Topic

Neuro-illuminate is a government funded sector‑wide professional learning initiative led by Ulster University to embed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) across Further Education (FE) colleges in Northern Ireland. Its focus is providing teacher professional learning on neurodiversity‑affirming practice in vocational and adult learning through the lens of UDL. While UDL has a strong theoretical basis and a growing evidence base for enhancing access, engagement, and learner variability (Almeqdad, et.al. 2023), institutional uptake often stalls without robust implementation support. Neuro-illuminate responds to this challenge by integrating teacher professional learning, leadership training, practical interventions on practice and dissemination of innovative practice to translate UDL from policy aspiration into meaningful institutional change to promote better accessibility (Capp, 2017., Rose. et.al. 2000).

Research Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Neuro-illuminate intervention by examining shifts in organisational culture, governance and inclusive practice, and by assessing changes in educators’ confidence, knowledge and implementation of UDL‑aligned, neuroinclusive pedagogies using mixed‑methods data from surveys and semi‑structured interviews.

Research Question

To what extent does the Neuro-illuminate professional development intervention foster systemic change across Further Education colleges and enhance educators’ neuroinclusive pedagogical practices?

Theoretical Framework

Through the lens of social justice theory the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) underpins this study as an equity‑driven pedagogical framework that treats learner variability as a structural reality rather than an individual deficit. UDL assumes that barriers to learning arise from curricular, environmental and institutional design, not from learners, thereby framing inclusive design as a core issue of educational justice. This aligns with Fraser’s (2008) social justice model of redistribution, recognition and representation, which argues that equitable participation requires addressing economic inequalities, cultural marginalisation and political voice simultaneously. From this standpoint, UDL’s proactive principles serve as mechanisms of redistribution (equitable access to knowledge), recognition (valuing diverse ways of knowing rather than pathologising difference) and representation (ensuring all learners can meaningfully participate and demonstrate understanding). By embedding multiple means of engagement, representation and action/expression, UDL disrupts exclusionary traditions that privilege normative learner profiles and resonate with inclusive pedagogy’s aim to extend what is ordinarily available to everyone. Positioned within a social justice frame, UDL becomes not just an accessibility tool but a transformative approach aimed at dismantling maldistribution, countering misrecognition and challenging misrepresentation, thereby asserting inclusive design as an ethical and political imperative for achieving parity of participation in education (Hanesworth, et. al 2019).

European Policy Contribution.Neuro-illuminate operationalises EU‑level commitments to inclusive and accessible lifelong learning, aligning with the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030, the Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (2018), and the European Accessibility Act (2019/882), as well as the UNCRPD Article 24 on inclusive education. The programme’s governance, digital content strategy, and accessibility standards explicitly map to these frameworks, offering a transferable model for European Vocational Education systems.

Methodology. This study employs a mixed methods design using semi structured interviews and surveys to examine the effectiveness of the Neuro-illuminate intervention on both systemic change across participating Further Education (FE) colleges and its pedagogical impact on practitioners’ neuroinclusive practices. Quantitative data was collected through pre and post intervention surveys administered participants involved in Neuro-illuminate. Survey instruments capture changes in UDL related beliefs, perceived self efficacy, confidence in supporting neurodiverse learners, and perceptions of organisational readiness for inclusive practice. Because the small sample constrains (n=14 -full cohort). Given the focus on systemic change, interview protocols include questions about cross college collaboration, leadership commitment, and the embedding of UDL principles within organisational policy and professional development pathways. Data was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2019) reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns across qualitative datasets. This approach enables a systematic, iterative analytic process suited to capturing depth and complexity in participant perspectives.

Anticipated Contributions. The paper will demonstrate how governance, targeted investment, and cross college collaboration enable system wide adoption of UDL and offer a policy aligned, exportable blueprint for FE providers across Europe seeking to advance inclusive, accessible, and digitally enabled learning ecosystems. This responds directly to EU priorities for quality, inclusive, and accessible education and for strengthening teachers’ inclusive pedagogies.

Capp, M.J., (2017). The effectiveness of universal design for learning: A meta-analysis of literature between 2013 and 2016. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 21(8), pp.791-807. Council of the EU. (2018). Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (2018/C 189/01). European Commission. (2021). Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030 European Parliament & Council. (2019). Directive (EU) 2019/882- the European Accessibility Act. Fraser, N., 2008. Social justice in the age of identity politics: Redistribution, recognition, and participation. In Geographic thought (pp. 72-89). Routledge. Hanesworth, P., Bracken, S. and Elkington, S., 2019. A typology for a social justice approach to assessment: Learning from universal design and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(1), pp.98-114.Rose, D., 2000. Universal design for learning. Journal of Special Education Technology, 15(4), pp.47-51.