Assessing the knowledge of elementary school teachers on universal design for learning in Saudi Arabia

Abstract The aim of this study was to discover elementary school teachers’ knowledge of universal design for learning (UDL). The study also examined the possible influence of relevant variables on the participants’ responses. A total of 225 elementary school teachers participated in this study, including 84 males and 141 females. Multiple statistical techniques were used to examine the study data, including Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha test, frequency, standard deviation, two-way ANOVA, and an independent sample t-test. The findings showed that elementary school teachers possessed a medium level of knowledge regarding UDL. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in the teachers’ knowledge of UDL based on year of teaching experience, highest degree earned, or specialty. However, there were statistically significant differences in the teachers’ responses in terms of their gender, in favor of female teachers. The implications of the findings are discussed, and recommendations are provided for future research.


Introduction
Of all recent practices in education, universal design for learning (UDL) reserves the most interesting and important space due to its huge impacts and benefits for students from various backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and languages.Teachers and educators choose aspects of their practice that warrant increased flexibility to "sustain the implementation of effective practices and positively impact student outcomes" (Harn et al., 2013, p. 190).Further, teachers' knowledge is important regarding their thinking of integrating new frameworks, such as the UDL, to make the learning environment more inclusive and accommodate those with learning differences (Meyer et al., 2014).Countries using UDL still encounter issues in their public schools regarding the way they meet the diverse needs of their students and the appropriate preparation of the preservice teachers who will implement the principles in the framework (Darling-Hammond et al., 2005;Horne & Timmons, 2009).
In Saudi Arabia, there are multiple issues in the educational system that include the lack of integrating more evidence-based practices "e.g., Response to Intervention RTI and professional learning standards," unlike the case in more developed countries such as the United States (Alsalem, 2015).Thus, this study investigates the extent of the knowledge of Saudi teachers and how they perceive UDL and its aspects to help them meet the challenges and obstacles they may face when planning their lessons and delivering their instructions.

Literature review
The UDL framework is one of the most frequently used frameworks for inclusive practices.Many educators and advocates called for better practices and instructions that included designing individualized instructions, teaching methods, and tools that could accommodate different learners with different needs and abilities (Spooner et al., 2007).Thus, Ryndak et al. (2000) asked educators and other specialists to design a framework that enhances the meaning of inclusion of students with special needs; such frameworks include collaborative learning, effective implementation, and continuous evaluation that assure the learning outcomes of every student in general education settings.The concept of UDL comes from the universal design for learning (UDL).It was also inspired by the famous architectural concept called universal design (UD).Dealing with different populations of learners and diverse students has led experts to think about new ways of accommodating and including them in different educational settings with various tools and strategies (Connell et al., 1997).Rose, Meyer, and other scholars have thought about creating new methods for including students with different learning differences.In 1990, they created what is called the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) in the United States (US), which later developed the UD concept and the UDL framework (Griful-Freixenet et al., 2021).Orkwis (2003) stated that the main idea of UDL also includes the implementation of flexible instructional materials and methods to include and accommodate different learners with individual differences in their learning styles.The term UDL has been recognized by the Individuals with Disability Education Act IDEA (2004) as "a concept or philosophy for designing and delivering products and services that are usable by people with the widest possible range of functional capabilities, which include products and services that are directly usable (without requiring assistive technologies) and products and services that are made usable with assistive technologies'' (pp. 8-9).The UDL model has a fundamental way of teaching that includes three main components through which teachers remove all barriers and challenges that could hinder students from learning in the way they prefer: representation, expression, and engagement (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2018).CAST (2018) indicated three main components of the UDL.First, the framework provides multiple means of engagement (the "why" of learning) through the simulation of interest in learning and continuous efforts and persistence to enable learners to learn in different methods.This is implemented to improve the self-regulation skills of many students using flexible and different methods.The second principle of UDL is the provision of multiple means of representation (the "what" of learning).This necessitates the presentation of different information and content in various ways to enable learners and students to access and comprehend many instructions with more options.Third, UDL provides multiple means of action and expression to enable student learning through alternative methods and ways that can boost communication within the classroom setting.This component also allows students to express themselves in such a way that they feel more comfortable with the most suitable way of learning.

