‘Nobody is prioritised; they are all prioritised’: Teachers’ application and conceptualisation of Universal Design for Learning in inclusive mathematical learning environments

Abstract Australian mathematics classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, while student engagement and achievement in the subject continue to decline. These challenges highlight the need for pedagogical approaches that proactively create inclusive mathematical learning environments. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been promoted as a framework for addressing learner variability; however, limited empirical research has examined how UDL is conceptualised and enacted by Australian mathematics teachers, or how it shapes inclusive mathematical learning environments. This qualitative exploratory case study explores how three Australian primary and secondary teachers understood and applied UDL principles in their mathematics classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were examined using reflexive thematic analysis, guided both deductively and inductively by the UDL framework. Findings reveal that although teachers rarely reference UDL guidelines explicitly, their practices align strongly with the core UDL principles of multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Teachers described designing meaningful and interest-based mathematical tasks, using manipulatives and visual resources to support conceptual understanding. In addition, they offered flexible assessment options to reduce barriers to participation. The relational and affective dimensions of mathematics learning environments were also prominent, and teachers emphasised strategies to reduce mathematics anxiety, normalise struggle and build student confidence and agency. However, enactment of UDL-aligned practices was shaped by contextual constraints, including class size, assessment structures and access to resources. From a learning environments perspective, this study advances research by showing how UDL-informed pedagogical decisions shape the social, affective and participatory architecture of mathematics classrooms, extending learning environments scholarship into inclusive mathematics education.