Photos of faculty participating in 2025 Brightspace + Universal Design for Learning workshop.
WHY + HOW: Implementing Universal Design for Learning* in Your Brightspace Course Sites
- Do you need TIME + SUPPORT to design your Brightspace course sites for Spring 2027?
- Do you want to make your Brightspace course sites INCLUSIVE + ACCESSIBLE?
APPLY HERE for a 2-day workshop, January 12-13, 2027 for hands-on support to incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies into your Brightspace course sites.
Instructors, including full-time and adjunct faculty, who will be teaching in the spring are welcome to apply. (Note that the 2027 workshop is open to faculty who did not previously participate in 2025 or 2026.)
Workshop time is set aside for you to complete significant course prep in Brightspace that incorporates Universal Design for Learning and Digital Accessibility Standards.
We will be using Brightspace as the learning platform, so you’ll have an opportunity to experience it as a learner.
In-person Workshop
Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday, January 12-13, 2027
Time: 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: In person at Queens College, Location TBA
Breakfast + Lunch will be served
Faculty who complete both days and submit an approved final work product will receive a stipend of $250. Please see additional information about stipend arrangements/eligibility below.
Bring your questions about creating an inclusive Brightspace learning environment for in-person and online classes, and design the course materials you need for the semester!
Space is limited! Please complete the Application by 11:59 pm on November 5, 2026.
- Apply soon to make sure you have a spot!
- Applicants will be notified by November 12, 2026.
Who should attend?
- Faculty who want to make their Brightspace course sites inclusive and accessible to all learners
- Faculty seeking Tech support to build out their Brightspace course sites
- Faculty interested in implementing Universal Design for Learning strategies in their classes, including creative course design ideas and ways to give students options in how they demonstrate skills
What do faculty who participated in past workshops have to say?
This workshop will help me design clearer, more accessible Brightspace course sites and use UDL strategies to better support student engagement and learning.
I have learned so much! I will be using Brightspace much more extensively thanks to the tools I was introduced to here. Being in a room of teachers interested in improving access and equity in our classrooms was a real gift.
I’m more confident in implementing UDL, addressing most students’ needs with several ways of presenting information, engaging and assessing them.
I had no idea Brightspace was so versatile.
See photos and more faculty feedback from the 2025 workshop faculty cohort.
Stipend arrangements/eligibility:
CETLL will provide a $250 stipend to faculty who complete both workshop days, submit an approved final work product, and are eligible to receive this payment. This payment will be subject to the standard taxes and deductions from your regular pay. If you are a FT faculty member, a $250 payment will be added to your paycheck after completion of the workshop. If you are a PT faculty member, CETLL will need to hire you as an NTA (non-teaching adjunct) for ~4.5 hours to total $250. Adjunct hours (all teaching and non-teaching adjunct hours, combined) are capped at 225 hours for the Fall semester and Winter session.
Questions? Contact CTLOnline@qc.cuny.edu
*About Universal Design for Learning
As described by About Universal Design for Learning, “Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.
The goal of UDL is learner agency that is purposeful & reflective, resourceful & authentic, strategic & action-oriented.”
- Multiple means of engagement: instructors offer options that engage students in course content and keep their interest
- Multiple means of representation: instructors show information in different ways
- Multiple means of action and representation: students approach learning tasks and show what they know in different ways
Digital Accessibility
For more information and resources on Digital Accessibility Standards, visit CETLL’s Accessibility webpage.
Facilitators:
Dr. Sally Izquierdo, Director Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Programs, Department of Psychology
Sally Izquierdo, PhD is a Board Certified and NYS Licensed Behavior Analyst and Licensed Psychologist. She graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a master’s degree in counseling and from CUNY Queens College and The Graduate Center with a PhD in Behavior Analysis. Dr. Izquierdo has over 30 years of clinical experience, providing support to individuals with developmental disabilities, families, and professionals in homes, schools, and in the community. Her work as chair of NYSABA’s public policy committee contributed significantly to the recent removal of the scope of practice restriction for licensed behavior analysts in New York.
At Queens College, Dr. Izquierdo is responsible for the clinical training for all master’s programs in the psychology department and directs the Applied Behavior Analysis graduate programs. As Director of QC Project REACH, she has developed behavior analytic supports for autistic CUNY students, and workshops for neurodivergent students and faculty. Dr. Izquierdo, in collaboration with psychology graduate students, developed the Queens College Neurodiversity Hub, which is a faculty resource bank and collegial discussion forum on the Teams platform. Dr. Izquierdo is also an active member of the Psychology Department DEIA Committee and faculty advisor to the QC Neurodiversity Advocacy Club.
Dr. Izquierdo is dedicated to helping improve the practice landscape for behavior analysts in New York, experience opportunities for students, and inclusive support for neurodivergent college students.
Jean Kelly, Instructional Technologist, CETLL
Jean has been with CETLL since 2010, providing pedagogical and technical support for faculty in various instructional modes. She helps organize workshops to prepare faculty for teaching online and assisted faculty during the transition from Blackboard to Brightspace. In addition, she has created tutorials on Blackboard, Brightspace, Google Classroom; lecture capture; and other educational technologies.
WayGuard Wong, Brightspace Administrator, CETLL
As the Brightspace Administrator at Queens College CUNY, WayGuard manages the technical support and front-end administration of Brightspace, collaborating with Queens College Information Technology Services (QC ITS) and the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership (CETLL) to optimize faculty development and support innovative, equitable, and student-centered pedagogical practices. WayGuard’s role includes configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting Brightspace, ensuring seamless integration with other institutional systems, implementing security protocols, and providing technical training to faculty. With expertise in instructional technology and digital learning environments, WayGuard enhances Brightspace’s functionality and user experience, facilitating the creation of engaging and effective learning modules while supporting faculty professional growth through advanced technical solutions.