This paper examines how online teaching can better support students from groups that have been underserved in higher education. It brings together culturally responsive teaching, social presence, validation theory, and Universal Design for Learning to explain a relationship-centered approach to online course design.
The authors describe six teaching strategies and examples that help instructors communicate care, establish trust, and build a sense of community. They also discuss the professional development needed to put these practices into use. The paper offers a conceptual and practical framework for inclusive teaching; it does not report a causal evaluation of student outcomes.
