by Katie Novak with Lukas Fehlings
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) originated in the United States, but it has since evolved into a truly global movement. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities established an international commitment to inclusive education grounded in universal design, and UDL offers a practical way to make that vision a reality in classrooms everywhere. UNESCO has also identified UDL as a key driver of equity and accessibility in education systems worldwide. In addition, the International Baccalaureate (IB), a global network of schools serving students in more than 150 countries, explicitly refers to UDL as a framework for inclusive pedagogy, reinforcing that designing for learner variability is a universal priority.
That global momentum is powerful, but now it’s up to educators and leaders everywhere to make it real in their own communities.
As UDL continues to grow worldwide, educators are asking an important question: Who else is doing this near me? The truth is, UDL doesn’t spread through mandates; it spreads through connection. It grows when educators reach out, share what they are trying, and make their work visible. The next step in this global movement is to strengthen local networks that connect ideas, classrooms, schools, and communities. That means contacting colleagues through professional associations, attending conferences to share early progress, hosting small gatherings to exchange ideas, and visiting one another’s classrooms and schools to see UDL in practice. Progress becomes contagious when people can see it in action.
This kind of initiative is happening everywhere, and one educator’s story captures how it starts.
This story began with Lukas Fehlings, a teacher and leader from Freiburg in the south of Germany, while working just across the border in Switzerland, who decided not to wait for someone else to build a network; he started one himself. Today, Lukas and his colleagues across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are translating research, hosting discussions, and modeling inclusive practice in classrooms. His journey shows that change begins with one person, but it endures when that person invites others to join.
When we connected, Lukas shared the five steps he took to build his network, along with reflection prompts to help educators everywhere take action and create their own local communities of practice. The steps Lukas developed are not theoretical; they’re practical, teacher-driven, and replicable in any community. Here’s where he began.
Step 1: Start with yourself
As Lukas reminds us, every movement begins with one person willing to try something new, inspiring others to follow. He began with small experiments in his own classroom, like adjusting lessons, reflecting honestly on their impact on students, and focusing on removing barriers one step at a time. He shares, “I learned that transformation doesn’t mean reinventing everything. It means removing barriers step by step and taking learners’ variability seriously.”
You can start in the same way, regardless of your role.
- If you teach: Choose one lesson, one routine, or one unit and redesign it with UDL in mind. Identify a potential barrier, try one new strategy, and reflect on the results. If you want to begin to implement UDL in one part of your lesson design process? Try our UDL Planning Protocol, which includes AI prompts, to support you.
- If you lead: Choose one structure, meeting, or process like a PLC or a professional learning day, and redesign it to model inclusion and flexibility.
Start small because UDL grows through practice, not perfection. When you experiment visibly, you give others permission to try as well. Sharing what worked and what you learned builds trust, curiosity, and momentum across classrooms and teams.
Reflection Prompt: Choose one upcoming lesson, meeting, or process. Where might people encounter barriers, and what is one small change you could make to increase access or engagement?
Step 2: Learn from others and stay curious
As Lukas reminds us, UDL is a journey, not a checklist. Growth happens when we learn alongside others and remain curious. Once you start experimenting, the best way to sustain momentum is to learn from others who are also pushing the boundaries of inclusive design. He began connecting with educators around the world, taking online courses, reading, and joining discussions. Lukas was inspired by Loui Lord Nelson’s UDL Gears, which show how beliefs, design, and practice interlock like cogs, and Chrissie Butler’s UDL Circle from New Zealand.
“UDL is a journey, not a checklist. I continued learning – taking courses, joining webinars, reading everything I could find.” He went on to share, “These global perspectives encouraged me to stay curious and explore how something similar might take root in the German-speaking world.”
You can do the same in your own context.
- If you teach: Observe a colleague’s lesson, ask about their planning process, or swap examples of how you each design for variability.
- If you lead: Visit classrooms with your team, invite teachers to share bright spots during meetings, or connect with leaders in nearby schools to compare approaches.
Once you begin connecting with others who share your curiosity, the next step is to find and gather those voices locally.
Reflection Prompt: Who inspires you in education? When was the last time you reached out to learn from them or ask a question? Take one small action today to connect.
