GARCIA LAZARO, IRENE, Villaciervos-Moreno P. , Alba-Pastor C. , González-Ramírez T.
No
Curriculum Perspectives
Article
Científica
0
2
01/01/2026
2-s2.0-105049617964
Inclusive education is a challenge for education systems worldwide. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an internationally recognised theoretical and practical framework that helps educators address this challenge, particularly in early childhood education. Recognising diversity among students in any context, UDL provides an inclusive approach to teaching by proposing inclusive measures organised around three main principles to create engaging, multi-format, and multi-expressive learning environments. As in many countries, UDL has been included in the Spanish educational curriculum, and each region is adapting its legislation to this new model. However, UDL is not being integrated effectively. As part of a nationally funded project, this study examines policy documents through a mixed-methods approach to address three research objectives. First, it seeks to explore the presence, treatment, and impact of UDL in the early childhood education curricula of the 19 Spanish regions. Second, it aims to investigate the political-educational implications of this curricular transformation. Third, it aims to propose recommendations based on the shortcomings found in the analysed implementation. UDL terminology and the presence of the model in legislative documents were examined statistically. Additionally, an analysis was conducted to determine whether explicit and implicit guidance for implementing UDL was provided through instructions, guidelines, and examples within education legislation and regulation. Findings suggest a limited understanding of the framework and little guidance to support teachers’ decision-making in planning and teaching. Although UDL is recognised as a relevant reference point, its development in the regional curricula is insufficient, raising questions about the measures and resources needed to ensure truly inclusive education. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Australian Curriculum Studies Association 2026.
Case analysis; Curriculum; Early childhood; Regulation; Universal Design for Learning