Universities in Ireland strive to be places where every learner can engage fully, confidently and independently. During my Cooperative Education placement with the Centre for Transformative Learning (CTL), I have been supporting staff across the University of Limerick (UL) to make this vision real.

My position was created through Path 4 funding Programme for Access to Higher Education | Policy | Higher Education Authority, to support the Universal Design & Inclusive Practice Committee at UL to develop a systematic approach to the provision of digitally accessible educational materials. My work focuses on helping academic and professional staff create more accessible, inclusive, and student-centred learning materials. This includes developing clear, practical guides on digital accessibility, demonstrating tools such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint accessibility checkers and aligning with (UDL) Universal Design for Learning principles & creating resources that staff can reuse and adapt, ensuring accessibility becomes embedded rather than an afterthought.

I also collaborate with the Students with Disabilities Advisory Group at AHEAD to bring student voice and lived experience into institutional decision making. This work has shaped my understanding of inclusive education.

This Gasta will share insights from my placement, and show how small changes can make learning more accessible.