Building Inclusive and Flexible Learning: An Interview with Katja Hakel

In this C3Be Blog interview, Marie Kohart, a senior instructional designer with Jayhawk Flex at the University of Kansas (KU), and Katja Hakel, a Full Professor in Academic Development at the University of Agder (UiA) in Norway, discuss the vital intersection of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), accessibility, and Competency-Based Education (CBE).

Their collaboration began last year when Katja was a visiting professor in the Department of Special Education at KU, where they launched projects focused on inclusive and flexible learning design. Katja’s recent visit to KU allowed them to further develop these initiatives, which will continue in May with a series of workshops in Norway. These workshops aim to support faculty in designing learner-centered, competency-driven courses by integrating UDL principles, accessibility standards, and CBE frameworks. Key topics will include leveraging digital tools, hybrid and asynchronous learning environments, and practical strategies for creating skills-based learning outcomes.

But first a short UDL primer.

What is UDL and Why Does it Matter? 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework designed to optimize teaching and learning for all people, based on insights from the science of how humans learn. UDL encourages creating flexible learning environments that accommodate individual learning differences by incorporating multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression. This approach ensures that all learners, regardless of ability or background, can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities. To learn more about Universal Design for Learning, explore the UDL Guidelines from CAST, which provide practical strategies to make learning more inclusive and effective. These guidelines are especially helpful in designing courses that support diverse learners, ensuring accessibility while maintaining academic rigor.
 

UDL and Competency-Based Education (CBE): A Natural Alignment 

UDL and CBE share a common goal: providing flexible, learner-centered educational experiences. UDL focuses on creating multiple pathways for students to access and demonstrate learning, while CBE emphasizes achieving clear, measurable outcomes at an individualized pace. Together, these frameworks empower students to master competencies in ways that suit their unique strengths and needs.

Marie and Katja’s work demonstrates how integrating UDL into CBE frameworks enhances course accessibility and flexibility, creating meaningful learning experiences for all students. Their efforts highlight tools like Ally and institutional standards such as KU’s WCAG Guidelines, which provide essential frameworks for designing accessible and inclusive courses.

This work aligns closely with KU’s commitment to promoting accessibility and learner success. Through initiatives like Jayhawk Flex, KU aims to ensure all learners have equitable access to quality education, reflecting the university’s broader mission of fostering innovation, inclusion, and academic excellence.

Interview

Marie Kohart: Tell us a little about yourself and the work that you do.

Katja Hakel: I am a Full Professor in Academic Development at the University of Agder (UiA) in Kristiansand, Norway. In comparison to U.S. academic roles, my position is similar to that of an Instructional Designer. My purpose is to enhance the educational quality of our programs and courses by mentoring and supporting the professional development (PD) of faculty at UiA.

My primary interests include researching and teaching about the promotion track for teaching faculty - from Associate to Full Professor, implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education, and exploring various educational policy topics within academic development.

Can you tell us a little about your experience integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility principles into higher education programs at the University of Agder? What challenges and successes have you encountered in making courses more accessible?

In Norwegian higher education, faculty members hold both the responsibility and freedom to determine the content and structure of their courses and programs. Consequently, my role is an indirect one, aiming to increase faculty’s knowledge, skills, and willingness to integrate UDL and accessibility into their teaching practices.

I have only been at UiA for a few months, but I previously spent ten years at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). In research conducted with a colleague at NTNU, we examined how our institution’s professional development initiatives on UDL and accessibility influenced faculty’s teaching. Our findings indicate that long-term UDL implementation hinges on the academic environment - particularly colleagues’ attitudes towards equity and inclusion and leadership support - alongside faculty members’ prior experiences, knowledge, and motivation. Additionally, the format of the professional development program plays a crucial role. Faculty benefit from having ongoing meeting spaces even after completing formal training, easy access to support staff (such as media or Canvas specialists), and a collaborative academic environment that encourages the sharing of experiences and challenges. The more faculty felt they had these supports in place, the more successfully they incorporated UDL into their daily teaching practices.

How do you see the role of faculty development evolving as more institutions focus on accessibility and inclusive teaching practices? What strategies have you found most effective in supporting faculty to prioritize accessibility in their course design?

