Inclusive Design for Learning

Education is a fundamental human right; it should not be viewed as an industry. Educators know that every student is unique and variable and that there is no average student. Yet most school systems standardize education. Society’s greatest asset is human diversity. Our ability to respond to the unexpected, innovate and evolve is fuelled by our diversity. Inclusive Design for Learning is a practice that supports optimizing unique human differences and creating the conditions for a diverse (yet cohesive) global learning community of lifelong learners. This benefits not just struggling students but all students. In addition to the complex task of providing education to learners who are no longer in classrooms, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and amplified the inequities and barriers in education. The inequities are not new or the result of social distancing and other public health measures. The pandemic has highlighted the lack of flexibility and adaptability within education systems, causing some students to feel the harm more than others.