Design and teach for all: examining faculty-lived experience with inclusive teaching practices

In higher education, faculty use inclusive course design and teaching practices to support learner success. These strategies are essential as the number of students with learning challenges and diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds is rising. Thus, this study explores how faculty in U.S. higher education implement inclusive teaching strategies to support students with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Guided by Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), it examines how faculty address learning barriers, and navigate instructional challenges through these dual lenses. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected from ten faculty members at a South-Central research university in the U.S. through surveys, interviews, and teaching artifacts. The survey gathered faculty demographic information, while thematic analysis of interviews revealed seven themes: accessibility adjustment, dynamic strategies, flexibility, technology integration, cultural engagement, student diversity, and technological barriers. Findings highlight faculty commitment to inclusive pedagogy and underscore the importance of UDL and CRP in promoting accessibility and equity in higher education.