Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

The What, the Why and the How for Enhancing Learning

for All Promoting Collaboration

A New Function for Special Education

Today’s Session at a Glance

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

Why UDL? Components of UDL Guidelines of UDL Principles of UDL Tools, Resources, and Supports

What is UDL?

UDL was born from an architectural world intended to design and construct equal access facilities

The concept was then transferred to education.

Universal Design

“Consider the needs of the broadest possible range of users from the

beginning.”

— Ron Mace

What is UDL? (c0nt’d)

A set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn

A way to provide learning opportunities in the general education curriculum that are inclusive and effective for all

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What is UDL? (cont’d)

Universal Design for Learning refers to a process by which a curriculum (i.e., goals, methods, materials, and assessments) is intentionally and systematically designed from the beginning to address individual differences.

What is UDL? (cont’d)

The purpose of UDL curricula is not simply to help students master a specific body of knowledge or a specific set of skills, but to help them master learning itself—in short, to become expert learners.

What is UDL? (cont’d)

Not an afterthought Full access is designed from the

onset More cost-effective than retrofitting More elegant and easy-to-use

What is UDL? (cont’d)

UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone.

UDL is not a single, one-size-fits-all solution, but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.

WHY UDL?

Individuals bring a huge variety of skills, needs, and interests to learning. Neuroscience reveals that these differences are as varied and unique as our DNA or fingerprints.

Why UDL? (cont’d)

Three Primary Brain NetworksRecognition Networks The "what" of learning How we gather facts and categorize

what we see, hear, and read. Identifying letters, words, or an author's style are recognition tasks.

Why UDL? (cont’d)

Three Primary Brain Networks (cont’d)Strategic Networks The "how" of learning Planning and performing tasks. How

we organize and express our ideas. Writing an essay or solving a math problem are strategic tasks.

Why UDL? (cont’d)

Three Primary Brain Networks (cont’d)Affective Networks The "why" of learning How learners get engaged and stay

motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions.

Why UDL? (cont’d)

Eliminates or reduces barriers to academic success for all students

Values diversity in the classroom through proactive design of inclusive curriculum

Provides appropriate accommodations [and] supports

Maintains high achievement expectations

WHY UDL? (cont’d)

Increasing options for access

Increasing options for participation

Increasing options for demonstrating learning

Leading to increased equitable access to the general curriculum

– Higher achievement– Higher graduation

rate– Lower drop out rate

Why UDL? (cont’d)

More Educators are… Teaching effectively in classrooms with

diverse student needs Spending more time on

instruction and facilitating learning

Helping ALL learners succeed

More Students are…

Engaged in their own education Learning at greater breadth and depth Achieving at higher levels Motivated to continue learning

Why UDL? (cont’d)

Components of UDL

Goals are often described as learning expectations.

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Components of UDL (cont’d)

Traditional– Learning goals may

get skewed by the inflexible ways and means of achieving them.

UDL– Learning goals are

attained in many individualized ways, by many customized means.

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Methods are generally defined as the instructional decisions, approaches, procedures, or routines that expert teachers use to accelerate or enhance learning

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Traditional– Teacher centered

(lecture)– Homogeneous

grouping– Burden on student to

adapt to “get it”

UDL– Interactivity– Heterogeneous

grouping– Rich supports for

understanding, independent learning

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Materials are usually seen as the media used to present learning content and what the learner uses to demonstrate knowledge

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Traditional– Mostly print and

everyone gets the same materials

– Few options

UDL– Variety of materials

and formats to reach learners with diverse abilities, styles, and needs equally well.

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Assessment is described as the process of gathering information about a learner’s performance using a variety of methods and materials in order to determine learners’ knowledge, skills, and motivation for the purpose of making informed educational decisions.

Components of UDL (cont’d)

Traditional– Confuse goals with

means.– Summative—when

it’s too late to adjust instruction!

UDL– Many positive

means as long as they measure learning!

– Supports instructional improvement.

Guidelines of UDL

Guideline 1: Provide options for perception Learning is impossible if information is imperceptible

to the learner, and difficult when information is presented in formats that require extraordinary effort or assistance.

To reduce barriers to learning, it is important to ensure that key information is equally perceptible to all learners by: – providing the same information through different

modalities– providing information in a format that will allow for

adjustability by the user

Guidelines of UDL (cont’d)

Guideline 2: Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols

A picture or image that carries meaning for some learners may carry very different meanings for learners from differing cultural or familial backgrounds. As a result, inequalities arise when information is presented to all learners through a single form of representation. 