Step 3: Find like-minded people nearby
Every movement needs community. This step is where the transformation begins to scale. It’s one thing to learn about UDL; it’s another to find a colleague who’s just as excited to try something new.
Lukas realized that if there were passionate UDL practitioners around the world, there must also be educators close to home who shared the same vision. He started searching, at conferences, through professional associations, on social media, and one by one, people began to appear. Lukas shares, “We are twelve people so far, meeting regularly, discussing ideas, and exploring how to spread UDL in our contexts. Many others have already expressed interest in joining. The structure is still developing, but the energy is strong.”
You can do this too, no matter your role.
- If you teach: Ask a colleague to co-plan a lesson or observe each other’s classrooms. Post a short reflection or question about UDL on your school’s internal platform or a social-media thread. Attend a local PD session and share one takeaway or example from your own practice; it will draw in others who are curious.
- If you lead: Identify teachers who are already exploring inclusive design and bring them together for a short conversation. Highlight their work in a staff meeting or newsletter. Reach out to nearby schools or districts to compare approaches and create a small learning partnership.
Small actions build momentum. Even a ten-minute conversation can plant the seed for a network.
Reflection Prompt: Who in your professional circle is open to new ideas? Invite that person to a ten-minute conversation about UDL. It might be the beginning of a new network.
Step 4: Build a community
From individual connections, a community begins to grow. Lukas and his colleagues meet regularly to share challenges, co-design lessons, and explore how UDL fits into different education systems. “Scaling UDL means creating spaces for connection – formal or informal, online or in person. Every connection matters,” he reflected.
You can strengthen your own network by creating small, consistent spaces for dialogue and learning.
- If you teach: Gather colleagues for monthly UDL meet-ups, either in person or virtually. Co-plan a lesson, analyze student feedback on design choices, or explore ways to increase student choice and agency. Consider hosting a book club, sharing problems of practice, or collaborating on a proposal for a local conference.
- If you lead: Create dedicated time in staff or PLC meetings for teachers to share inclusive strategies or student reflections. Invite colleagues from other schools to join virtually and share what they are learning.
Reflection Prompt: How could you create a small space for dialogue and learning in your own context – maybe a monthly meet-up, a shared Padlet, or a collaborative folder?
Step 5: Bring UDL to life – support schools and make success visible
Networks are powerful, but UDL becomes transformative when it comes alive in our learning environments. This step involves transitioning from discussing UDL to demonstrating it. When educators and schools share their stories through open classrooms, newsletters, or professional learning, it inspires others to join the movement. Lukas now works alongside schools, reflecting on lessons, co-designing instruction, and translating key UDL resources into German to make them more accessible. “Translation is an act of inclusion,” he shared. “It opens the door for more educators to join the conversation.”
- If you teach: Invite colleagues to observe a lesson, host an open-classroom day, or record a short video reflection about what you tried and what you learned. Share your experience at a staff meeting, in a professional learning community, or through your district’s communication channels.
- If you lead: Highlight bright spots in newsletters, staff meetings, or professional learning sessions. Invite teachers and students to share examples of how barriers were reduced and engagement improved. Consider developing a simple “UDL in Action” gallery that showcases classroom innovations across your school or district. Host learning walks so others can experience your school’s UDL journey in practice.
Reflection Prompt: Which teacher or school do you know that’s already experimenting with UDL, or would like to start? How could you help make their experiences visible, whether through a short article, a conversation, or a post?
Lukas’s journey reminds us that lasting change always begins with one person willing to take the first step, but it flourishes through community. Each conversation, translation, and act of collaboration helps the spark of UDL spread a little further. When educators learn from one another and keep that fire burning, the vision of truly universal learning becomes not just an aspiration, but a reality. Or, as Lukas put it, “I deeply believe that when we create visibility, strengthen connections, and keep the fire burning, individual passion can grow into a sustainable movement – even in the German-speaking world.”
About the Co-Author
Lukas is a special education teacher and the Head of Special Education for the Canton of Basel-Stadt, Switzerland. He is a passionate UDL advocate working to establish Universal Design for Learning as a shared language for inclusive education in the German-speaking world. He is currently leading, with his two colleagues, Stewart Campbell and Thomas Müller, the development of a growing network of educators from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, advancing UDL through practice, research, and school development.
