Nigerian Math Teachers Use Inclusive Teaching Without Ever Hearing of UDL

Mathematics teachers in Nigeria may be quietly practicing one of education’s most celebrated inclusive frameworks without ever having heard its name. A new study of in-service secondary school mathematics teachers in Enugu State reveals a striking paradox: teachers scored low on formal awareness of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), yet reported moderately frequent use of instructional practices squarely aligned with its principles. The researchers, led by Augustina C. Nzeadibe of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, together with Felix O. Egara of the University of the Free State, South Africa, call this phenomenon implicit UDL practice, and their findings, published in Discover Education, could reshape how inclusive teaching is understood in resource-constrained classrooms worldwide.

UDL is a framework developed by the nonprofit CAST, rooted in cognitive neuroscience and constructivist learning theory. It rests on three principles: Multiple Means of Engagement, which stimulates learner interest and motivation through real-world applications, gamified experiences, and culturally relevant examples; Multiple Means of Representation, which presents mathematical content in varied formats such as visual aids, manipulatives, technology-based resources, and verbal explanations; and Multiple Means of Action and Expression, which allows students to demonstrate understanding through written work, oral responses, interactive digital assessments, or project-based tasks. The framework treats learner variability as a normal and expected feature of every classroom rather than a deficit to be remediated, drawing on Vygotsky’s social constructivism to argue that learning emerges through interaction, scaffolding, and meaningful engagement.

To investigate whether teachers in Enugu State knew and applied these principles, the team adopted a convergent mixed-methods design. The Nsukka Education Zone, spanning the Nsukka, Igbo-Etiti, and Uzo-Uwani Local Government Areas, employed 164 in-service mathematics teachers in public secondary schools. Applying the Taro Yamane formula, the researchers calculated a recommended sample of 117 participants, selected through simple random sampling from a comprehensive teacher list. Questionnaires were distributed in person, and 105 valid responses were retrieved, distributed across Nsukka (45), Igbo-Etiti (33), and Uzo-Uwani (27). The quantitative strand was complemented by semi-structured interviews with five teachers, a qualitative sample the authors justified through the principle of information power rather than numerical size.

The survey instrument, the Universal Design for Learning Knowledge and Awareness Questionnaire (UDL-KAQ), was adapted from a validated tool originally designed for special education teachers in Saudi Arabia by Alquraini and Rao. Items were tailored to the Nigerian secondary mathematics context and subjected to expert review by three scholars at the University of Nigeria with expertise in mathematics education, educational psychology, and educational measurement. A pilot test with 20 teachers outside the main study produced a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.87, indicating strong internal consistency. The questionnaire used a 5-point Likert scale, with a benchmark mean of 3.00 set as the interpretation threshold: values at or above 3.00 indicated agreement, values below indicated disagreement.

The headline quantitative result was unambiguous. Teachers’ self-reported awareness and understanding of UDL scored a grand mean of 1.99, well below the benchmark. Every awareness item fell under 3.00, with participants particularly reporting limited exposure to formal UDL training and low confidence in explaining UDL concepts or distinguishing the framework from other inclusive education approaches. The interviews echoed this with disarming candor. One teacher asked, Honestly, I have never heard of UDL before. Is it a new teaching method? Another admitted, I am not sure what UDL means, but I think it might be about making learning easier for students. None of the five interviewees had received any formal training, pointing to an absence of institutional efforts to build UDL capacity.

Yet the implementation data told a very different story. Teachers reported moderate use of UDL-aligned instructional practices, with a grand mean of 3.14, above the benchmark. Participants described relatively frequent use of flexible strategies: presenting mathematical concepts through multiple approaches, allowing different modes of student expression, and adapting instruction for diverse learners. Interview responses clarified the disconnect. One teacher shared, I use various resources, but I don’t know if it is aligned with UDL principles, while another noted, I try to use different teaching methods to reach all students. Others described grouping students by ability or using visual aids, strategies compatible with UDL’s flexible approach. The researchers argue these adaptations emerged from experiential classroom engagement and contextual responsiveness rather than theoretical grounding, meaning the relationship between formal awareness and instructional practice is neither linear nor mutually dependent.