Principles of UDL
According to Rose and Meyer (2002), teachers' habits of mind or teaching philosophies are considered one of the most important theoretical developments in UDL.In all the principles of UDL, it is fundamental that teachers follow more explicit and straight instructions that shape their teaching philosophy and eventually improve students' skills, such as self-regulation and selfefficacy (Meyer et al., 2014).UDL principles promote multiple factors that include measuring the stability and ability of students' mindsets (Deunk et al., 2018).Another component of the UDL includes applying the social cognitive theory of Bandura (2014), which focuses on the teachers' self-efficacy, which is described as the beliefs of any individual in the ability that he/she must lead their students to the most successful way of learning (Griful-Freixenet et al., 2021).Lastly, differentiated instruction is one of the best practices that UDL contains in its three main principles (Tomlinson, 2014).Tomlinson (2014) also stated that differentiated instruction can help students in many aspects, including boosting the differences in student's readiness for learning (the "what" of learning), differences in profiles of students' learning (the "how" of learning), and differences in the interest of students (the "why" of learning) that meet the main principles of the UDL.

Elementary Saudi school teachers' knowledge of UDL
As with other teachers worldwide, teachers in Saudi Arabia play a significant role in the successful implementation of UDL principles.Their expectations and planning make a huge contribution to the high-quality results of student outcomes.Teachers should ensure that they educate themselves on the various problems they encounter and their ways of understanding them (Aldegether, 2020).Thus, a teacher's effectiveness, preparation, and background all play a fundamental role in the way they teach, and UDL could be one of these aspects (Liu, 2015).In addition, teachers in different grades, such as elementary grades, also have an important responsibility that includes effective planning, recognition of problems, and appropriate selections of the methods and instructions that they use with students with different learning needs (Baleghizadeh & Javidanmehr, 2014).Saudi Arabia's new and reformed vision called Vision 2030 largely encompasses education.Aldegether (2020) stated that the Saudi Vision 2030 is expected to investigate multiple issues, such as the extent of Saudi teachers' preparedness, their creative thinking on planning, and the problemsolving techniques that they use, and UDL will indeed be involved in these practices and skills.Regarding the elementary level, Smith (2011) emphasized that it is critical to increase the level of effort and reflective thinking by elementary teachers to enable students with different learning needs to gain and achieve more academic outcomes with better materials and curriculum accessibility.

UDL and least restrictive environment alignment
UDL is a product that represents the removal of all barriers, challenges, and restrictions for all learners to enable them to access materials and knowledge in their way of learning.With the least restrictive environment (LRE), educators, and decision makers provide children with all needs with the most necessary materials and appropriate placement for their education that allows them to effectively work and learn better with the suitable instructions they need (Meyen & Lehr, 1980).LRE also aligns with UDL through the assurance that all children are included and provided with effective education along with the accessibility of the general curriculum in the regular classroom, supported to the most appropriate and maximum extent possible (Stone, 2019).
Teachers' knowledge is a very important factor that guarantees the successful implementation of UDL principles.One of the examples that can represent the implementation of UDL is the online platform.Using a mixed-method design, Daraghmeh et al. (2021) conducted a study to investigate the effect of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) on students' learning.Relying on remote learning (online learning), the experience of K-12 English Saudi teachers was targeted.A total of 35 teachers were asked to complete a training program that exposed them to knowledge of "technology in instruction, leadership frameworks, and Vision 2030 education reforms" (Daraghmeh et al., 2021, p. 3).The aim of the program was to assess how the pandemic and changes in learning instructions affected these teachers' way of teaching.Viewing online learning as one of UDL's methods, the teachers responded that professional development could be a strong practice that helps them achieve more to deliver effective instructions.Daraghmeh et al. (2021) also concluded that online learning as part of UDL practices requires more skills and experience that teachers should have.
Another significant factor that affects the success of UDL is teachers' understanding of the cultural backgrounds of students.In addition, UDL emphasizes that teachers should know the backgrounds of their children, such as their cultures, habits, race, and language, so they deeply know how these factors impact their student's learning (Kieran & Anderson, 2019).Alghamdi and Malekan (2020) conducted a study to explore the perceptions of Saudi elementary teachers toward the cultural factors that could impact students' engagement and learning while in class.Through a descriptive questionnaire, 398 elementary science teachers expressed that cultural factors played a fundamental role in their relationships with their students and their learning.They also conducted a qualitative analysis to examine how teachers conceptualized the link between culture and students' learning.Their findings revealed that teachers stated that the environment of students, exposure to technology, and culture and faith had an impact on and intervened in their way of learning.
In her study, Alotaibi (2020) examined the effect of her proposed unit by UDL to help children in science classes achieve better and learn with more effective accessibility and outcomes.Her method included a descriptive analysis of 39 first-grade students.Alotaibi's findings revealed statistical differences between the control and experimental groups, which showed that the application of her proposed unit was effective.Her suggested unit included multiple aspects that were compiled with the principles of the UDL, such as continuous monitoring of students' achievements, students' initial thinking, students' goals and expectations, collaborative and effective learning activities, and means of engagement, representation, and actions.

