Universal Design

for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing lessons,
curricula, classrooms, and schools that are accessible to all learners.
Ideally, UDL is not about retrofitting or adapting: it is about building
scaffolds and supports for diverse learners right into the educational
environment, content, and curriculum.

UDL helps educators to

develop curricula that truly
Principle 1: leave no child behind
Provide access to multiple forms of perception, while maintaining high
Representation language, and comprehension. expectations for all
students, including
those with disabilities.
-- Grace Meo

UDL is the process by

which we attempt to
Principle 2: Provide a variety of options for action and ensure that the means for
communication; support executive functions learning, and their results,
Expression (organization and memory) are equally accessible
to all students.
-- David Rose &
Jenna Gravel

UDL is a framework, a
Engage learners through interest-driven philosophy of education,
activities, provide choice, facilitate that changes how
Principle 3: collaboration, and support students in people think about
Engagement developing self-regulation strategies. education and helps them
to value the diversity
of all learners.
-- Elizabeth Hartmann

General Application of Principles:

Use TECHNOLOGY to support student learning. Train both yourself and
your students in a tablet's accessibility features (text-to-speech,
AssistiveTouch). Many students can benefit from apps such as
Readability (declutters text on e-documents and webpages) and
Dragon Dictation (speech-to-text capabilities). Encourage a
multimedia approach through ComicLife, PicCollage, and How can you incorporate
BookCreator.
UDL into your practice?
Specific Application of Principles:
Example from ELA: Provide multiple representations of texts. If
teaching Shakespeare, perform Act 1 in Early Modern English, read
Act 2 in a contemporary translation, view Act 3 on film, and cover
Acts 4 & 5 through the graphic novel. Provide students with a variety
of options for reader-response (poem, skit, short essay, artistic
representation, etc.)