One of the primary objectives of UDL is to challenge and engage all students. UDL stipulates that teachers present information in a variety of ways, allow students options for learning and demonstrating their knowledge, and incorporate practices that maximize student engagement. In this way, UDL enables students with a range of differences in their abilities to access the content and skills taught in the general education classroom. By using the three principles of representation, action and expression, and engagement when designing their lesson plans, teachers can reduce or eliminate barriers that may impede students’ learning or interfere with their ability to demonstrate their learning. Additionally, a teacher must know the intent of the learning goal for the lesson or unit. When this has been accomplished, he or she can allow students to access (i.e., instructional materials and methods) and demonstrate their learning (i.e., assessment) in multiple ways.
With your preferences or needs in mind, choose one of the formats below to access a summary of Universal Design for Learning as presented by David Rose and Grace Meo.
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David Rose: UDL is a framework for thinking about teaching and learning. One of its most important ideas is that students are by their very nature diverse, and that diversity is a good thing.
Grace Meo: Students represent such a variety of skills, background, needs, strengths, abilities, etc. Each student brings their own uniqueness to the lesson, and it’s not that someone is just generally low performing. They might have skills or interests in certain areas and, conversely a student who might be reading at or above grade level might have areas where they need some supports and scaffold. Once that is understood then one plans a lesson, not necessarily for an individual student, but you plan the lesson thinking about the greatest diversity of students. The lesson itself will be applicable or accessible for a broad range of students, knowing that some of your students will have limited experiences with the concept you are talking about or will have background knowledge unique to their own culture. So one has to build in the supports and scaffolds from the beginning to think about that great diversity.
David Rose: UDL reminds us to look at three things, primarily, in order to understand the differences in our students. What does the student know already? Secondly, what does the student know how to do? What are the skills and strategies they have? Thirdly, a teacher needs to know what kinds of things will engage and motivate the student. So the point in UDL is making sure you know all three of those things, because that will allow you to design a good lesson.
Transcript with images
Transcript with images (PDF)
Revisiting Initial Thoughts
Think back to your initial responses to the following questions. After working through the resources in this module, do you agree with your Initial Thoughts? If not, what aspects of your answers would you change?
How can teachers at Sycamore Middle School meet the educational needs of all of their students?
To meet the needs of the widest range of students, what should teachers consider when planning their instruction?
To cite this module, please use the following:
The IRIS Center. (2009). Universal Design for Learning: Creating a learning environment that challenges and engages all students. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/udl/
References
The Access Center. (n.d.). Differentiated instruction. Retrieved on February 27, 2009, from http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php/category/differentiate-instruction/
The Access Center. (n.d.). Special education and access terminology. Retrieved on February 27, 2009, from http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/terminology.asp
The Access Center. (n.d.). Universal design to support access to the general education curriculum. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/UniversalDesign.asp
Barsch, J. R. (1996). Barsch Learning Style Inventory. Novato, CA: Academic Therapy Publications.
Casper, B., & Leuichovius, D. (2005). Universal design for learning and the transition to a more challenging academic curriculum: Making it in middle school and beyond. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=2165
CAST. (n.d.). Chapter 5: Using UDL to set clear goals. Retrieved on October 29, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter5_3.cfm
CAST. (n.d.). Curriculum access for students with low-incidence disabilities: The promise of UDL. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_lowinc_section5.html
CAST. (n.d.). UDL questions and answers. Retrieved on October 10, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/research/faq/index.html
CAST. (2008). Universal design for learning guidelines version 1.0. Retrieved on August 11, 2009, from https://www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html
CAST. (n.d.) What is universal design for learning? Retrieved on October 9, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html
The Center for Universal Design. (1997). Table 1. Principles of universal design in architecture and other areas. Retrieved on August 11, 2009, from http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/pubs_p/docs/poster.pdf
Council for Exceptional Children. (2005). Universal design for learning: A guide for teachers and educational professionals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Doyle, M. B., & Giangreco, M. F. (2009). Making presentation software accessible to high school students with intellectual disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 41(3), pp. 24–31.
