George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
TLX offers Universal Design Certificate
Please complete the form below if you are interested in taking part in the Fall 2026 cohort.
Fall 2026 Cohort Registration form
Course Description:
Participants in this course embark on a learning journey that focuses on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and expands its current application to address the impacts and intersectionality of oppressions that our learners may experience as barriers to reaching their full learning potential. These barriers may include anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, etc. In this course, participants explore the UDL framework and examine its intersections with complementary initiatives such as antiracism, decolonization, the social model of disability, and others. The UDL framework offers opportunities to co-design inclusive learning environments, honour students’ lived experiences and unique strengths and challenges, and work towards creating welcoming learning environments where all students belong and thrive.
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this certificate course, participants will be able to:
- Examine the ways that the UDL, anti-oppressive practice (AOP), antiracism, and decolonization frameworks support learners.
- Assess perceptions about student motivation, social inclusion, barriers to learning, assessment, and expert learning.
- Construct flexible teaching and learning environments that honour learner variability, diversity, and lived experience.
- Reflect on ongoing practice and discovery within a learning community context guided by key elements and principles of UDL.
- Explore the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in creating shared learning environments (informed by UDL, AOP, antiracism, and decolonization).
Certificate Completion:
This course is designed to be practical, engaging, and directly connected to your teaching practice. Because it’s a Pass/Fail course, you won’t be graded on points or percentages. Instead, your success depends on showing meaningful engagement across all parts of the course.
Here’s what that looks like:
Interactive Activities
Throughout the modules, you’ll find short activities, knowledge checks, and practice tasks. These help you test ideas in real time and apply UDL principles right away.
Reflection Points
At key moments, you’ll pause to reflect on what you’ve learned. These short written or multimedia reflections are your chance to connect course ideas to your own teaching context and think critically about accessibility, equity, and anti-oppression.
Collaborative Activities & Discussion Posts
You’ll engage with your peers in discussions and collaborative tasks. The goal is to share insights, challenge ideas, and learn from one another. Quality matters more than quantity, thoughtful contributions make the difference.
Synchronous Sessions
We’ll meet virtually four times during the course. These sessions are opportunities to dive deeper, connect with colleagues, and work through case studies together. Participation means showing up, contributing, and being present in the conversation.
Capstone Project
Your final task is to revamp a teaching artifact from your practice (like a lesson plan, syllabus, or assignment). You’ll redesign it using UDL principles and an anti-oppressive lens, then provide a short rationale explaining your choices and the impact you hope to make.