Educational policy on the UDL promotion for inclusive education
The implementation of UDL has now become one of the most effective methods for shaping the educational policy of inclusive education for all learners.Various studies have stated that the effectiveness of the UDL caused decision-makers to increase their implementation of UDL principles to accommodate more students in an inclusive environment (Baran et al., 2021).
Studies have shown a new trend in educational policy toward implementing new inclusive education, such as the UDL.Galkienė and Monkevičienė (2021) noted that many schools worldwide have been applying the principles of UDL due to their impact on students with different needs.UDL increases students' skills, such as self-regulation, which is necessary for academic outcomes, student efficiency, and social improvement.For different schools' policymakers, multiple considerations of the UDL were the main reasons that made them offer options for learning with equity and fairness.According to McKenzie and Dalton (2020), teachers and stakeholders are convinced that UDL consists of a fundamental component that includes providing students with more instructions and opportunities that enable them to improve their skills and academic outcomes.UDL is now a necessity and should be considered the main method that accommodates all learners of different ages, skills, and abilities.
Todays' diversity is a challenge on school policies toward learning styles for many students.Differences in genders, ages, ethnicities, and disabilities have forced many policymakers to apply more accommodations and modifications that can include them with their differences and provide them with equal opportunities (Mavrou & Symeonidou, 2014).The way UDL principles work makes teachers and policymakers design instructions that enhance how the brain network functions in many students.García-Campos et al. (2020) mentioned that improving the cognitive abilities of many learners requires more intense and designed instructions, which the UDL includes, and teachers now should think about promoting the ULD by designing the teaching method with considerations of the learning process, barriers, and learning anticipation.In the US, providing an appropriate education for all learners is a mandatory requirement.The success of every student is a fundamental requirement from schools, and laws such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Higher Education Opportunity Act emphasize that schools should apply and monitor the quality of education, quality of teachers' performance, quality of evaluations, preparedness, and success enhancement for all learners (Rose & Meyer, 2006).Promoting UDL is a fundamental procedure, especially for those with different languages.In American schools, policymakers recognize that students with different language and exceptional needs need to be accommodated.Replying to the modifications of different laws, every federal funding school is required to apply all procedures and techniques that meet the exceptional needs of all learners from different backgrounds to improve their own learning outcomes (Edyburn, 2010).Nevertheless, the implementation of UDL continues to present some challenges and difficulties for many schools worldwide.

UDL implementation in schools
The practices and implementation of UDL are significant in countries such as Saudi Arabia due to its reforming efforts of the educational system, which calls for a more inclusive environment for all learners.Teachers in Saudi Arabia have shown concerns and limitations in their understanding of the professional and high-quality implementation of UDL (Alsalem, 2015).Important practices can play a very important role in shaping the way teachers teach, and these practices can include training teachers on how to use UDL and focusing on more professional development for all teachers who lack knowledge of the professional implementation of the UDL.
Regarding research in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia lacks many resources in research.Alquraini and Shila (2018) mentioned that the investigation of UDL and its practices and related subjects is scant in Saudi Arabia.Only a limited number of studies have focused on UDL and its related implementation subjects (Alquraini & Rao, 2017;Alsalem, 2015).Alsalem (2015) investigated related variables that can impact the use of UDL.The author explored the possible barriers and challenges that can prevent teachers from using UDL principles with their students, as well as the perceptions of teachers who deal with students with deafness and hard hearing issues.In two stages, 336 teachers in Riyadh were assessed by "investigating and conducting a broad assessment of the current implementation level of the three UDL principles (engagement, representation, and action and expression) and the barriers to implementing UDL among teachers in Saudi schools" (Alsalem, 2015, p. 61).The study demonstrated important differences after the training sessions administered by the researcher.These differences are related to the comprehension and concerns of UDL principles.The teachers also showed a great deal of interest in knowing and exploring more about the use of UDL and its valuable outcomes that benefit all students with various needs.Alquraini and Shila (2018) investigated the implementation of UDL with students with special and learning needs in an attempt to understand the variables that affect the successful use of UDL and possible challenges and obstacles that negatively impact the teacher's readiness to adapt to UDL in Saudi schools.Teachers' perceptions and understanding of the UDL, as well as their current implementation of the UDL principles, were all investigated in Alquraini and Shila's (2018) study.They targeted about 131 teachers and surveyed them about their current knowledge of UDL and their readiness to use UDL.The results showed that teachers needed more resources that could increase their understanding of UDL principles and their professional integration in their classrooms.Alqurainin and Rao also mentioned that teachers expressed a need for more factors that could help them achieve better implementation of the UDL.These factors and tools include resources, educational technology, materials, additional planning time, smaller class size, more personnel, and an explicit and flexible policy and guidance.
Other studies have concentrated on the implementation of UDL in different schools outside Saudi Arabia.Almumen (2020) investigated the level of effects of UDL on inclusive practices in Kuwait.Observing and interviewing five teachers concluded that the UDL was an effective method that they implemented to meet the various needs of their students with and without disabilities.In addition, the author found that teachers were only aware of the basics of UDL principles and therefore needed intense training and practice.Lowrey et al. (2019) also examined the tools that support the implementation of UDL across schools.Their findings concluded that the more teachers provide to students, the more students improve their academic outcomes.Things like providing ways of representations, engagement, actions, and assessment to the students were the most needed practices to improve the UDL knowledge for different teachers (Lowrey et al., 2019).Mavrovic-Glaser (2017) conducted a survey to investigate the knowledge of a small number of licensed teachers.Most teachers (55%) stated that they were familiar with the procedures and principles of UDL, including the implementation of multiple strategies in their classrooms.The knowledge of UDL varied depending on the schools and countries where the research was conducted.Thus, Saudi Arabia still lacks various procedures that make UDL an effective strategy to improve the outcomes of students and the knowledge of their teachers.