Firchow, N. (n.d.). Universal design for learning: Improved access for all. Retrieved on October 14, 2008, from http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2490
Gaines, O. (2005). Lesson plan #3506: Cell division. Retrieved on August 11, 2009, from http://teachers.net/lessonplans/posts/3506.html
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (n.d.). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. Wakefield, MA: National Center on accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstructudl.html
Hitchcock, C., Meyer, A., Rose, D., & Jackson, R. (2002). Providing new access to the general curriculum: Universal design for learning. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 35(2), pp. 8–17.
Hitchcock, C., & Stahl, S. (2003). Assistive technology, universal design, universal design for learning: Improved learning opportunities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 18(4), pp. 45–52.
Jackson, R. M. (2004). Technologies supporting curriculum access for students with disabilities. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_techsupport.html
Jackson, R., Harper, K., & Jackson, J. (2001). Effective teaching practices and the barriers limiting their use in accessing the curriculum: A review of recent literature. Peabody, MA: Center for Applied Special Technology, Inc. Retrieved on October 10, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_effectivetp.html
National Center for Learning Disabilities. (n.d.). Universal design Q&A for educators and administrators. Retrieved on October 18, 2011, from http://www.ncld.org/at-school/especially-for-teachers/universal-design-for-learning/universal-design-qaa-for-educators-and-administrators
Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. (2000). Accessing the general curriculum: Including students with disabilities in standards-based reform. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
O’Neill, L. (2001). A 21st century mission: The first CAST institute on universal design for learning. The Exceptional Parent, 31(2), pp. 22–25.
Okolo, C. M. (2006). Online assessments in the content areas: What are they good for? Journal of Special Education Technology, 21(2), pp. 67–73.
Orkwis, R., & McLane, K. (1998). A curriculum every student can use: Design principals for student access. Reston, VA: ERIC/ OSEP Special Project (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 423645). Retrieved from ERIC database.
Orkwis, R. (2003). Universally designed instruction. Reston, VA: ERIC/ OSEP Special Project (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 475386). Retrieved from ERIC database.
Ozden, M. Y., Erturk, I., & Sanli, R. (2004). Students’ perceptions of online assessment: A case study. Journal of Distance Education, 19(2), pp. 77–92.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2006). A practical reader in universal design for learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Rose, D., Meyer, A., & Edyburn, D. (2008, April 3). Universal design for learning: Guidelines for practice and research. Presented at Council for Exceptional Children National Convention, Boston, MA.
Rose, D., Meyer, A., & Hitchcock, C. (2005). The universally designed classroom: Accessible curriculum and digital technologies. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A., Strangman, Y., & Rappolt, G. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Salend, S. (2009). Using technology to create and administer accessible tests. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 41(3), pp. 40–51.
Smith, D., & Tyler, N. (2010). Introduction to special education: Making a difference (7th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Stock, S. E., Davies, D. K., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2004). Internet-based multimedia tests and surveys for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 19(4), pp. 43–47
Strangman, N., Hall, T., & Meyer, A. (2004). Background knowledge instruction and the implications for UDL implementation. Wakefield: MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_backknowledgeudl.html
TES Site Mentor. (n.d.). Model two: Finding UDL solutions. Retrieved on November 6, 2008, from https://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/content/mentors/site_mentor/site_mentor.cfm
University of South Florida, Department of Education. (n.d.). Creating a rubric: Tutorial. Retrieved on August 11, 2009, from http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/eta/Rubric_Tutorial/default.htm
Additional Resources
Articles
Andrade, H. G. (1997). Understanding rubrics. Educational leadership, 54(4). Retrieved on March 4, 2009 from http://www.middleweb.com/rubricsHG.html
This useful resource offers an overview of rubrics, why they are useful, and how to go about creating them. A look at the possible expanded use of rubrics—at home, for example—is included.
Edyburn, D. L. (2010). Would you recognize universal design for learning if you saw it? Ten propositions for new directions for the second decade of UDL. Learning Disability Quarterly, 33, 33–41.
This paper expands and elaborates on an early article (also published in Learning Disability Quarterly). In it, the author offers a detailed examination of the history and institutional context of universal design for learning, as well as speculation about future developments for the approach. Ten propositions for that future are offered and discussed.
Flores, M. (2008). Universal design in elementary and middle school: Designing classrooms and instructional practices to ensure access to learning for all students. Childhood Education, 84(4), pp. 224–229.
In this article, the author overviews Universal Design for Learning (here called Universal Design for Instruction [UDI]) with a particular focus on the method’s usefulness in elementary and middle-school classrooms.
