Imagine Education Like a Playground

(Image source: Freepik, 2025)

Imagine a playground built only for professional athletes. The monkey bars are ten feet high, the slides are super steep, and the swings require perfect balance. Most kids wouldn’t be able to use it, and honestly, they wouldn’t even want to. Now, think of education working the same way—set up for only one kind of learner while leaving others struggling to keep up. That’s why inclusive learning design isn’t just about making exceptions for some students; it’s about making sure everyone can learn right from the start.

Learning That Works for Everyone

Teachings in Education. (2018, March 12). Universal Design for Learning: UDL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmGgplQkrVw

Too often, accessibility in education is only considered after a student struggles. Adjustments are made, but the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) flips this idea on its head, saying, “Let’s make learning work for everyone from the start.” It’s like automatic doors—originally designed for people with mobility challenges, but now they help anyone, from parents with strollers to delivery workers carrying packages. When learning is flexible, it benefits everyone, not just a few. This idea is clearly explained in the video Universal Design for Learning: UDL by Teachings in Education (2018), which shows how making learning flexible from the start can help all students engage with the material in a way that works best for them.

A Buffet, Not a Fixed Menu

Learning should be like a buffet, not a set menu. At a buffet, you pick what works for you, whether that’s because of allergies, cultural preferences, or just personal taste. Education should work the same way. Some students learn best through videos, others through reading or hands-on activities. Giving options—like discussion boards, podcasts, or project-based learning—makes it easier for everyone to find a way that makes sense to them.

Adapting to Unexpected Challenges

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. A sudden shift to online learning, for example, can make it harder for students to participate. To keep everyone engaged, we can use discussion boards, recorded lectures, and live Q&A sessions. Providing simple guides on how to use online tools can also help students feel more comfortable. Flexibility is key—offering both synchronous and asynchronous options allows students to work at their own pace, no matter where they are.

Identifying and Reducing Barriers

One planned learning activity in our Blueprint is group discussions. While these can be a great way to share ideas, they might not work for everyone. Some students may struggle with speaking in front of others, while others might have scheduling conflicts. To make discussions more inclusive, we can allow students to participate in different ways—such as through written posts, voice recordings, or even one-on-one discussions with the instructor. The goal is to give students choices so they can engage in a way that feels comfortable for them.

What We Can Learn from Public Spaces

(Image source: Child in the City, 2024)

Some of the best inclusive designs come from everyday places. Take those textured sidewalk strips—they were made to help visually impaired pedestrians, but they also help parents with strollers, cyclists, and people rolling suitcases. Education can follow this idea by adding captions to videos, allowing different ways to complete assignments, and being flexible with deadlines. These small changes make a huge difference in who gets to fully participate.

Universal Design in Action

A great example of universal design in engineering is voice-controlled smart home devices. Originally designed for people with mobility impairments, they now help everyone—whether it’s adjusting the thermostat while cooking or turning off the lights from bed. We can apply this idea to education by designing courses with built-in accessibility features, like narrated presentations, text-to-speech options, and self-paced modules. This way, learning is more flexible and works for everyone, not just those who need accommodations.

Making Learning Work for All

(Image source: Instructure, 2020)

Instead of asking, “How can we help students adjust?” we should be asking, “How do we create a learning space where no one has to adjust in the first place?” When we think about accessibility from the start, we build classrooms—both physical and online—where every student has the chance to learn, grow, and succeed without unnecessary obstacles.

Reference List:

Instructure. (2020, September 8). Opening doors to learning: The essential role of accessibility in K-12 schools. Instructure. https://www.instructure.com/resources/blog/opening-doors-learning-essential-role-accessibility-k-12-schools

Child in the City. (2024, January 9). Making public spaces better for children: A new blog series. Child in the City. https://www.childinthecity.org/2024/01/09/making-public-spaces-better-for-children-a-new-blog-series/?gdpr=accept

Freepik. (n.d.). AI imagine school playground with kids playing [Image]. Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/premium-ai-image/ai-imagine-school-playground-with-kids-playing_350046311.htm