Problem statement
Since the philosophy of inclusion emerged in the 1990s, inclusive education has been implemented more frequently with students with disabilities (Mavrovic-Glaser et al., 2017).Inclusion practice refers to the method of placing students with disabilities in general education classrooms for part or all day, and the main instructor is a general education teacher in participation with a special education teacher (Allday et al., 2013).
The inclusion philosophy began as an attempt to provide equitable education for students with disabilities and integration into the school environment.Over the past 30 years, many factors have played a significant role in shaping the present system of inclusive practices in the US, including landmark litigation, political events, and parental advocacy (McLeskey et al., 2010).
The practice of inclusive education has been supported by several laws.For instance, the federal special education law, "the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA), has provided rights and protections to students with disabilities and their parents.It emphasizes that students with disabilities have access to free and public education, and other special education services are delivered to them in the least restrictive environment (LRE).In addition, the LRE principle leads to an increase in the number of students with disabilities who are spending most of their school time in general education classrooms receiving their education as well as needed accommodation and adaptations provided (Lee, 2017;Mavrovic-Glaser et al., 2017).According to the US Department of Education (2016), more than 60% of all students with disabilities spend 80% or more of their school day in the general classroom (Mavrovic-Glaser et al., 2017).
Moreover, the IDEA and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandated that students with disabilities learn and gain progress on the content of the general education curriculum and state standards.
Releasing these mandates has contributed to the acceleration of placing students with disabilities in general education classrooms and has emphasized the need for teachers' training and collaboration to improve the achievement of all learners (Allday et al., 2013).Furthermore, increasing the number of students with disabilities served in inclusive classrooms has placed pressure on elementary school teachers to satisfy the needs of a more diverse group of learners (Hanushek & Raymond, 2003).This is because elementary students with disabilities are more likely to be served in general education settings than other school-age students (Turnbull et al., 2010).Since today's classrooms contain a wide variety of students, it is very significant for all teachers in special and general education to possess the skills and ability to teach and support a diverse group of learners.Canter et al. (2017) reported that the traditional one-size-fits-all method of curriculum does not consider the needs of today's inclusive classrooms and diverse students.They emphasized that education needs to be modified to meet the call to effectively educate diverse students to be successful citizens in the 21st century (Root et al., 2021).Resenberg et al. (2011) mentioned that to successfully meet the needs of diverse learners, teachers are required to have attitudes and skills that can lead to positive changes in students' academic and social behavior.Moreover, he proposed that teachers can influence these changes by having confidence in their teaching efficacy, desiring to implement new techniques, having positive attitudes toward students with disabilities, and having the competencies and skills required to meet the needs of all students (Resenberg et al., 2011).Additionally, teachers who proactively accept responsibility to guide an inclusive classroom are more likely to exhibit positivity toward inclusion, and improve their quality of teaching practices, and differentiated instruction and engagement.Developing teachers' competencies to meet the needs of diverse learners in inclusive classrooms requires knowledge of the basic skills needed for successful inclusion and can be embedded in teacher preparation programs.Canter et al. (2017) pointed out that one potential technique is to create a school environment that adopts the inclusive practice of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).Johnson-Harris and Mundschenk (2014) stated that implementing a UDL framework while designing lessons, rather than adding modifications later, streamlines the process through which teachers provide effective instruction for all learners in feasible and functional ways.Thus, UDL is especially appropriate for use in general education classrooms where students with high-incidence disabilities, such as learning disabilities (LD) and behavioral disorders (BD), are present (p.168).They also pointed out that UDL provides an educational environment where support is available to all students, so the stigmas linked with certain supports have disappeared, and students can access accommodations without being singled out (Johnson-Harris & Mundschenk, 2014).
Both UDL and differentiation of instruction are two concepts used to indicate these changes.Teachers need the ability to modify instruction to meet their students' interests, learning styles, needs, and abilities (Tomlinson, 2001).Moreover, efficient teachers should have the ability to differentiate lessons so that all students have access to the curriculum.However, differentiated instruction is not an easy task to master and requires opportunities to practice (Bateman & Bateman, 2002).
Although UDL is an important design that considers the needs, interests, abilities, and learning styles of all learners in the classroom, its successful implementation is heavily dependent on the teachers' knowledge and training regarding the design.According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2012), only one out of each of the five general education teachers felt that they were well equipped to teach in classrooms that contained diverse learners, who were culturally or linguistically diverse, and students with disabilities.
Although federal laws mandate the provision of education to students with disabilities in the LRE, educators are not confident about their readiness to educate students with disabilities in the general education classroom (Swain et al., 2012).A study carried out by Lowrey et al. (2017) with general education teachers found that teachers are under-prepared for dealing with diverse learners in today's classroom, and their understanding of the efficient implementation of inclusion and UDL are varied.The results of this study also pointed out the lack of knowledge that teachers possess regarding the concept of UDL.Similarly, research conducted by Canter et al. (2017) with general and special education teachers who are teaching in the first through twelfth grades shows varied understanding and use of UDL among teachers.Moreover, Alquraini and Shila (2018) pointed out that some teachers had a basic knowledge of UDL and would benefit from more training to successfully use UDL with confidence.Also, teachers need more training and professional development related to UDL.
Teacher preparation programs can supply teachers with opportunities to learn and practice multiple techniques for differentiating lessons to satisfy the needs of a variety of disabilities (Kozleski et al., 2002).Preparation programs related to the differentiation of instructions include, but are not limited to, practical applications of how the lessons can be alert or modified to suit the needs and abilities of students with disabilities (Allday et al., 2013).Lowrey et al. (2017) stated that through professional development of the concept of UDL, teachers who are working in diverse classrooms can gain more knowledge to be comfortable implementing it.Similarly, Canter et al. (2017) and Dalton et al. (2012) confirmed that when teachers receive adequate training in the practices of UDL, they will integrate them and engage in practices that are more inclusive of all the diverse students.Canter et al. (2017) mentioned that providing time and resources for professional development and planning in the concept of UDL will allow teachers to modify their instructional practices to align with the principles of UDL, which will more likely meet the needs and abilities of their students.Also, it was found that after teachers received professional development in the concept of UDL, there was a significant gain in lesson preparation and organizing instruction to meet the needs of all learners, as well as participants' confidence to utilize UDL in the classrooms (Canter et al., 2017;Dalton et al., 2012).
When particularly talking about Saudi Arabia, the special education system is moving away from separate settings toward more inclusive practices.This current study examines the knowledge of the UDL of elementary school teachers in Saudi Arabia.It also seeks to discover the possible influence of certain variables on their knowledge.The researchers believe in the need for and importance of assessing the teachers' knowledge regarding that matter to determine their ability to successfully implement UDL in their classrooms, as well as to determine the needed professional development.Alquraini and Shila (2018) highlighted that improving teachers' knowledge of UDL and its implementation in classrooms results in more well-prepared teachers, including students with disabilities, in their classrooms.However, they also state that there is a lack of teachers' professional development that focuses on the concepts of UDL in Saudi Arabia (Alquraini & Shila, 2018), which reflects the need to provide more intensive training and professional development to Saudi Arabian teachers after assessing their knowledge.

