refer to students with disabilities when giving examples. The advice was to always check with the student first. It’s about respect, dignity, and agency.

Another key concern was on online learning environments. Faculty were guided on making fully online courses more accessible. Suggestions included using personalized announcements on Blackboard, clearly structured schedules, and consistent weekly routines to minimize confusion and increase student success.

UDL is not an accessibility checklist; It’s a mindset. Faculty were encouraged to view accessibility as an ongoing, responsive process and something we co-create with our students. Even when courses are designed with UDL principles, access barriers can still arise, and it’s our responsibility to adapt and adjust accordingly. As one trainer put it, “what’s accessible to one student might not be accessible to another. The goal is to build flexibility and empathy into everything we design.”

With increasingly diverse student populations, including students with visible and invisible disabilities, this training came at a crucial time. Faculty shared that they often struggle with how to meet the needs of all learners without compromising academic standards. This training gave them the confidence to start answering that question and the tools to keep growing. More than anything, it reinforced the idea that inclusive design benefits everyone in the classroom.

As USIU-Africa continues to champion inclusive education, this training marks a powerful step toward a more accessible academic environment. Faculty left the session energized, informed, and ready to apply what they learned, not just for students with disabilities, but for every student who walks into their classroom. Because when we design for inclusion, everyone benefits.