Universal design for learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary hurdles in the learning process. This means developing a flexible learning environment in which information is presented in multiple ways, students engage in learning in a variety of ways, and students are provided options when demonstrating their learning.
UDL is similar to universal instructional designand universal design for instruction. All three advocate for accessible and inclusive instructional approaches that meet the needs and abilities of all learners.
Why Use UDL?
- Incorporating universal design principles enhances aninclusive learning environment.
- Designing a course to accommodate a wider variety of needs may eliminate potential learning barriersor unnecessary learning obstacles. If a course can be designed at the onset to do this, then why not?
- Providing students with multiple means of perceiving, comprehending, and expressing their learning allows students to engage with the material in a way that most benefits them, and also encourages students to engage with material to improve in areas in which their skills are not as strong.
Considerations for UDL
- Provide Options for Perception- Based on the premise that learners access information differently, this principle means providing flexible and multiple ways to present information. For example, using PowerPoint as a visual supplement to your lecture.
- Provide Options for Expression- Since learners vary in their abilities to demonstrate their learning in different ways, this principle means providing flexible and multiple ways to allow students to express their knowledge or demonstrate their skills. For example, providing students an option of writing a final exam or submitting a final assignment.
- Provide Options for Comprehension- Students are motivated to learn for different reasons and vary in the types of learning activities that keep them engaged. This third principle means providing multiple ways for engaging in course activities. For example, engaging students in both group work activities and individual work, as opposed to engaging students only in individual work.
Remember that providing choices does not mean changing course expectations(e.g., if your courselearning outcomes includes being able to communicate in writing, students need to demonstrate their learning through a written assignment).
Getting Started with UDL
- If you have already designed a course, reflect on how it is going. What current course activities, methods of instruction, and assessments are working well? What is yourteaching style and what are your students’ learning modalities? Ask yourself which students would likely do well in your class and which students might struggle.
- Could you offer more flexibility in the way you present content, the way students engage in learning in your course, and the way they are assessed?
- Have students choose from a selected bank of assignment topicsor at the beginning of the semester,allow students to determine what percentage of their grade can be dependent on certain assessment options.
- Check in with your students to see how things are going. Conduct amid-semester evaluation, and/orevaluate how productive your classroom climate is.
- As with any teaching strategy, reflect on how it went. Did it work for you? For your students? Were students able to attain the course learning outcomes? Make necessary adjustments for your next semester.
See more onUDL principles and how they can be applied, or use acourse accessibility checklistto check how accessible your course is.
References
Burgstahler, S., & Cory, R. (2008).Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Rose, D. H., Harbour, W. A., Johnston, C. S., Daley, S. G., & Abarbanell, L. (2006). Universal design for learning in postsecondary education: Reflections on principles and their applications.Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 19(2), 135-151.
FAQs
Universal design for learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary hurdles in the learning process.
What are the three main considerations in universal design for learning? ›
The UDL framework is built on three principles that guide educators to plan more than one way (i.e., multiple means) to engage students, to represent content, and to promote student expression. By applying these three principles, educators design flexible instructional experiences that incorporate options for learners.
How will you demonstrate universal design for learning in your classroom? ›
Provide Multiple Means of Representation
Universal Design for Learning recommends providing multiple means of representation so that all students can understand and engage with the content. This could mean using a variety of multimedia, including text, audio, images, and videos.
What are the three principles of universal design for learning explain? ›
The three UDL principles are engagement, representation, and action and expression. The chart below includes the three UDL principles adapted from CAST. It also gives you some questions to consider and lists some examples of the principles in action.
What is the main focus of universal design? ›
Universal design means planning to build physical, learning and work environments so that they are usable by a wide range of people, regardless of age, size or disability status. While universal design promotes access for individuals with disabilities, it also benefits others.
What are the benefits of universal design for learning? ›
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) gives all students an equal opportunity to succeed. This approach to teaching and learning offers flexibility in the ways students access material and show what they know. UDL also looks for different ways to keep students motivated.
What is the main goal of UDL? ›
The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning and give all students equal opportunities to succeed. It's about building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every student's strengths and needs.
What are the 3 pillars of UDL? ›
The three principles of UDL are:
- Multiple Means of Representation.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression.
- Multiple Means of Engagement.
Universal design for learning builds on these principles while seeking to provide: Multiple means of representation—to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge. Multiple means of action and expression—to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know.
What is an example of universal design for learning? ›
One great example of universal design for learning is creating classroom routines that help students feel secure. While this helps adapt to students with disabilities such as autism, it's good for all students to get used to classroom routines.
Three UDL principles
The principles encourage proactive and intentional design focused on providing multiple ways to: motivate students (engagement) present concepts (representation) allow students to demonstrate their learning (action and expression).
What are the disadvantages of UDL? ›
Con 1: UDL can be time consuming
Especially if you're new to the practice, the thought of one lesson plan can be daunting enough without thinking of different or multiple ways students can access the learning. Time is needed to trial different tasks as well as engage with reading on the principles of UDL.
What are the three essential components of universal design for learning? ›
Why is UDL important?
- Principle I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation. Present information and content in different ways.
- Principle II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression. Differentiate the ways that students can express what they know.
- Principle III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement.
Some specific benefits of UDL include: UDL makes learning more accessible, even in general education classrooms. The UDL framework creates more flexible classroom experiences, meaning that teachers can deliver meaningful learning opportunities to all students.
How do you practice universal design? ›
Universal Design Principles
- Equitable Use. The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. ...
- Flexibility in Use. ...
- Simple and Intuitive Use. ...
- Perceptible Information. ...
- Tolerance for Error. ...
- Low Physical Effort. ...
- Appropriate Size and Space for Approach and Use.
Universal design is a concept in which products and environments are designed to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaption or specialized design. Accessibility is about more than compliance with standards.
What is the universal design for learning plan? ›
Universal design for learning is unique because it requires teachers to think about the brain in a new way. A UDL-based curriculum would include lessons designed for all eight intelligences, based on Howard Gardner's research on multiple intelligences: Interpersonal. Logical-Mathematical.
What is the significance of universal design for learning in teaching learning process? ›
The UDL framework creates more flexible classroom experiences, meaning that teachers can deliver meaningful learning opportunities to all students. This is especially critical given that even students with learning disabilities may spend most of their time in general education classrooms, not specialized spaces.