Goodman, G., & Williams, C. M. (2007). Interventions for increasing the academic engagement with autism spectrum disorders in inclusive classrooms. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(6), pp. 53–61.
The authors here detail their observations and field-tested outcomes involving the effectiveness of universally designed interventions in increasing the participation of students with autism spectrum disorder in the general education classroom. A focus is placed on the idea of individually designed interventions with special attention to the unique needs of every student.
Kortering, L. J., McClannon, T. W., & Braziel, P. M. (2008). Universal design for learning: A look at what algebra and biology students with and without high incidence conditions are saying. Remedial and Special Education, 29(6), pp. 352–363.
Here the authors present their findings on what a group of students (among them students with high-incidence disabilities) perceived about their interactions with Universal Design for Learning principles. Their findings reveal that the students found UDL much to their liking and voiced hopes that their teachers would use more of it in their instruction. A discussion of the implications of these outcomes is included.
Kurtis, S. A., Matthews, C. E., & Smallwood, T. (2009). (Dis)Solving the differences: A physical science lesson using universal design. Intervention in School and Clinic, (44)3, 151–159.
In this article, the authors set about showing the ways in which a lesson in science can be adapted using the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
National Universal Design for Learning Task Force. (n.d.). UDL: The facts for educators. Retrieved on November 15, 2011, from https://udl4maryland.webs.com/UDLEducatorsFactSheet.pdf
This general overview provides a brief but informative introduction to the UDL method, answering questions such as “What is Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning?” “What are the benefits of UDL?” and “What are the principles of UDL?”
Strangman, N., Hitchcock, C., Hall, T., Meo, G., & Coyne, P. (2008). Response-to-instruction and Universal Design for Learning: How might they intersect in the general education classroom? Retrieved from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/response-instruction-and-universal-design-learning-how-might-they-intersect-general
As its title suggests, this article undertakes an examination of RTI and UDL and proposes ways that they might interact in general education classrooms to the benefit of today’s diverse learners.
Thompson, S., & Thurlow, M. (2002). Universal designed assessments: Better tests for everyone! (Policy Directions No. 14). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Retrieved on October 16, 2008, from https://nceo.info/Resources/publications/OnlinePubs/Policy14.htm
The authors posit that the increased emphasis on testing in today’s schools requires immediate efforts to universally design those tests to be as accessible as possible for today’s diverse learners. Here they present a number of clearly articulated principles through which to carry out this aim, including “Plain Language Editing Strategies” and “Dimensions of Legibility and Characteristics of Maximum Legibility.”
Thompson, S. J., Johnstone, C. J., & Thurlow, M. L. (2002). Universal design applied to large scale assessments (Synthesis Report 44). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Retrieved October 14, 2008, from https://nceo.info/Resources/publications/OnlinePubs/Synthesis44.html
This paper sets out to explore the effect of UDL principles on large-scale assessments. It establishes and examines seven keys of universally designed assessments, including “inclusive assessment population,” “accessible, non-biased items,” and “amenable to accommodations.” Suggestions for designing universally accessible assessments are included.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. (n.d.). Tool kit on teaching and assessing students with disabilities. Retrieved on August 11, 2009, from https://osepideasthatwork.org/federal-resources-stakeholders/tool-kits/tool-kit-teaching-and-assessing-students-disabilities
This online resource, made available by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Plans, includes a Tool Kit on Universal Design for Learning with links to a host of outside information and materials. Among these is an Instructional Practices page as well as one devoted to Assessment.
Online Resource
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
Designed to assist classroom instructors who seek to develop courses of study or curricula that are more easily accessible by all of their students, these guidelines developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) include a detailed explanation of UDL, links to examples and resources to support UDL implementation, and an overview of the current research into UDL effectiveness. A section detailing the three primary principles of universal design for learning offers a deeper understanding of the framework.
Credits
Content Experts:Grace Meo Module Developers:Kim Skow Module Production Team:Editor: Reviewers: Permissions: Transcriptions: Audio engineer: Media specialist/technical support: Web master: |
MediaNarrator: Music: Graphics: Photos: Clipart.com All other media and images courtesy of the IRIS Center. Expert Interviews: |
When you are ready, proceed to the Post-test.