Inclusive Teaching

Inclusive teaching involves not only the content of your course, but also the various ways in which you structure your interactions with your students as well as their interactions with the content, with you and with each other. At UMass Amherst, and within CNS, we are committed to fostering equity and inclusivity in every classroom.

Getting Started with Inclusive Design  

Read Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom by Dr. Kelly Hogan and and Dr, Viji Sathy. (2022).  Watch a video recording of the authors as they provide a framework for inclusive course design.

Visit Inclusive by Design, an excellent toolkit of inclusion resources developed by the UMass President’s Office. 

Listen to the following Tea for Teaching podcasts: 

• What Inclusive Instructors Do:  A great overview of how to create inclusive classroom communities.
• Include Instructors in Inclusive Instruction: Practices that are inclusive of our colleagues as well as our students.
• Pedagogy for Large Classes: An excellent discussion of inclusive practices that work in large class settings.
• Rigor:  The term “rigor” is often code for gatekeeping and exclusion. The guests participating in this episode discuss ways of creating challenging courses while providing the support and structure necessary for student success.
• Grading Justice: A discussion regarding grading strategies that promote equity and encourage learning.

Enroll in the new AccessibleU training course developed by the IDEAS team. It provides the knowledge, tools, and resources you need to design courses that meet ADA standards and support all students effectively. 

Visit the subpages to this site for more information on:

• Designing an inclusive syllabus
• Strategies for the start of the semester
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Inclusive group-work practices
• Inclusive assessment strategies and grading practices
• Interacting with students outside of the classroom (i.e. Office Hours)

Inclusive Classrooms

As of Spring 2025 there are four classrooms that have been  equipped with a telecoil system. This means that the room sound can be transmitted directly into hearing aids that have a telecoil. This helps with sound clarity and reducing background noise.

• Bartlett 65
• Mahar 108
• Herter 227
• Hasbrouck 20