An important instructional strategy is to ensure that alternative representations are provided not only for accessibility, but for clarity and comprehensibility across all learners.

Guidelines of UDL (cont’d)

Guideline 3: Provide options for comprehension The sole purpose of education is not to make

information accessible, but rather to teach learners how to transform accessible information into useable knowledge.

Proper design and presentation of information – the responsibility of any curriculum or instructional methodology - can provide the scaffolds necessary to ensure that all learners have access to knowledge.

Three Fundamental Principles of UDL

Multiple Means of Representation– To increase recognition

Multiple Means of Expression– To expand purposeful output

Multiple Means of Engagement– To enhance involvement

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide options for perception

Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols

Provide options for comprehension

Perception– Customized displays– Auditory alternatives– Visual alternatives

Expression– Vocabulary and symbols– Syntax and structure– Decoding– Understanding – Multiple illustrations

Comprehension– Background knowledge– Patterns and relationships– Information processing– Transfer and generalization

Multiple Means of Representation (cont’d)

Examples– Offer text-to-speech, video, audio, and

other multimedia; integrate assistive technologies into learning environment

– Provide vocabulary support and background knowledge

– Highlight critical features & main ideas

Multiple Means of Representation (cont’d)

Read aloud Highlight phrases Listen to

audiotapes Text-to-speech

What are your ideas?– Generate examples

of how you have represented information in alternative formats.

– Generate new and creative possibilities.

Provide Multiple Means for Actionand Expression

Options for physical action

Options for expression and communication

Options for executive functions

Physical action– Vary response and navigation– Optimize tools and

technologies Expression and communication

– Multiple media– Tools for construction and

composition– Graduated levels of support

Executive functions– Goal setting– Planning and strategy

development– Managing information and

resources– Enhance monitoring progress

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (cont’d)

Examples– Let students show what they know

with voice recording, graphic displays, performance, etc.

– Provide models of expert performance– Offer executive-function supports such

as graphic organizers, outlines, etc.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (cont’d)

Voice recording Graphic displays Graphic organizers Dance or movement Embedded prompts Checklists Spellcheck Story webs and

outlines Sentence starters

What are your ideas?– Generate examples

of how you have allowed multiple means for action and expression.

– Generate new and creative possibilities.

Provide Multiple Means for Engagement

Options for recruiting interest

Options for sustaining effort and persistence

Options for self-regulation

Recruiting Interest– Individual choice and autonomy– Relevance, value and authenticity– Minimize threats and distractions

Sustaining effort and persistence– Heighten salience of goals

and objectives– Vary demands and resources– Foster collaboration and

community– Increase mastery-oriented

feedback Self-Regulation

– Promote expectations and beliefs

Multiple Means of Engagement (c0nt’d)

Examples– Vary levels of challenge and support to

prevent frustration or boredom– Tie work to real-world examples– Where possible, give choices – Teach self-assessment and reflection– Implement school-wide positive

behavioral interventions and support

Multiple Means of Engagement (cont’d)

Flexibility in use of tools Provide choice in mode

of expression Connect to community

opportunities Use flexible grouping

strategies Create positive school

culture Peer tutoring Differentiated goals

What are your ideas?– Generate examples

of how you provided multiple means for engagement.

– Generate new and creative possibilities.

“Creating classroom norms, expectations and rules are a golden opportunity to establish and sustain student engagement, use it.”

- Dr. Mary Magee Quinn

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Managing Student Behavior

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

Learn more about UDL Research universally-designed products Share your UDL resources and lesson

plans with others Consider UDL when adopting curriculum

policies

What are the Take -Aways?

Supports for UDL

Statutes and Regulations– No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)– Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA)– National Instructional Materials Accessibility

Standard (NIMAS)– Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)

US Department of Education– Office of Special Education Programs– Institute for Education Sciences– Office of Postsecondary Education

National Science Foundation

Supports for UDL (cont’d)

Supports for UDL (cont’d)

Exploring the Three Principleshttp://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

Supports for UDL (cont’d)

The Role of Technology in UDL http://

www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/articles/udlunplugged

The Seed Lesson– Example lesson illustrating how all principles

of UDL can be met even with limited technology

For More Information OSEP Ideas that Work - UDL Toolkit

http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/udl/ National UDL Task Force

www.udl4allstudents.org CAST

www.cast.org National UDL Center

www.udlcenter.org

Have you smiled today?

And Remember:

Life may not be the party I had hoped for...........

But while I'm here I might as well listen to the music and dance!