A scoping review of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about implementing the universal design for learning framework

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been developed to address students’ differences and meet their learning needs to promote inclusive education development. Although some empirical studies investigated professionals’ beliefs toward the UDL framework and how beliefs influence their practices, most research focused more on in-service teachers’ beliefs and practices than pre-service teachers. Teacher candidates are future teachers, so their beliefs and practices in teacher education programmes may form their teaching philosophy and practices in future teaching. Also, there has been no clear systematic understanding of how pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the UDL framework influence their practices to support the inclusion of students with disabilities. This study used a scoping review methodology to locate previous studies about pre-service teachers’ beliefs toward the UDL framework published in peer-reviewed journals in the past ten years (2014–2024). The data analysis conceptualised three themes, adaptation and inclusion, equity and access, and being active and flexible, to understand pre-service teachers’ beliefs of the UDL framework. The predictors and factors influencing pre-service teachers’ practices using the UDL framework were outlined. However, some challenges and barriers, including the lack of resources, classroom management, and rigid curriculum, influenced the effectiveness of pre-service teachers’ use of the UDL framework. The implications for future research and the recommendations for teacher education programmes in inclusive education are also provided.