Universal Design for Learning (UDL) means finding ways to teach that benefit the widest variety of learners. Moreover, UDL means designing learning goals, materials, and activities in ways that make them accessible to learners with a variety of abilities. Furthermore, two (2) Education Standards Development Committees recommend UDL as an important part of accessibility in the future education standards. For instance, the Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) Education Standards Development Committee recommends curriculum based on UDL and differentiated instruction. Likewise, the Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee recommends college and university teaching that uses UDL best practices. As a result, teachers and other educators should learn best practices for implementing universal design for learning in their classrooms.
Implementing Universal Design for Learning
There are three (3) UDL principles to guide educators in creating lesson content that learners with differing abilities and circumstances can access.
The three principles of UDL are Multiple Means of:
In addition, each principle includes guidelines that teachers and other educators can use to create accessible lessons. The UDL guidelines were developed by an organization called CAST.
Multiple Means of Representation
The guidelines under the principle of multiple means of representation are:
- Supporting opportunities to customize the display of information
- Supporting multiple ways to perceive information
- Representing a diversity of perspectives and identities in authentic ways
- Clarifying vocabulary, symbols, and language structures
- Support for decoding text, mathematical notation, and symbols
- Cultivating understanding and respect across languages and dialects
- Addressing biases in the use of language and symbols
- Illustrating through multiple media
- Connecting prior knowledge to new learning
- Highlighting and exploring patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships
- Cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning
- Maximizing transfer and generalization
Multiple Means of Action and Expression
The guidelines under the principle of multiple means of action and expression are:
- Varying and honouring the methods for response, navigation, and movement
- Optimizing access to accessible materials and assistive and accessible technologies and tools
- Using multiple media for communication
- Using multiple tools for construction, composition, and creativity
- Building fluencies with graduated support for practice and performance
- Addressing biases related to modes of expression and communication
- Setting meaningful goals
- Anticipating and planning for challenges
- Organizing information and resources
- Enhancing capacity for monitoring progress
- Challenging exclusionary practices
Multiple Means of Engagement
The guidelines under the principle of multiple means of engagement are:
- Optimizing choice and autonomy
- Optimizing relevance, value, and authenticity
- Nurturing joy and play
- Addressing biases, threats, and distractions
- Clarifying the meaning and purpose of goals
- Optimizing challenge and support
- Fostering collaboration, interdependence, and collective learning
- Fostering belonging and community
- Offering action-oriented feedback
- Recognizing expectations, beliefs, and motivations
- Developing awareness of self and others
- Promoting individual and collective reflection
- Cultivating empathy and restorative practices
Teachers should use as many of these guidelines as possible to create inclusive classrooms.