Lessons From an Irish University Co-Learning Pilot: Creating Mutual Learning in Shared Educational Spaces

Higher education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities remain limited despite policy commitments to equality in Ireland. This study reports on a co-learning project that brought together students with intellectual disabilities and first-year English Studies undergraduates within a shared academic module at an Irish university. Using a qualitative case study design across two academic years, the project involved small cohorts of certificate students supported through structured preparatory ‘bridging lectures’, alongside mixed-group tutorials designed using Universal Design for Learning principles. Data were collected through undergraduate surveys, focus groups, and staff reflections. Findings indicate that learners across both cohorts engaged meaningfully with undergraduate-level academic content within ashared learning environment. Undergraduate students reported enhanced understanding of diverse perspectives and described the co-learning tutorials as inclusive, intellectually stimulating, and supportive of active participation. Staff reflections highlighted shifts towards more intentional, flexible teaching practices, alongside increased professional satisfaction and pedagogical reflection. The study demonstrates that co-learning models can promote mutual learning and social inclusion without reducing academic rigour, provided that inclusive design, scaffolding, and collaborative planning are embedded from the outset. The findings offer a replicable model for higher and adult education contexts seeking to expand participation and foster inclusive learning environments.