The barriers teachers identified were formidable and largely structural. The most frequently cited challenges included insufficient knowledge of UDL, lack of institutional support and training, difficulty differentiating instruction for diverse learners, large class sizes, and limited instructional resources. Interviews underscored how these constraints compound rather than operate in isolation. One teacher observed, Even if I am aware of UDL, class size and meeting diverse student needs may not be easy. Another remarked, I believe UDL involves technology, and here, limited infrastructure is a big challenge. A third was blunt: We do not have enough support from management, that’s all. The authors note that these conditions reflect broader systemic issues in many African education systems, including overcrowded classrooms, underfunded schools, and a lack of inclusion-oriented policies, and that similar barriers have been reported in other low-resource educational systems globally.

Despite these obstacles, teachers expressed strong willingness to adopt UDL when supported adequately. Survey responses showed high agreement across proposed improvement strategies, particularly professional development, inclusion of UDL in teacher education programs, improved resource provision, technological support, and collaborative learning opportunities. Interviews reinforced this enthusiasm. One teacher said, We need proper training on UDL so we understand how to use it, while another emphasized, Having access to technology and digital tools would help teachers implement UDL more effectively. A third called for policy action: Policymakers should provide workshops, resources, and incentives. The authors interpret this as evidence that teacher willingness is strongly conditioned by the availability of institutional support systems, professional learning opportunities, and instructional resources capable of sustaining inclusive practice.

Theoretically, the study’s central contribution is the conceptualization of implicit UDL practice. The findings challenge the assumption that effective inclusive instruction always depends on formal pedagogical knowledge or structured professional development. Instead, teachers may acquire inclusive behaviors through ongoing interactions with learners, contextual problem-solving, and experiential professional learning. The authors caution, however, that the absence of intentional design may limit the consistency, depth, and sustainability of such practices. Without awareness of UDL’s three principles, teachers are unlikely to systematically eliminate learning barriers or respond deliberately to learner variability. The results partially align with prior work, including Craig and colleagues’ finding of a positive correlation between UDL implementation and student achievement on standardized tests, and Lambert and colleagues’ demonstration that UDL training shifted teachers from passive to proactive instructional designers, a shift absent in the Nigerian context due to lack of training.

The study carries clear implications. Teacher education institutions could embed UDL principles in pre-service and in-service programs, since teachers cannot implement what they do not understand. Curriculum developers and policymakers could align national mathematics syllabi with UDL principles to ensure inclusivity for learners with diverse needs. School administrators could provide digital tools, manipulatives, flexible assessment instruments, and instructional materials accommodating varied learning styles, while fostering professional learning communities and leadership that supports pedagogical experimentation. The authors acknowledge limitations: the research was confined to one education zone, only 105 of 117 questionnaires were retrieved, the qualitative sample comprised five participants, and implementation data were self-reported rather than observed directly. Future research with larger samples, broader geographic coverage, and observational methods could validate and extend the findings. Over the longer term, the authors suggest, recognizing and strengthening implicit UDL practices may offer a sustainable pathway for advancing inclusive mathematics education, complementing formal professional development by building on the experiential learning, contextual responsiveness, and adaptive behaviors teachers already demonstrate.

Subject of Research: Education

Article Title: Exploring mathematics teachers’ knowledge and application of universal design for learning

Article References: Nzeadibe, A. C., Egara, F. O., Inweregbuh, O. C., & Chinweike, J. N. (2026). Exploring mathematics teachers’ knowledge and application of universal design for learning. Discover Education, 5(1), Article 859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-026-02074-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s44217-026-02074-9

Keywords: Universal Design for Learning, inclusive education, mathematics instruction, teacher professional development, Nigeria, learner variability, Exploring, mathematics, teachers, knowledge, application, universal