Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is founded on the understanding that there is no such thing as “an average learner.” ALL learners are individuals with unique characteristics and combinations of strengths and weaknesses. UDL promotes the development of flexibile learning materials, activities, and assessments that are effective for all learners. UDL also focuses on being proactive and designing a course for ALL students in advance, rather than taking a reactive approach and waiting until students are struggling. The focus again becomes ALL students and providing them with multiple ways to access content and participate in the course.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is founded on the understanding that there is no such thing as “an average learner.” ALL learners are individuals with unique characteristics and combinations of strengths and weaknesses. UDL promotes the development of flexibile learning materials, activities, and assessments that are effective for all learners. UDL also focuses on being proactive and designing a course for ALL students in advance, rather than taking a reactive approach and waiting until students are struggling. The focus again becomes ALL students and providing them with multiple ways to access content and participate in the course.

There are three principles based in neuroscience upon which the UDL framework is built. These principles guide the design of learning environments with a deep understanding and appreciation for individual variability.

green circle with brain Principle of Engagement

Stimulate interest and motivation for learning

UDL Guidelines: Engagement

Purple circle with brainPrinciple of Representation

Present information and content in different ways

UDL Guidelines: Representation

Blue circle with brainPrinciple of Action & Expression

Differentiate the ways that students can express what they know

UDL Guidelines: Action & Expression

View the full UDL framework here: UDL Framework

Universal Design for Learning vs Accessibility

Rather than centering on an Accessible design model where there’s a  focus in on the needs of individuals, UDL focuses on a model for social justice to support all diverse learning need by providing instruction that can be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Accessibility for learners with disabilities is an integral part of UDL but it will not eliminate the need for all accommodations. UDL calls for the removal of different kinds of barriers, making instruction accessible to everyone, not just students requesting disability-related accommodations.

Simple Ways to Apply UDL to Instruction

  1. Provide multiple means of engagement
  • Give choice and promote autonomy.
  • Ensure that learning is relevant and contextualized.
  • Support communication and collaboration.
  • Encourage self-reliance, reflection and personal assessment.
  1. Provide multiple means of representation
  • Use a variety of media to deliver content.
  • Offer options to change how content is displayed.
  • Be explicit with instructions and offer clarification.
  • Provide context to support new concepts.
  1. Provide multiple means of action and expression
  • Employ multiple tools and media for communication.
  • Facilitate planning and goal setting for learning opportunities.
  • Organize course content and workload.

See many more Applications of Universal Design in Postsecondary Education. Resources from DO-IT, University of Washington to guide learning more about how to implement UDL in your instruction.

Videos and Media

Barrier Identification Flowchart (2021, April 20) [PDF]. An Instructional Aid published by Learning Designed in partnership with CAST & the UDL Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN). Use this as an aide for identifying and removing instructional barriers through a Universal Design for Learning Framework.

 

The Myth of Average: Todd Rose at TEDxSonoma County (2013, June 19) [Video,18:26 min]. A video about the myth of a one-size-fits-all tradition and reasons to make the shift to designing “to the edges.”

 

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? (2017, Nov 2) [Video 2:52 min]. A video introduction to the concept of Universal Design for learning from the Association for Higher Education Access & Disability, AHEAD©.

 

UDL Checkpoints (2018, December 19) [PDF]. An Instructional Aid published by Learning Designed in partnership with CAST & the UDL Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN). Each page of the document is built around one of the three UDL principles and is aimed at improving understanding of the UDL framework and how to apply the checkpoints to instruction.

 

PGCC Library & Learning Resources (2020, May 11) [Web]. A PGCC website offering valuable information on the Universal Design for Learning. This resource includes information and resources about UDL, and its applications as well as providing a summary of books available from our library on the topic of UDL.

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Accessibility and UDL (2015, October 6) [Video 1:31 min]. In a video created by the Center for Applied Special Technology CAST, Skip Stahl discusses how Accessibility and UDL are not mutually exclusive but interconnected.

 

UDL on Campus (n.a.) [Web]. The Center for Applied Special Technology CAST website on everything UDL in higher education. This site contains links to course design, media & materials, accessibility & policy.

 

 

 

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