Modification and evaluation of an open-source rubric guiding inclusive design

Many quality assurance frameworks are in need of modification and evaluation before they can support the alignment of inclusive course design and pedagogies in institutions of higher education (IHEs). This study aimed to add inclusive practices in an open-source rubric, OpenSUNY Course Quality Review (OSCQR) rubric. Guided by the Universal Design for Learning framework and the inclusive ADDIE model, we revised the existing OSCQR rubric, which was then evaluated by 74 faculty members and instructional designers (IDs) in this descriptive study. We conducted independent samples t-tests to explore whether the participants' roles, teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses, and their experiences of teaching and online course design led to any varied priorities for addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion components in online teaching. The overall findings suggest IDs and faculty members have a common ground and consensus regarding their perspectives on the items in this modified OSCQR rubric. The findings provide implications for future research and practice on course design features that impact students' learning experiences. Limitations were also discussed.