I have engaged with UDL from different perspectives, both as an institutional, top-down policy initiative and as a grassroots, bottom-up approach led by individual faculty deeply invested in UDL principles. Despite national and international legislative frameworks and institutional policies, mandating that faculty ensure their courses and programs are accessible and inclusive, the main challenge remains: UDL is an expansive and somewhat abstract field, and many faculty lack awareness or strategies to implement it in specific, manageable ways. This challenge is often linked to the institution’s lack of information and training strategies.

For example, Ally, a tool integrated into both Canvas and Blackboard, has been adopted as the national accessibility checker tool in Norway. However, most students and faculty are either unaware of Ally or intimidated by its technical features, which may seem complex. Furthermore, Norway’s relatively homogeneous population and robust welfare system, which provides study grants for all citizens and assistive technology, and individual accommodations for all those with documented impairments, shape faculty’s perceptions. Many assume that students in need of support would be directed to these services automatically. This misconception underscores the need for institutional strategies that make accessibility an integral part of course design rather than an optional add-on.

During our upcoming workshops, we’ll be focusing on flexible learning, hybrid teaching, and accessibility. How do you approach designing learning experiences that are both flexible and accessible while maintaining high standards for student achievement?

In Norwegian higher education, academic developers do not design specific teaching, learning, or assessment activities for faculty; these decisions remain the faculty’s right and responsibility. However, in a current project, we are assisting faculty interested in a course design model that supports digital and flexible learning. In a recent White Paper, the Norwegian government emphasized that higher education institutions should develop flexible and accessible courses for citizens in all regions, recognizing the low population density outside urban centers. This is particularly relevant for professionals - such as nurses, engineers, welders etc - who need to maintain or develop competencies in rural areas. Lifelong learning is a key priority in current Norwegian educational policy.

In our project, UiA’s Centre for Teaching and Learning has developed a workshop for faculty in eight different regular and micro-credential courses, providing further resources and mentoring as needed. However, we recognize that faculty face challenges such as data privacy (GDPR), legislative constraints on programs and courses, and access to technology and licenses. Since the implementation of new course designs or TLA activities is an autonomous decision by the faculty, it is even more important to anticipate these needs ahead of time and address them through strategies such as those mentioned above. Our research collaboration with Marie Kohart at KU will help us understand and anticipate faculty needs, allowing us to refine our support strategies for future implementations.

Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of higher education as it continues to adopt flexible, accessible, and inclusive learning approaches? What role do you think UDL and accessibility will play in this transformation?

Currently, UDL and accessibility in Norwegian higher education focus primarily on supporting students with different abilities, including those with physical impairments (such as low vision or hearing) and learning challenges (such as dyslexia, anxiety, or attention difficulties). However, with increasing numbers of refugees entering higher education—especially from conflict-affected countries such as Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, and Gaza—we need to expand our understanding of inclusion to encompass culturally responsive teaching or trauma-informed practices. We are also just beginning to acknowledge the rights and historical experiences of our indigenous student populations, which adds another dimension to inclusive education in Norway.
These emerging focus areas require education that is more flexible and accessible, though it may not always be labeled explicitly as “UDL” or “accessibility.” As an academic developer, particularly in mentoring faculty along the teaching associate and full professor track, I see my role as a catalyst, connector, and enabler. Bath and Smith (2004) model, which illustrates the overlap between discipline-specific expertise and academic development, captures this role well: bringing faculty’s disciplinary knowledge into the scholarship of teaching and learning, while contributing with my expertise in the discipline of higher education.
 

Figure 1: Overlap of discipline boundaries for discipline academics and academic developers (Bath & Smith, 2004, p.23)

Conclusion

This interview with Katja Hakel offers actionable insights and strategies for educators striving to create accessible, competency-driven learning environments. By integrating UDL and CBE principles, educators can design courses that are not only inclusive and flexible but also prepare students for success in an ever-changing world.

Next Steps: Explore the UDL Guidelines and KU’s WCAG Guidelines to begin integrating these principles into your teaching. If you’ve implemented inclusive and competency-based learning strategies, consider sharing your experiences or ideas to inspire others in the C3Be Blog community.

Reference:
Bath, D. and C. Smith (2004). "Academic developers: an academic tribe claiming their territory in higher education." International Journal for Academic Development 9(1): 9-27.