Universal Design for Instruction in Nursing Education: An Integrative Review

AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the use of universal design for instruction (UDI) in nursing education. BACKGROUND: Educators seek to employ innovative pedagogies accessible to diverse learners across learning environments. UDI, an inclusive strategy for meeting this goal is not well known in nursing education. METHOD: An integrative review was used to meet the study's aim. Five databases were searched for literature published between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS: Of 45 articles retrieved, only three studies and 14 feature articles met the inclusion criteria. A literature matrix was used to synthesize major concepts to create theme labels: marginalized students as a vulnerable population, faculty lack of knowledge of UDI, reactive versus proactive instructional design, and best teaching practices. CONCLUSION: The lack of UDI knowledge by educators is a barrier to its usage. Implications and recommendations for adopting universal design in nursing education are discussed.