Beyond Accommodations: An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning

By Emily Smith

What is universal design for learning?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) comes from architect Ronald L. Mace’s theory of “Universal Design.” Mace sought to design buildings and environments that were accessible to all people, regardless of ability. UDL applies this architectural theory to pedagogy and aims to create curriculum, assignments, and an environment that account for students’ varied physical, intellectual, and learning needs.

Why should I use UDL?

Nearly one in five undergraduate students self-report having a disability—these include disabilities related to vision, hearing, mobility, speech and language, learning, mental and emotional health, and physical health. While UDL was initially designed to make learning accessible specifically for students with disabilities, its application can help learners regardless of disability, age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, learning preference and language skills. UDL is a form of inclusive teaching that benefits instructors by allowing them to connect with their students and benefits students by creating classrooms in which they feel comfortable, supported, and invested in the course content.

How can I apply UDL to my teaching?

Educators can make their pedagogy accessible to all students– and underrepresented students in particular– by providing multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement in the classroom.

Representation: Provide options for representations of course content.

• Offer multiple means of representation by delivering course content in a variety of formats, such as through writing, video, or voice recording. Make sure students can adjust the information by zooming in on text or turning up the volume in a video. Be sure to clarify words, symbols, and numbers used in your teaching, and remind your students of the most important concepts they need to remember in order to build on and apply their learning.

Engagement: Build different ways of learning into your curriculum.

• Facilitate autonomy by giving students opportunities to make choices about their learning. Consider having students choose topics or assignments that best fit their interests. Design activities with a clear purpose and connection to the students and your topic and let your students know why these activities and content matter. Motivate your students to learn and help them to develop healthy coping strategies that facilitate a “growth” mindset. Share feedback that encourages their effort and improvement. 

Action & Expression: Develop multiple means of activities and assessment.

• Think beyond the textbook by incorporating interactive software or technologies into your teaching. Think beyond the essay by offering students the chance to demonstrate their content mastery through multimodal assessments that use text, speech, art, or interactive web tools. Help your students set appropriate and attainable goals for their learning and provide feedback to allow students to track their learning progress and achievements.
  
  

Further Reading

 “The UDL Guidelines.” CAST.

Sheryl Burgstahler, “Universal Design: Process, Principles, and Applications.” DO-IT. University of Washington.

“Universal Design in the Curriculum.” DO-IT. University of Washington.

UDL on Campus. CAST. 

“Universal Design for Learning.” Academy for Teaching and Learning. Baylor University.