Inclusive Curriculum Design Principles

Designing learning that works for every mind. In preparation for our session at World of Learning in October, Emma Hutchins and I are asking neurodivergent learners to share the 'one thing' above all others that would improve their digital learning experience. Thanks so much to everyone who engaged with and contributed to our last LI post. The list below is what we have so far. But are we missing anything? We'd love to hear from you in the comments if your 'one thing' doesn't appear on our list. Content design and structure - Provide clear and consistent instructions throughout all learning materials. - Ensure a clear and logical content structure so information fits neatly into well-defined categories. - Avoid poor colour contrast and other design issues that contribute to sensory overload. - Avoid locked navigation controls (like 'Continue' buttons) unless it is obvious what needs to be completed to progress. Control over media and sensory input - If possible, avoid linking to external video sites (such as YouTube) unless the learner’s return path is clear and accessible. - Do not include moving or animated content unless learners can pause or stop it. - Allow learners to change the speed of video content (both slower and faster) to suit their processing needs. - Always provide transcripts for video and audio to offer choice in how content is accessed. - Give learners control over narration and audio - allow them to start, stop, or bypass it entirely. - Keep multimedia experiences manageable to avoid overstimulation from multi-sensory overload. Assessment and feedback design - Write unambiguous questions and instructions and test them for clarity. - Provide clear, direct feedback for knowledge checks - explicitly state the correct answer and explain why it is correct. - Avoid double negatives in both questions and feedback, as they slow comprehension and retention. #WOL25 #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #Accessibility  (Five outlined human profiles, each with different colourful brain representations, including connected nodes, flowers, gears, puzzle pieces, and hearts, symbolising diverse thinking styles.)

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 💡 Are your learning programs inadvertently excluding certain groups of employees? Let's face it: a one-size-fits-all approach in Learning and Development (L&D) can leave many behind, perpetuating inequity and stalling both individual and organizational growth. When learning opportunities aren't equitable, disparities in performance and career advancement become inevitable, weakening your workforce's overall potential. Here’s how to design inclusive L&D initiatives that cater to diverse learning needs and backgrounds: 📌 Conduct a Needs Assessment: Start by identifying the various demographics within your organization. Understand the unique challenges and barriers faced by different groups. This foundational step ensures your L&D programs are tailored to meet diverse needs. 📌 Develop Accessible Content: Design training materials that are accessible to all employees, including those with disabilities. Use subtitles, closed captions, and audio descriptions, and ensure compatibility with screen readers. This ensures everyone can engage fully with the content. 📌 Multimodal Learning Materials: People learn in different ways. Incorporate various formats such as videos, interactive modules, written guides, and live sessions to cater to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This diversity in material format can enhance comprehension and retention. 📌 Cultural Competency: Make sure your content respects and reflects the cultural diversity of your workforce. Incorporate examples and case studies from various cultural backgrounds to make the material relatable and inclusive. 📌 Flexible Learning Pathways: Offer flexible learning options that can be accessed at different times and paces. This flexibility supports employees who may have varying schedules or commitments outside of work. 📌 Inclusive Feedback Mechanisms: Create channels for feedback that are accessible to all employees. Ensure that feedback is actively sought and acted upon to continuously improve the inclusivity of your L&D programs. 📌 Train Trainers on Inclusive Practices: Equip your trainers with the skills and knowledge to deliver content inclusively. This involves understanding unconscious bias, cultural competency, and techniques to engage a diverse audience. Creating an inclusive learning environment isn’t just about compliance—it’s about unlocking the full potential of every employee. By prioritizing inclusivity, you promote equality, enhance performance, and support a more dynamic and innovative workforce. How are you making your L&D programs inclusive? Share your strategies below! ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #Inclusion #Diversity #WorkplaceLearning #EmployeeEngagement #CorporateTraining

💡 Louisa Rosenheck writes: As the demand grows for #edtech solutions that are responsive to the needs of #neurodiverse students, #inclusive learning design offers a powerful way to deliver better experiences for all learners. Edtech solutions are inclusive for neurodiverse learners when: 1. They are open to multiple modes of expression. When a solution offers multiple ways students can express themselves—such as writing, drawing or verbal communication—it allows learners to express themselves in ways that work best for them. 2. They invite many ways of getting a question “right.” Programs and apps can go beyond setting one correct answer for each question and instead create an open-ended experience that encourages students to explore, experiment, ideate and share their creativity with others. 3. They allow flexibility in time.  Inclusive edtech solutions can allow educators to adjust or remove time limits. 4. They reduce sensory overload. Inclusive edtech solutions should let users reduce visual clutter and adjust sound levels, as well as break down a given task into smaller steps and allow learners to focus on one step at a time. 5. They celebrate everyone’s strengths and ways of thinking. An inclusive learning experience may allow for multiple different success criteria, thereby recognizing that different ways of thinking each have merit. 6. They provide multiple ways to engage with the activity. By offering a variety of ways students can engage with the experience—for example, through both independent and collaborative tasks—more students can find something in the experience that resonates with them. The goal of inclusive learning is not to create separate solutions for #neurodivergent and neurotypical learners but rather to develop solutions that can foster richer learning experiences for everyone. The Universal Design for Learning framework, which emphasizes multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression to develop expert learners, is another useful tool in determining the inclusivity of an edtech solution. Inclusive design is crucial when considering how best to create positive learning experiences for learners of all types. When evaluating edtech solutions, administrators and educators should try to see the design of potential options through the lens of #inclusivity, because this aligns with what we know about making learning better for everyone. The design elements we’ve mentioned, which emphasize flexibility and customizability, lead to more open-ended learning experiences and higher-order thinking—which benefits not only neurodivergent learners but all learners. #accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityServices #UniversalDesign Joan Green Kirsten Behling #neurodiversity

Great eLearning platforms don't just happen... they're designed inclusively. Most people overlook accessibility in online learning. It's not just about ticking boxes. It's about empowering ALL learners. Here's how to make eLearning truly inclusive: 1️⃣ Embrace Accessibility Standards ✔️ Follow WCAG 2.1 and Section 508 guidelines. ✔️ Regular audits catch compliance gaps fast. 2️⃣ Design for Every Device ✔️ Responsive design isn't optional anymore. ✔️ Content must work on desktops, tablets, phones. 3️⃣ Leverage Assistive Tech ✔️ Integrate screen readers and text-to-speech. ✔️ Enable voice commands for navigation. 4️⃣ Boost Multimedia Accessibility ✔️ Captions and transcripts for all audio/video. ✔️ Descriptive alt text makes visuals accessible. 5️⃣ Train Your Team ✔️ Accessibility isn't just for developers. ✔️ Everyone needs to understand inclusive design. Inclusive design isn't a nice-to-have. It's essential for impactful eLearning. What's your biggest accessibility challenge?

“What are the policies and regulations that you need to overcome with ASL Aspire in deaf education?” There are none. And that’s exactly the problem. Accessibility and inclusive design aren’t baked into the system - they’re usually left as an afterthought, if at all. When you build for communities that have historically been excluded, you can’t wait for policy to catch up. You have to lead with empathy and design intentionally from day one. At ASL Aspire, that looks like: ✨ Co-creating curriculum alongside Deaf scientists and educators, so deaf students see themselves represented in STEM. ✨ Deaf scientists co-developing new ASL signs for complex scientific terms with the community that didn’t exist before, further breaking down barriers to understanding. ✨ Designing teacher dashboards that highlight where students need support, giving educators the tools to intervene in meaningful ways. Inclusive design isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about building belonging into the foundation of a product making sure students who have been left out of the system can finally thrive within it. #inclusivedesign #edtech #deafed