Universal Design for

Learning
(UDL)
Education 6714
Gayla Fisher
What is UDL? 
 “The central practical premise of
UDL is that a curriculum should
include alternatives to make it
accessible and appropriate for
individuals with different
backgrounds, learning styles,
abilities, and disabilities in widely
varied learning contexts. The
"universal" in universal design
does not imply one optimal
solution for everyone. Rather, it
reflects an awareness of the
unique nature of each learner
and the need to accommodate
differences, creating learning
experiences that suit the learner
and maximize his or her ability to
progress.” (Center for Applied
Science and Technology website)

Three Principles of UDL
 Present information, concepts, and ideas
 Plan and execute learning tasks
 Get engaged and stay engaged in the learning
Why is UDL necessary?

 Provides flexibility in the ways information is
presented, in the ways students respond and
in the ways students are engaged
 Students have varied skills, abilities, needs,
interests, backgrounds, and learning styles

How can UDL assist student’s?
 Curriculum is made flexible and customizable
so that individuals can learn in ways that
work best for them
 High standards are achieved through different
means in the UDL curriculum
 Reduces barriers in instruction
 Provides appropriate accommodations,
supports , and challenges, and maintains
high standards for all students, including
students with disabilities

Principles of udl framework

Principle one:

Multiple methods of presentation


 How we teach


 Enable learners to identify and understand ideas and

concepts.



Example of principle one
 To reduce barriers to learning, it is important
to provide instruction through different
sensory modalities (vision, hearing or touch)
 Vision– enlarged text
 Hearing- sounds amplified


Principle two

Multiple means of action and expression


 How students respond to what we teach

 Enable learners to plan, execute, and monitor
actions


Example of principle two

Assistive technology can be used to assist
students who are physically disabled or have
other types of barriers.


 Provide option for physical action


Assistive technology device examples:


 Voice activated switches, expanded keyboards

Examples for expressive
Different modalities for expression should be


provided for all students.

 Drawing
 Video
 Storyboards
 Kidspiration/Insirpation
 Speech recognition software
Principle three
 Multiple means of engagement
 How well students interests are integrated in
the presentation
 Enable learners to engage with tasks and
learning with the world around us


Examples of principle three
Provide students with choices through:


 Alternative methods to complete assignments

 Ensure that every student is working at a
comfortable and appropriate stage of
difficulty
 Collaboration
 Ongoing feedback and encouragement
 Teach today’s students with today’s tools
Udl and the learning brain



 Recognition
Strategic
Affective
recognition

“The what of learning”


 Identify and interpret patterns of sound, light,

taste, smell and touch
 Identify and understand information, ideas,
and concepts


Strategic networks

“the how of learning”
 Generate and oversee mental and motor
patterns
 Enables us to plan, execute, and monitor
actions and skills
Affective networks


“the why of learning”

 Evaluate patterns and give them significance
 Enable us to engage in tasks and learning with
the world around us


technology
 The technology now exists to make teaching
and learning more adaptable to meet the
needs of a wide range of students.
 Proactive curriculum design is essential in
light of limited resources and limited time
to create individualized accommodations.
Cast Learning Tools
 Wiggle Works is interactive books that provide
technology, literature and teacher support
to help students become successful readers
and writers.
 Research-based and proven model


Strategy Tutor
 Helps students read, research, and understand
information more efficiently.


 Provides teachers an easy way to create web-
based lessons with effective learning.

“Applying universal design to learning
materials and activities can increase access
for learners with wide disparities in their
abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write,
understand English, attend, organize, focus,
engage, and remember.”

Rose & Meyer, 2000, 2002

 Resources
Center for Applied Special Technology. (2009). UDL guidelines,


version 1.0. Retrieved from http://

www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html


Learning Through Listening.(2009). Retrieved from



http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Universal-Design-for-Learning-UDL/2
/



The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
(NCSET). (2007). Vol. 1 December 2002. Retrieved from
http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=707

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital

age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved from

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/
