Universal Design for Learning: An Introduction

Universal Design for Learning: an Introduction

By Tim Whiting

Everything needs a plan.  A road trip needs a map.  A vacation needs an itinerary.  A house needs a blueprint.  And a course needs a framework.  Without a plan on how to reach all students at all levels at all times, students will get lost and fall through the cracks.  Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is that framework. 

Before we dive in too deep, it is important to understand that this article is simply skimming the surface in regard to UDL.  Throughout this article are links to gain additional information and insights.  Additionally, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning provides trainings and access to webinars that allow you to practice creating and implementing a UDL framework in your courses.  

To explore UDL and gain a better understanding of the framework, visit the authority of UDL, the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST):   

CAST: Universal Design for Learning 

What is UDL? 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is “a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn, including Students with Disabilities” (AHEAD, n.d.).  What UDL does is combine the need for student choice with the need for student engagement with the need for learner equity.  It is a mindset that is developed by you, the instructor, in which you provide instruction, materials, access, choice, and opportunity for all students including those with learning and physical disabilities.   

What UDL is not?  It is not one size fits all.  It provides the learner the opportunity to not only read the material but also listen to it or process it through a video.  It is not just accessibility (ensuring that slides have appropriate contrast and videos have captioning) but that learners can choose how they complete a project or an assessment.  It is not differentiation.  Differentiation provides modes that intend to meet students at different learning styles (ex/a video for the content and then written discussion), but the instruction still comes in one mode for the entire group.  On the other hand, UDL encourages that students can complete a discussion through an entry that is written, recorded (video or audio) or Illustrative.   

“UDL aims to improve the educational experience of all students by introducing more flexible methods of teaching, assessment and service provision to cater for the diversity of learners in our classrooms. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students” (AHEAD, n.d.). 

View this video to see a simplified version of UDL: What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? 

Explore UDL in depth by reading this article: Why Universal Design for Learning Is Essential to Higher Education’s “New Normal” 

The Breakdown of UDL 

UDL narrows the focus of instruction into three areas: 

• Provide multiple means of learner engagement.  

• Provide multiple means of representing information.  

• Provide multiple means for learners to take action and express themselves. 

(Tobin & Behling, 2018) 

When examining the three guidelines, you will notice it follows the flow of a lesson.  To connect with students, you must first engage the learner, then you must ensure that, no matter the learner and their circumstances, that they have opportunity to receive the information, and finally, that they have the opportunity to take action in a way that they can apply what they have learned.   

The following graphic represents the detailed guidelines within UDL. 

To understand the guidelines and how to incorporate them within your implementation of UDL, visit CAST at https://udlguidelines.cast.org/ 

To see observe how the guidelines are utilizes, view this video by OIT Media Incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into Canvas Courses 

A Step at a Time 

Starting with a whole new framework is overwhelming.  No one benefits from jumping in full force.  Not the instructor.  Not the learners.  A road trip is built in stages.  A house is built in stages.  The best approach is Tobin and Behling’s “Plus 1” approach in which you will add a piece at a time (Tobin & Behling, 2018b).  Analyze a course that you have already built or a class that you have already taught.  What is your biggest challenge?  What is your biggest concern?  Review assignments and assessments.  What did the students have the most trouble with and where did you see the lowest scores?  Review it.  Did students have an opportunity to gain the instruction in more than one way?  Did the students have an opportunity to prove mastery in a way that benefitted their learning?   

To explore the concept of “Plus 1” and implementing one piece at a time, view these videos: 

Getting Started 

UDL plus-one-Thomas Tobin 

To explore UDL and gain a better understanding of the framework, visit the CAST site dedicated to UDL:  CAST: Universal Design for Learning 

References 

AHEAD. (n.d.). Universal design for learning. https://www.ahead.ie/udl 

AHEAD. (2017, November 2). What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGQ_7K35ysA 

DisabilityAwareness elearning. (2021, November 7). UDL plus-one - Thomas Tobin [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDt1r3FcCQU 

OITmedia. (2021, February 24). Incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into Canvas Courses [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQnurw_SdTU 

Tobin, T. J., & Behling, K. T. (2018b). Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education (Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) (First). West Virginia University Press. 

Tobin, & Behling. (2018). Why universal design for learning is essential to higher education’s “New normal.” In Derek Krissoff, Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. West Virginia University Press. https://tadp.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2020-10/Why%20Universal%20Design%20Is%20Essential%20to%20Higher%20Ed.pdf 

UDL On Campus. (2015, October 8). Getting started [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HHvRzemuHA 

Universal Design for Learning|CAST. (n.d.). CAST. https://www.cast.org/what-we-do/universal-design-for-learning/