Understanding Health and Science Through Universal Design for Learning Materials: The Glycolysis Pathway

The work we present here seeks to support the inclusion of students with visual impairment in STEM careers related to the biological, chemical and health sciences fields by developing inclusive and accessible learning materials on Glycolysis, a biochemistry topic describing a central metabolic pathway that occurs within human cells. Understanding glycolysis helps improve the quality and life expectations of individuals, as it refers to sugar intake and its relationship with diabetes mellitus. The development of educational materials that are accessible to students with visual impairments, while also being suitable for all learners, aims to reduce barriers and inequalities in access to science education. The process of translating visual information about biomolecules into accessible 3D tactile representations occurred through a human-centered design process with participation of a multi-disciplinary group involving blind experts. Piloting of the resulting materials in regular classrooms with students who were taking biochemistry showed that learning in an active way, through the manipulation of the materials generated for the topic, is more attractive and engaging for most students. To our knowledge, this initiative represents a novel approach to teaching biochemistry in an inclusive and high-quality manner, ensuring accessibility for all students. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Understanding Health and Science Through Universal Design for Learning Materials: The Glycolysis Pathway Chapter in Scopus