Purpose and research questions of the study
The aim of this study was to assess both general and special education teachers' knowledge of universal design for learning as a method to successfully instruct diverse learners.It also aimed to discover the potential impact of some variables (teaching experience, gender, specialty, and highest degree earned) on the participants' responses.Based on this, the following research questions were addressed: (1) What is the level of knowledge of universal design for learning among elementary school teachers?
(2) Are there significant differences in elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL based on their teaching experience, gender, specialty, and highest degree earned?

Significance of the study
This study is considered one of the first to examine teachers' knowledge of UDL.Thus, its results might contribute to providing suggestions and recommendations for the Education Ministry to further improve services in schools.Conducting this study provides information that should be considered when planning and preparing for training and professional development programs and making the implementation of UDL more successful in classrooms.Additionally, the results of this study might contribute to filling the gap that exists in the literature related to teachers' knowledge of UDL by informing policymakers of the current situation of UDL to improve teachers' competence.The results of this study can also be used to evaluate the efficiency of the schools and professional development to improve teachers' skills in working with diverse students to ensure that all learners succeed in schools.Moreover, little research attention has been given to teachers' knowledge of UDL in Saudi Arabia.To study teachers' knowledge of UDL, Alquraini and Shila (2018) carried out a study to examine the knowledge of UDL of special education teachers in schools in Saudi Arabia, as well as to gather information regarding the perceived needs for successful implementation of UDL in classrooms.The results showed that special education teachers have basic knowledge of UDL and would benefit from more formal training in using UDL in classrooms with confidence.The results also indicate that there is a need to provide teachers with more training and professional development to understand and implement UDL.

