1. Universal Design for Learning:
Reaching Every Student

2. Table of Contents
UDL: What is it?
UDL: Why do we need it?
UDL: How do we use it?

3. UDL: What is it?
Universal Design (UD)
Universal Design is an architectural movement which promotes designing and
constructing structures that will accommodate the widest spectrum of users, including those
with disabilities. Prior to the UD movement, buildings were not usually designed with
accessibility in mind, and so many buildings have had to be retrofitted for access. Now that
UD has become more widespread, we are realizing that addressing the needs of special
populations increases accessibility for everyone.
Principles of Universal Design (poster)
Sources:
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter4_2.cfm
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/design-projects/udi/2011/05/09/newprinciplesposters/
Table of Contents

4. UDL: What is it?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design for Learning extends the principles of Universal Design to the field of
education. UDL seeks to increase access to learning by designing more flexibility into
the curriculum as well as into classroom options for processing and engaging with
information. The goals are to minimize barriers and maximize learning.
UDL asks educators to provide ways for
students to access three brain networks
involved in learning: recognition, strategic,
and affective networks. This can be done
through the 3 principles of the UDL
framework:
1. Provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation.
Learners should be given a variety of ways to acquire information and knowledge.
2. Provide multiple, flexible methods of expression.
Learners should be given a variety of ways to demonstrate what they have learned.
3. Provide multiple, flexible options for engagement.
Learners should be given options which tap into their interests and motivations.
Click here for a video overview of UDL.
Source:
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter4_2.cfm
UDL: What is it?
Table of Contents

5. UDL: What is it?
Reflection:
Look again at these examples of Universal Design.
Choose one of these examples and think about how it might support a variety of users,
not only those who might have disabilities.
How might this example inform your thinking about Universal Design for Learning?
UDL: What is it?
Table of Contents

6. UDL: Why do we need it?
Learners are diverse.
They have individual strengths, needs,
interests, learning preferences, and challenges.
In the past, we have generally designed one
type of
curriculum and one type of instruction. The
students
who did not succeed in this one-size-fits-
all
model were often labeled "disabled."
Differentiation might have taken place, but it
was usually more of a retrofit of an existing lesson to address a learning "problem."
Sometimes we might even have lowered our expectations, with the best of intentions,
instead of maintaining a focus on appropriately challenging each learner.
With UDL, educators are challenged to design curriculum and instruction to be
accessible to all learners, not only those we have traditionally considered disabled.
Instead of waiting for students to fail and then trying to backpedal to accommodate them,
we need to anticipate challenges and build supports into the curriculum and instruction.
UDL reminds us that learning is the goal...
so we need to provide a multiple of pathways
for students to successfully reach that goal.
Instead of regular education for many
with special education for a few,
let's work toward accessible education for all!
Here's a short video
explaining why we need
UDL.
Source:
http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module1/l134/
Table of Contents

7. UDL: Why do we need it?
Reflection:
Think about some of your students who are not generally successful with the standard
curriculum and standard methods of instruction.
What are some of the learning challenges that those students face?
What supports might enable those students to have more success?
How might those supports also help the students who do not generally share those same
learning challenges?
UDL: Why do we need it?
Table of Contents

8. UDL: How do we use it?
Now that you know a little bit about what UDL is and why we need it, it's time to
start thinking about how to use it.
Remember the 3 principles of UDL:
1. Provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation.
2. Provide multiple, flexible methods of expression.
3. Provide multiple, flexible options for engagement.
UDL has a set of guidelines for educators
to assist us in implementing these principles.
UDL Guidelines Checklist
Here is brief overview of the
guidelines.
Source:
http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module2/l3/
Table of Contents

9. UDL: How do we use it?
Planning for All Learners (PAL)
Step 1: Set goals.
Be sure to separate learning goals
from procedures or products.
Step 2: Analyze current status.
Identify the methods, materials, and assessments
to be used. Think about the barriers these may
present and options you may provide in order to Status Analysis Tool
avoid such barriers.
Step 3: Apply UDL to lesson/unit. UDL Guidelines Checklist
Use the guidelines to plan the lesson or unit.
Step 4: Teach the UDL lesson/unit.
After teaching, evaluate and revise as needed.
Sources:
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/toolkits/tk_procedures.cfm?tk_id=21
http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module2/l196/
UDL: How do we use it?
Table of Contents

10. UDL: How do we use it?
Check your knowledge!
Here are a few examples of strategies you might use to address the UDL Guidelines.
Sort each strategy into the principle it fits. ClickChecklist
UDL Guidelines on the "Check" button to check your
answers!
Sources:
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle1#principle1_g1
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle2
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle3
UDL: How do we use it?
Table of Contents

11. UDL: How do we use it?
Reflection:
Think about a lesson you have recently taught.
What were some of the challenges that students faced?
Think about steps 1, 2, and 3 of the PAL Process.
How might these steps have helped you plan a lesson that addressed some of those
learning barriers?
PAL Process
UDL: How do we use it?
Table of Contents

12. Review and Next Steps
Universal Design for Learning
seeks to remove barriers
in order to maximize learning for all students.
There are 3 guiding principles:
1. Provide multiple means of presentation.
2. Provide multiple means of expression.
3. Provide multiple means of engagement.
By using the PAL process and the Guidelines, educators can plan ahead to
remove barriers and provide appropriate support and challenge for all learners.
Think of a lesson you are going to teach soon. Use the PAL process to set goals,
analyze barriers, and design options to maximize success for your students.
Remember that learning is the goal; you design the path to help students
achieve!

13. Attachments
78.pdf
UDL Guidelines Checklist.docx
PAL_udlsolutions.pdf