A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework

Abstract The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been developed to address students’ differences and meet their learning needs to promote inclusive education development. Although some empirical studies investigated professionals’ beliefs toward the UDL framework and how beliefs influe...

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Main Authors: Chen Han, Jianghua Lei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-07-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05336-3
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author Chen Han
Jianghua Lei
author_facet Chen Han
Jianghua Lei
author_sort Chen Han
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been developed to address students’ differences and meet their learning needs to promote inclusive education development. Although some empirical studies investigated professionals’ beliefs toward the UDL framework and how beliefs influence their practices, most research focused more on in-service teachers’ beliefs and practices than pre-service teachers. Teacher candidates are future teachers, so their beliefs and practices in teacher education programmes may form their teaching philosophy and practices in future teaching. Also, there has been no clear systematic understanding of how pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the UDL framework influence their practices to support the inclusion of students with disabilities. This study used a scoping review methodology to locate previous studies about pre-service teachers’ beliefs toward the UDL framework published in peer-reviewed journals in the past ten years (2014–2024). The data analysis conceptualised three themes, adaptation and inclusion, equity and access, and being active and flexible, to understand pre-service teachers’ beliefs of the UDL framework. The predictors and factors influencing pre-service teachers’ practices using the UDL framework were outlined. However, some challenges and barriers, including the lack of resources, classroom management, and rigid curriculum, influenced the effectiveness of pre-service teachers’ use of the UDL framework. The implications for future research and the recommendations for teacher education programmes in inclusive education are also provided.
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spelling doaj-art-97aa9d42a0eb4e6aa5f549fc73c81ec62025-08-20T03:45:27ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-07-0112111310.1057/s41599-025-05336-3A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning frameworkChen Han0Jianghua Lei1Central China Normal UniversityCentral China Normal UniversityAbstract The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been developed to address students’ differences and meet their learning needs to promote inclusive education development. Although some empirical studies investigated professionals’ beliefs toward the UDL framework and how beliefs influence their practices, most research focused more on in-service teachers’ beliefs and practices than pre-service teachers. Teacher candidates are future teachers, so their beliefs and practices in teacher education programmes may form their teaching philosophy and practices in future teaching. Also, there has been no clear systematic understanding of how pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the UDL framework influence their practices to support the inclusion of students with disabilities. This study used a scoping review methodology to locate previous studies about pre-service teachers’ beliefs toward the UDL framework published in peer-reviewed journals in the past ten years (2014–2024). The data analysis conceptualised three themes, adaptation and inclusion, equity and access, and being active and flexible, to understand pre-service teachers’ beliefs of the UDL framework. The predictors and factors influencing pre-service teachers’ practices using the UDL framework were outlined. However, some challenges and barriers, including the lack of resources, classroom management, and rigid curriculum, influenced the effectiveness of pre-service teachers’ use of the UDL framework. The implications for future research and the recommendations for teacher education programmes in inclusive education are also provided.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05336-3
spellingShingle Chen Han
Jianghua Lei
A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
title_full A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
title_fullStr A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
title_full_unstemmed A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
title_short A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
title_sort scoping review of pre service teachers beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05336-3
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