Research Study on Existing Innovative Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Based Materials Facilitating Access to Learning Targeting Learners with Disabilities in Rwanda

Commissioned by the World Bank's Inclusive Education Initiative, this study examined the availability, use, and effectiveness of assistive technology (AT) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)–based materials for learners with disabilities in Rwanda. Drawing on key informant interviews and focus group discussions with 291 respondents (78 with disabilities) across 19 districts and 18 primary schools (special, inclusive, and mainstream), it found AT and UDL materials to be insufficient and unevenly distributed. Most available technologies served learners who are blind or have low vision; special schools held the most, while mainstream schools and community libraries had almost none. Effective use was constrained mainly by teachers' training and awareness — trained teachers integrated AT, untrained teachers did not — and by a shortage of accessible materials. "UDL" was poorly understood, though some teachers showed homegrown UDL-aligned practices. The report recommends advocacy and capacity building, clearer tax exemptions for assistive devices, and accelerated implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty.