Universal Design for Learning Symposium

Information Session: UDL 101

Drs. Katryna Andrusik and Yewon Lee will introduce you to Universal Design for Learning. What is it? Why is it important? How can you use it, and how does it impact learners? In this session, participants will explore the foundations of UDL, including a vignette of a neurodiverse learner that highlights common barriers students face in traditional learning environments. The session will examine the policy context and mandates that underscore the importance of accessible learning, while emphasizing why UDL is essential for fostering equity and inclusion. Through concrete examples, attendees will see what UDL looks like in practice and how it can be applied in their own courses or programs. The session will conclude by reflecting on the meaningful impact that inclusive, flexible design can have on neurodiverse learners and, ultimately, on all students.

Faculty experts:

• Katryna Andrusik CHSE, Special Education 
  • Dr. Katryna Andrusik is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, where she co-directs the Disability Studies Minor and advises the M.Ed. Specialty Program in Special Education. She teaches courses in the Special Education teacher preparation program and the Disability Studies minor, with a focus on inclusive and high-quality instructional practices. Prior to joining the faculty, she spent seven years as a middle and high school educator in Baltimore City Public Schools and later served as an instructional coach, administrator, and curriculum leader. Dr. Andrusik frequently facilitates professional learning locally, nationally, and internationally on Universal Design for Learning, reading instruction, and inclusive practices. Her research centers on teacher preparation, literacy instruction, and disability sustaining pedagogy.
• Yewon Lee CHSE, Special Education 
  • Dr. Yewon Lee is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education. She teaches courses in special education and works closely with future educators to support equitable access to STEM learning for students with disabilities. Her scholarship focuses on designing and implementing science writing interventions for adolescent students with learning disabilities and English learners. She has developed and studied innovative instructional approaches that strengthen students’ causal and mechanistic reasoning through structured linguistic and cognitive supports. Dr. Lee’s work advances inclusive STEM education by bridging research and classroom practice.

Gallery Walk

Recipients of the 2025 Inclusive and Accessible Teaching Grants used Universal Design for Learning to make instructional changes to improve access for all learners. Explore posters highlighting their instructional strategies and consider strategies you might apply in your course.

Practitioner Panel: UDL Across Disciplines

Hear from instructors from a range of fields as they share how they have applied Universal Design for Learning principles in their contexts. Panelists will offer concrete examples of inclusive teaching strategies that expand access through multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Ask questions and explore practical ideas for your own teaching.

Panelists:

• Shannon Edward SPHL, Public Health Science 
  • Course: Public Health Science in Action: Applied Health Solutions (PHSC490)
  • Shannon Edward serves as the Experiential Learning Manager for the Public Health Science program. She supports students through experiential, curricular, and co-curricular learning opportunities that enhance academic and career readiness. Since 2014, she has held multiple roles within the University System of Maryland focused on student success. Shannon holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University and a master’s degree in Counseling in Higher Education from the University of Delaware. Her work centers on integrating applied learning experiences into the public health curriculum.
• Maira Goytia CMNS, Biology 
  • Course: Anatomy and Physiology I (BSCI201)
  • Dr. Maira Goytia is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Her teaching focuses on supporting student success in large-enrollment science courses by building inclusive learning environments and incorporating collaborative group activities. Prior to joining UMD, Dr. Goytia was an Assistant Professor of Biology at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia where she led a research group studying antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in commensal Neisseria species, taught upper-level electives and required courses for biology majors, and advised undergraduate students. She earned her PhD in Parasitology in Paris, France, where her research focused on Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. She later completed postdoctoral and Senior Research Associate positions at Emory University studying antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
• Aner Tal ARHU, Jewish Studies 
  • Course: Rational Irrationality: What Behavioral Economics Can Teach Us About Behavior and Beliefs (ECON298B)
  • Dr. Aner Tal is a Visiting Professor at UMD whose teaching spans marketing, behavioral economics, applied psychology, entrepreneurship, and product development. He has taught both undergraduate and graduate students in the United States and Israel. His research examines irrationality and cognitive distortions, including how environmental factors and emerging technologies such as AI influence judgments of truth, morality, quality. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Tal consults with organizations across sectors to improve product design and communication strategies. He holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from Duke University and has held academic leadership roles in marketing and international programs.

Closing: Plan Your Next Steps

Put what you’ve learned into action. Consider what new practices you might integrate into your own teaching and reflect on potential impacts for student learning. Join colleagues in synthesizing your knowledge. Celebrate your commitment to teaching and earn the Universal Design for Learning Practitioner meta-credential from the TLTC Teaching Academy.