In the rapidly evolving terrain of global higher education, marked by intensified digitalization and an imperative for inclusivity, the conceptual and practical frameworks of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and assistive technologies (ATs) have emerged as pivotal instruments in reshaping the paradigm of accessibility. This article presents a critical, interdisciplinary, and empirically substantiated inquiry into the synergistic deployment of UDL principles and ATs within digitally mediated higher education contexts, foregrounding the need to reconceptualize accessibility not as a reactive accommodation, but as a proactive, systemic, and ethically anchored design imperative.

Against the backdrop of post-pandemic digital acceleration and expanding student diversity, this study interrogates the epistemological and operational gaps between policy rhetoric and institutional praxis concerning digital inclusion. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating a multi-site case study design—with qualitative interviews (N = 64), student accessibility audits (N = 300), and an institutional policy content analysis. The findings reveal that while UDL and ATs are often invoked in strategic documents, their implementation remains fragmented, technocentric, and predominantly compliance-driven, rather than being embedded in inclusive pedagogical cultures.

Crucially, the study identifies a constellation of enabling factors for meaningful UDL integration, including: cross-functional instructional design teams, participatory technology adoption processes involving neurodiverse students, and faculty development programs grounded in critical disability theory. The research highlights exemplary practices wherein assistive technologies—ranging from AI-driven captioning tools to customizable learning interfaces—are not positioned as remedial interventions, but as integral components of universal instructional ecosystems.

Furthermore, the article interrogates the socio-political dimensions of digital accessibility, addressing how algorithmic bias, infrastructural inequities, and epistemic exclusion continue to marginalize students with disabilities in virtual learning environments. In response, it proposes a transformative model of Critical Digital Accessibility (CDA), which synthesizes UDL, ATs, and intersectional equity frameworks to advance a new accessibility ethos rooted in justice, agency, and design justice.

Theoretically anchored in post-constructivist learning theory, critical pedagogy, and the sociology of technology, the article contributes a novel typology of inclusive digital practices, operational indicators for institutional accessibility audits, and policy recommendations for higher education leaders, designers, and accreditation bodies. By reframing accessibility as a shared epistemological responsibility—rather than an individual burden—the article challenges entrenched deficit paradigms and calls for a radical democratization of the digital learning space.

Keywords: Universal design for learning (UDL), assistive educational technologies, inclusive digital pedagogy, accessibility justice in higher education, critical digital accessibility (CDA).