Application of universal design for learning within Australian school-based mental health programs: Scoping review protocol.

Objective: This review will map existing literature to identify and describe the extent to which Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles of engagement, representation, and expression are applied to the design, delivery, and/or evaluation of school-based mental health programs in Australia. Introduction: UDL is an education framework that aims to create inclusive learning environments for students with diverse needs. Approximately 25% of Australian students are likely to live with language, literacy, and/or learning differences that place them at elevated risk of mental health problems. Many school-based mental health programs exist with the shared aim of promoting positive outcomes for students. Early prevention and mental health promotion efforts that are inclusive to students with language and/or learning differences are critically important. However, there has been no previous exploration of the extent to which UDL has been applied to school-based mental health programs. This review aims to identify and describe the extent to which UDL principles are evident in existing Australian school-based mental health programs. Eligibility criteria: This review will consider studies that report the development and/or evaluation of school-based mental health programs within an Australian education context. This review will exclude non-English studies, reviews, books, and theoretical or opinion pieces. Methods: This review will be informed by the JBI guidelines for scoping reviews and will be conducted between October and December 2024. Five databases will be searched (PsycInfo, Medline, Informit, Scopus, and ERIC) and two reviewers will independently screen all identified studies against inclusion criteria by title, abstract, and full text review. Conflicts will be resolved by consensus. Results: Two independent reviewers will extract relevant data from the selected studies and results will be presented numerically and narratively. The review will identify and describe the extent to which UDL principles are evident in descriptions of the design, delivery, and/or evaluation of school-based mental health programs in Australia. Synthesis and interpretation of included studies will be framed within the three principles of UDL. The review will outline key findings of the included papers, gaps in the literature, and salient directions for future research. Conclusion: The outcomes of this review will be disseminated via publication and plain language summaries. The outcomes may also inform conference presentations relevant to inclusive education, mental health, and child language and learning differences.