Methodology
A quantitative research approach was adopted.A non-experimental descriptive design was conducted.Numerical data were collected through a survey design to discover teachers' knowledge of UDL.The study used multiple statistical techniques to examine the study data, including Pearson's correlation coefficient, Cronbach's alpha test, frequency, standard deviation, two-way ANOVA, and an independent sample T-test.The independent variables included:

Teaching experience
The teaching experience of the teachers who participated in this study ranged from five years or less to more than 15 years.

Gender
The participants in this study were from both genders.

Specialty
The teachers who participated in this study were elementary school general education teachers and special education teachers.

Highest degree earned
Teachers who held bachelor's or master's degrees were involved in this study.
The dependent variable included knowledge of universal design for learning, which assessed the level of knowledge elementary school teachers have regarding UDL.

Participants
A total of 225 elementary school teachers participated in this study.They work in public elementary schools located in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.The teachers were chosen through the sample random sampling technique.Table 1 shows the characteristics of the participants based on the study variables.
Table 1 shows the participants based on their demographic variables.It illustrates that 16.4% (N = 37) of the teachers had 5 years or less of teaching experience, 29.3% (N = 66) had worked between 6-10 years, 28.1% (N = 63) had worked between 11-15 years, and 26.2% (N = 59) had worked for more than 15 years.The number of male teachers in this study was 84 (37.3%), while the number of female teachers was 141 (62.7%) of the total number of participants.Further, 140 (62.2%)teachers in this study held bachelor's degrees, while 85 (37.8%) held master's degrees.The number of elementary school general education teachers in this study was 136 (60.4%), while the elementary school special education teachers comprised 89 (39.6%) of the total participants.The researchers also conducted a pilot study with 30 elementary school teachers to assess the appropriateness and suitability of the study instrument.

Instrument and data collection
We developed a cross-sectional survey to distribute to the study participants.A cross-sectional survey is an observational study design in which researchers gather data from the participants of the study at the same time (Setia, 2016).There were two sections in the survey.Section 1 aims to collect background information on each participant.It required teachers to respond individually to questions regarding teaching experience, gender, specialty, and highest degree earned.Section 2 of the survey consisted of statements, all of which sought to gather information on the teachers' knowledge regarding UDL.Most statements of the survey were adapted and extended from a research study conducted by Alquraini and Shila (2018).Eleven statements were incorporated by researchers upon reviewing the relevant literature, such as Lowrey et al. (2017) and Root et al. (2021).Five statements (3, 4, 7, 8, and 10) were negatively phrased, with statement 7 using an actual "negative."The survey included an attitude scale.A five-point Likert scale required individual responses to different statements claiming strongly agree (5), agree (4), not sure (3), disagree (2), and strongly disagree (1).For negatively written statements, the coding system was reversed.
Moreover, a pilot study was conducted with 30 teachers.The aim of the pilot study was to gather feedback on length, ease of comprehension, language, reliability, and validity.Teachers who participated in the pilot study were excluded from the final survey.A few changes were made to the statements after conducting the pilot study.We also obtained permission to collect data from the Education Ministry in Riyadh City, and an informed consent form was used.Both the consent form and the survey were electronically distributed through the General Administration of Education in Riyadh to all elementary general education teachers and special education teachers.Teachers were given eight weeks to respond to Google Forms.

Reliability and validity.
To examine the scale's reliability, a pilot study was carried out.Thirty participants took part in the pilot study.The reliability of the survey items was measured using Cronbach's alpha.The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.80, which confirmed that the survey items were reliable.Researchers used two techniques to examine the scale's validity, as follows: 6.4.2.2.Content validity.Researchers sent the statements of the scale to seven special education specialists who were faculty members in Saudi universities and held a Ph.D. degree to determine the clarity of language and statements and their relationship to the dependent variable in this study.We considered all the suggestions provided by the specialists during the final draft of the scale.

Internal consistency validity.
To examine internal consistency validity, we calculated the coefficient (Pearson's correlation coefficient) for each statement on the survey, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2 shows the correlation coefficients of the survey items.All values of correlation were statistically significant, at the 0.05 level, which confirms the validity and homogeneity of the survey items.

Judgment standard for level of knowledge
First, the means and standard deviations were assessed for each item.Second, the items were then ranked according to the scale, which is shown in Table 3.

Results
The first research question was, "What is the level of knowledge of universal design for learning among elementary school teachers?"To assess the elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL, we calculated the means and standard deviations of each item and for the overall, as shown in Table 4.
Based on Table 4, the elementary school teachers in this study had a medium level of knowledge regarding UDL, with a mean of 2.37 on the scale items overall.More specifically, statement 8, "UDL principles follow a hierarchy; one principle is more important than the others," recorded the highest mean value (3.25) compared to the other statements, thus ranking first.This suggests that teachers' level of knowledge regarding UDL of the content of item (8) was greater than that of other items, although it was reported at the medium level according to the judgment standards.However, statement 11, "UDL can be successfully used to assess student understanding," was ranked least, with a mean of 2.14, which referred to a low level of knowledge; thus, it was ranked least.This reflects that teachers' knowledge regarding the content of item 11 was low compared to the other items.
The second research question was, "Are there significant differences in elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL based on their teaching experience, gender, specialty, and highest degree earned?"Researchers calculated means, standard deviation, and conducted two-way ANOVA to explore the differences in the teachers' knowledge regarding UDL based on their teaching experiences.
Table 5 shows an apparent variance in the means and standard deviations for elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL according to their teaching experience.To investigate the significance of the statistical differences between the means, a two-way ANOVA analysis of variance was used, as shown in Table 6.
Table 6 shows that there were no statistically significant differences in elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL according to their teaching experience.However, to assess the differences in teachers' responses based on their gender, highest degree, and specialty, we used an independent samples t-test, as shown in Table 7.
As shown in Table 7, there were statistically significant differences in the teachers' responses based on their gender (T = −3.189,P = 0.002).The differences were in favor of female teachers (mean = 2.80).However, there were no statistically significant differences in the teachers' responses based on their highest degree earned (T = 1.501,P = 0.094).There were also no statistically significant differences in the participants' responses regarding their specialty (T = 2.936, P = 0.135).

Discussion
The purpose of this study was to assess elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL.It also aimed to examine the possible influence of some variables on the participants' responses.Insights from such an assessment can help directly guide the design of the teachers' professional development program toward serving teachers and satisfying their needs.The results of this study are discussed based on the following research questions:

The level of knowledge of universal design for learning among elementary school teachers
According to the results of this study, the level of knowledge in the sample studied was medium.Responses regarding items were ranked (Table 4) to present the level of teachers' knowledge regarding UDL for each item of the scale.The highest level of knowledge was in item 8, "UDL principles follow a hierarchy; one principle being more important than the others."with a mean 3.25, which was the highest mean recorded.This indicates that the highest level of knowledge regarding UDL for teachers was in that item, even though it still represents a medium level of knowledge of UDL according to Table 3.However, item 11, "UDL can be successfully used to assess student understanding," was ranked least, with a mean of 2.14, which referred to a low level of knowledge; thus, it was ranked least.These results are not surprising, as they align with those of previous studies.For instance, Alsalem (2015) stated that teachers in Saudi Arabia showed concerns and limitations in their understanding of the professional and high-quality implementation of UDL.Therefore, we suggest that more attention should be given to the professional training programs that have been established for teachers in the scope of UDL.That is because a teacher's effectiveness, preparation, and professional background all play a fundamental role in the way they teach as well, and UDL could be one of the important aspects that teachers should master (Liu, 2015).In their study, Alquraini and Shila (2018)  more factors that could help them achieve better implementation of the UDL.These factors include resources, educational technology, materials, additional planning time, smaller class sizes, more personnel, and an explicit and flexible policy and guidance.
Additionally, the results regarding the first question differed from the results of the study conducted by Mavrovic-Glaser (2017).He clearly found that most teachers (55%) were highly knowledgeable about the procedures and principles of the UDL.The researchers strongly believe in the importance of the implementation of UDL while teaching all students, including those with a high risk of academic failure in Saudi Arabia.However, this will not be possible unless professional development agencies and policymakers take a step toward improving teachers' knowledge of UDL to successfully implement it.Improving teachers' knowledge regarding UDL could be achieved by presenting specialized training programs and workshops to teachers before and during services.Researchers also suggested that these development professional programs should be developed based on the need to study the teachers to achieve positive results.

Differences in elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL based on their teaching experience, gender, specialty, and highest degree earned
The results of this study revealed that there were statistically significant differences at the significance level of 0.05 in elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL based on their gender.Specifically, female teachers have a higher level of knowledge regarding UDL than male teachers do.This difference could be due to the differences of interest between male and female teachers who participated in this study.Further, female teachers usually show more sensitivity to the requirements of their careers compared to male teachers due to some considerations.It also may be due to female teachers' higher motivation to work in the field of teaching because teaching is the appropriate social choice for them, which was imposed by the various challenges that the teacher faces, which created a greater challenge for her in these circumstances in response to that challenge, which was represented by doing more to prove her teaching competence.Unlike male teachers who aspire to work in other jobs, their motives are different, which is reflected in their knowledge regarding teaching and classroom practice, which may reduce the   quality of these practices (DaDa & Abodolah, 2022).According to the results of the study, more attention should be given to male teachers to improve their knowledge of UDL.In this matter, Smith (2011) emphasized that it is critical to increase the level of effort and reflective thinking by elementary teachers to enable students with different learning needs to gain and achieve more academic outcomes with better materials and curriculum accessibility.
However, there were no statistically significant differences at the significance level of 0.05 in the teachers' knowledge of UDL based on teaching experience, specialty, and highest degree earned.That result was not surprising for the researchers; they attributed the lack of differences to the novelty of the UDL concept in Saudi Arabia.The concept of UDL is considered new in Saudi Arabia.Therefore, differences in teachers' knowledge of UDL do not exist based on their teaching experiences, specialty, and highest degree earned.The novelty of the concept resulted in a lack of distinctions.This reflects that teachers with different teaching experience, specialties, and academic degrees are mostly exposed to information, workshops, and professional training regarding the concept of UDL at about the same amount and time.

Limitations of the study
This study has some limitations that should be mentioned, as they could have had an impact on the results.First, the results of this study were limited to the timeframe mentioned earlier.
Extending the time of conducting this study may be an important factor that gives an opportunity to more teachers to be a part of the study, which might add significant results to the study.The second limitation was the sample size.Therefore, due to the timing of this study, some teachers could not take time to participate due to their different circumstances and commitments, leaving the study with a sample size of 225.Third, the results of the study also can't be generalized to all elementary school teachers; it is only limited to teachers who are working in public elementary schools.All participants came from public elementary schools located in one city in Saudi Arabia, which could have affected the results.The different schools from which the teachers came from seemed to have the same background regarding UDL.However, it is unclear if or how they were conducting the model.Additionally, if teachers working in private schools were given the opportunity to participate in this study, they might have impacted the current results due to their previous experiences, different school environments, and the types of training and support they have received.The sample of this study included only teachers in Riyadh City.Considering this, the results of this study cannot be generalized to other geographic areas in Saudi Arabia.
Fourth, this study was limited to some independent variables.It aimed to assess three independent variables (gender, teaching experience and specialty).If more variables had been included, there would have been more significant results related to level of knowledge.Fifth, the results of the current study were also determined by how objectively the participants in the study were in their responses to the study's survey.Teachers are human.They came with different values, cultural and educational backgrounds, and experiences that they cannot abstract.Additionally, there is no doubt that their responses have been influenced by different factors like personal conflicts and prejudices, bias, and values.All that might have impacted the study results and conclusion in some way.

Recommendations and future research
Based on the results of this study, the researchers proposed the following recommendations and future research.We recommend that future researchers expand the sample size to gain data that can be generalized.The results of this study came from a limited number of participants.It would be helpful for future research to target a large number of participants in a large population or subjects to cover more and can therefore generalize their findings.Conducting qualitative research could be beneficial in expanding upon the teachers' answers.This will assist in building a better understanding of the issue under investigation.It is assumed that many participants will have more details regarding their knowledge of UDL.Giving more opportunities to different participants will allow researchers to discover more details that can be interesting to explore and fill previous research gaps.
Further, future studies should focus on elementary school teachers' abilities and readiness for implementing UDL.Targeting other aspects of teachers can help other researchers discover more knowledge and therefore improve the implementation of UDL.It would be helpful to provide specialized professional development programs in UDL principles and how to effectively utilize them for in-service teachers.It is possible for future practices to improve the UDL based on the results, and therefore help other teachers in different ways to apply the UDL principles with better knowledge and effective results.Future studies are recommended to explore the training needs of elementary school teachers regarding UDL to direct professional development programs toward these needs.Improving the performance of UDL for teachers is always significant and will have better outcomes for students, including academic and social skills.
Importantly, further research is needed to assess the possible impact of other variables, such as the prior training teachers have received in UDL.The current study explored some variables that led to significant findings.Future research can target other variables that fill other research gaps, such as pre-service teachers and their skills.Studies could also investigate variables related to the principles of the UDL, such as engagement, representation, and action/expression.

Table 4 . Means and standard deviations of elementary school teachers' knowledge of UDL
indicated that teachers expressed a need for