UDL
FAQs > THE
FACTS FOR FAMILIES
Universal Design for Learning
THE FACTS FOR FAMILIES
1) What is Universal Design for Learning?
The term “universal design” refers to the movement
within architecture and product development to create places
or things that are accessible to as many people as possible,
including those with disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework and set
of principles to provide ALL students equal opportunities
to learn. It allows educators to choose from a menu of tools
and strategies embedded in the curriculum. Using UDL principles
in general education and special education classrooms makes
curriculum and instruction accessible and engaging for all
learners. Curriculum barriers are reduced; learning is supported;
students gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning;
and their learning is validly assessed.
2) What are the benefits
of UDL?
Students come to the classroom with a variety of needs,
skills, talents, interests and diverse learning styles.
For many
learners, the typical curriculum is littered with
barriers and roadblocks, while supports are relatively few.
UDL turns this scenario around and supports curriculum design
that is responsive to today’s diverse classrooms.UDL
improves educational outcomes for ALL students by ensuring
meaningful access to the curriculum and accurate skill and
knowledge assessment. In addition, UDL complements existing
school reform initiatives, especially increased use of technology
in education.
3) What are the principles of UDL?
• Provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation to
give students with diverse learning styles various ways
of acquiring information and knowledge.
• Provide multiple and flexible means of expression to provide
diverse students with alternatives for demonstrating what
they have learned, and
• Provide multiple and flexible means of engagement to tap
into diverse learners' interests, challenge them appropriately,
and motivate them to learn.
Using these three principles, UDL embeds flexibility into
the components of the curriculum: goals, teaching methods,
instructional materials and assessments. UDL is more comprehensive
than differentiated instruction, which primarily concentrates
on teaching methods.
4) Isn’t UDL just for students
with disabilities?
Absolutely
not. UDL was first mentioned in regard to making instruction
accessible for students with disabilities,
but it is a format that gives ALL students the opportunity
to
learn.
Both IDEA and NCLB recognize that all learners must make
progress in the general education curriculum. Student performance
increases as all students acquire greater knowledge and demonstrate
progress when UDL is fully embraced and implemented.
5) In what ways does UDL provide access to grade level curriculum?
Eliminating
physical barriers to educational sites or materials (e.g.,
providing digital textbooks) is an essential step
in universal design but genuine learning requires much
more than physical access—it requires cognitive (or
intellectual) access, too.
For example, providing digital text with built-in comprehension
supports is one way to apply the principle of multiple means
of presentation to instructional materials. A student who
has difficulty accessing printed text due to visual impairment,
physical disability, dyslexia or other reading disability
could use the text reader feature (physical access), while
a student who struggles with comprehension could use comprehension
supports that are designed for a variety of ability levels
(cognitive access). These supports could include vocabulary
definitions, highlighted abstract literary concepts, foreign
language translations, or animated coaches that assist with
answering comprehension questions. For examples see http://udleditions.cast.org.
UDL does not require the use of a computer and digital materials,
although they provide the greatest flexibility. There are
also many low-tech options. UDL materials should be available
for home use to support homework and project tasks.
6) How does UDL help with modifying and adapting materials?
Universally
designed instructional materials are designed from the
start to be used by a wide range of learners,
thereby minimizing the need for time-consuming adaptations
and modifications. The materials should still be further
individualized, if needed, but a lot of the work will
have already been done.
7) What is being done to promote the implementation of UDL?
A
number of States are working to support UDL implementation,
with a special emphasis on teacher professional development,
while postsecondary institutions are embracing UDL
with increasing frequency.
The National UDL Task Force works to incorporate the principles
of UDL into federal policy and practice initiatives. Recommendations
of the Task Force on teacher and faculty preparation to use
UDL strategies were incorporated into the recently passed
Higher Education Opportunity Act. Recommendations have been
made for the reauthorization of NCLB and will also be made
for IDEA. In addition, the Task Force seeks increased dissemination
of information about UDL by the U.S. Department of Education
and other federal agencies. See the UDL Toolkit at http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/UDL/
The National UDL Task Force is comprised of more than thirty
education and disability organizations. A complete listing
of Task Force members can be found at www.udl4allstudents.com.
8) Where can I find more information?
Please visit our website
at www.udl4allstudents.com or contact Ricki Sabia at rsabia@ndss.org.
A detailed Parent
Guide on UDL is available here.
9) What can I do to help promote UDL?
•
Share this Fact Sheet with others.
•
Find out if the curriculum in your school district has been
developed in accordance with UDL principles by asking your
child’s educators and the administrators involved in
curriculum development. An educator checklist for implementing
UDL can be found at http://www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html
•
Contact your district, state and national policymakers and
ask them to support UDL.
*This material was produced with the assistance of Center
for Applied Special Technology (www.cast.org)
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