Projects & Research

ATU Path 4, Phase 1 funding will deliver on 5 work packages which will individually and collectively achieve the purpose of this funding initiative. Four of the projects are collaborative in nature, to ensure that sustainable outcomes are achieved for the HEI sector. One of the collaborative packages also has an embedded sole ATU initiative, as it is context dependent. A fifth package builds on the extensive work that ATU have engaged in with UDL to date, but expands the UDL outreach to the community, in line with the Universities commitment to engaging in initiatives that support widening access.

PATH 4 will enable ATU build on their accessibility by expanding our efforts in UD/UDL and seeking to further extend access to education for people with intellectual disabilities.  Furthermore, as is evidenced in the various work packages associated with this proposal, PATH4 will contribute to ATU addressing various actions and objectives of the Inclusivity goal of the new National Access Plan, such as supporting students from priority groups to access HE; whole institute approaches to Universal Design; increased student diversity; and improved opportunities for people with ID.

Work Packages:

WP 1: A National Charter for Universal Design in Tertiary Education

WP 2: Leadership in Universal Design

WP3: Enhancement of an Inclusive Environment in Higher Education

               Project A: Evidence based web accessibility statement

Project B: To implement campus accessibility improvements that demonstrate best practice in Universal Design

Project C: Enhancing best practice and compliance in accessibility by completing an accessibility audit

WP 4: Create a UDL Community of Practice – to enhance UDL developments across ATU and Regionally

WP 5: Blueprint for development of a pilot programme for people with Intellectual Disabilities

While the rise in discourse about universal design and UDL practice in tertiary education has risen markedly in recent years, there is often misconceptions about what universal design is (as distinct from UDL), a lack of national understanding about what areas of further and higher education we can apply UD approaches to, and what that would look like in practice.

This project involves utilizing the UCD Toolkit for Inclusive Higher Education Institutions (under revision in tandem with this project) as the background to this development.

The accompanying Toolkit will support ETBs and HEIs to measure their progress against 4 pillars and create a reflective action plan for future development in this area.

The pillars in the toolkit address teaching & learning, student services, physical- built environment and IT/ Digital accessibility.

The charter/toolkit will also address the systems and policies which underpin these pillars, and the output will clearly demonstrate how the implementation of universal design supports ETBs and higher education institutions to align with other national targets such as those concerning retention and learner success.

Widening the scope from student centred learning, this charter will explore how a universal design approach can help us to support a diverse staff profile to succeed in FET and higher education. It is envisaged that on completion of the project, institutions would be encouraged to formally adopt the charter as something they are working towards, and that organizations like AHEAD could play an important national role in supporting institutions to adopt and work towards it.

The project team also envisages this output being important in the future shaping of institutional policies and practices regarding student success and UDL.

This National Charter group has a lot of interest and input from colleagues across 10 HEIs, AHEAD, THEA and the IUA. An invitation has been extended to the USI to join this collaboration. The following are the agreed outputs of this group within the 1-year timeframe we are given for this work: 

• Develop a National Charter for Universal Design in Tertiary Education. -this includes the desire of the group to incorporate FET and look towards a unified tertiary view of UD.

• Develop a Position Paper exploring and featuring recommendations on how this charter may be built systemically into governing and funding mechanisms.

• Design and publish the National Charter.

• Launch the National Charter in conjunction with AHEAD Conference Spring 2024

 It is envisaged that on completion of the project, institutions would be encouraged to formally adopt the charter as something they are working towards, and that organisations like AHEAD could play an important national role in supporting institutions to adopt and work towards it. The project team also envisages this output being important in the future shaping of institutional policies regarding student success and UDL.

The accompanying Toolkit will support ETBs and HEIs to measure their progress against the 4 pillars and create a reflective action plan for future development in this area.

See the original toolkit which will be updated to reflect the charter consultations and the broadening of applicability to FET contexts here.

This project would like to seek the high-level support of HEI registrars, and hope that your institutions will both contribute to the planned consultations later in the year and consider adopting the Charter and working towards it on its completion.

Below is the current national UD for 3 Charter Team. For further information, please feel free to contact team members: 

• Maureen.Haran@nullatu.ie (Lead) 
• Niamh.Plunkett@nullatu.ie (Lead), 
• aileen.kennedy@nullmtu.ie (Partner), 
• margaret.finch@nullmtu.ie (Partner), 
• dara.ryder@nullahead.ie (Lead Collaborator)