UDL Universal Design for Learning Chapter

Welcome

Welcome to our professional development module for UDL or Universal Design for Learning. How much do you know about UDL? Can you define UDL and its principles? Explain the rationale for using UDL in instruction? Apply UDL principles to own instruction? We are going to cover all that!!

To see where you are with UDL, before we begin, if you have not already done so, please download the Module Workbook from one of the links provided below. Your Module Workbook contains all of the pre-assessments, exercises, scenarios and post-assessments for the entire module which incudes the MTSS chapter, this chapter and the DI chapter. In your Module Workbook under the UDL chapter, please complete the pre-assessment measure. Then proceed to the Introduction on this site. If you are not able to download the Module Workbook, all of the information from the Workbook is found in the site, however we suggest you begin your own Workbook to follow along with the exercises and assignments. With this said, please take note of your answers to the pre-assesment questions so that you will be able to compare them to your answers on the post-assessment at the end of this chapter.

image of student figures holding hands
Pre-Assessment

UDL Pre-Assessment

In your Module Workbook under the UDL chapter, please complete the pre-assessment measure. If you are not able to download the Module Workbook, please take note of your answers to the pre-assesment questions so that you will be able to compare them to your answers on the post-assessment at the end of this chapter. The Answer Key is provided at the end of the UDL post-assessment.

  1. Which of the following is NOT one of the key principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL?)
    1. Multiple means of representation
    2. Multiple means of action and expression
    3. Multiple means of initiation and differentiation
    4. Multiple means of engagement
  2. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles that aims to do the following:
    1. Reduce barriers in instruction
    2. Provide appropriate accommodations and supports
    3. Maintain high expectations for achievement
    4. Provide a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone
    5. All of the above
  3. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) applies to the whole curriculum, including
    1. Goals
    2. Instruction
    3. Materials
    4. Assessment
    5. All of the above
  4. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of representation refers to the following:
    1. The way information is presented to increase recognition and understanding
    2. The way information is assessed to determine recognition and understanding
    3. The way students respond or demonstrate their skills and knowledge
    4. How accessible products are developed for students
  5. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of expression refers to the following:
    1. The various means with which students express their creativity through art
    2. The way students respond or demonstrate their skills and knowledge
    3. The way information is presented to increase recognition and understanding
    4. Graphic organizers for all students who request to use them
  6. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of engagement refers to the following:
    1. Expanding purposeful output through visual displays
    2. How information is presented in a clear and accessible manner to all students
    3. The way students demonstrate their skills or knowledge
    4. How students are engaged and involved in their learning
  7. An example of multiple means of representation is:
    1. Choosing which writing tool to use
    2. Enhancing students’ involvement in discussions related to the topic
    3. Visual displays of information contained in lesson
    4. Flexible groupings for cooperative learning
  8. An example of multiple means of engagement is:
    1. Visual displays
    2. Teacher’s creative use of multimedia resources
    3. Graphic organizers
    4. Choice of tools or activities during lesson
  9. An example of multiple means of action and expression is:
    1. Using sentence starters or story outlines during writing
    2. Listening to audiotapes of written materials
    3. Choice of tools or activities during lesson
    4. Peer tutoring
Introduction: What is UDL?

UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.

“UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution; but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.” –National Center on Universal Design for Learning

What, How and Why

"The term UDL means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that: Provides flexibility in the ways students are engaged (engagement), information is presented (recognition), and in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills (action and expression), and..."

From: -UDL: Theory and Practice, 2014

Watch brief overview video from CAST: UDL at a glance

  1. To what degree did this video increase your understanding of UDL?


  2. To what degree did this video motivate you to implement some aspects of UDL?


  3. Did you learn anything from the video that you can apply to your profession?


  4. What information was most beneficial to you and why?

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UDL Roots

  • Roots from architectural world
  • Intended to design and provide equal access to facilities for those with disabilities
  • Concept transferred to education

picture of a boy  in a wheelchair whoi cannot get up the steps becasue they are not wheelchair accessible With Old Design: Some were denied access.
very nice rounded walkway that is accessible to everyone as it is a curving low slant ramp. With Universal Design: Access is provided for everyone.

Other Universal Design Examples:

Ramps and curb cuts  •  Electric doors •  Digital books with text-to-speech • Text highlighter  • TV and video captioning • Minimize distraction • Easy-grip tools  •  Pictures and Images

Because individuals bring a huge variety of skills, needs, and interests to learning, UDL seeks to provide universal access to all individuals.

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Principles of UDL
chart of the three fundamental principles of UDL
  • Multiple Means of Representation.
    • The way information is presented
    • To increase recognition and understanding
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression.
    • The way students respond or demonstrate skills and knowledge.
    • To expand purposeful output.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement
    • How students are engaged in learning.
    • To enhance involvement.

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UDL Implementation

The following guidelines provide further details on UDL implementation and valuable curriculum checkpoints. Use these guidelines, provided by UDLCenter.org to evaluate your own instructional practices and curriculum.

Universal Guide to LEarning Guidelines found at the UDL.org UDL Guidelines graphic organizer text despcription
This graphic organizer of the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines depicts the three main principles of UDL in three color-coded columns with numbered explanations and bulleted examples beneath each principle heading.

Principle I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation is shown on the left in dark pink and includes the following:

1. Provide options for perception: options that customize the display of information, options that provide alternatives for auditory information, options that provide alternatives for visual information.

2. Provide options for language and symbols: options that define vocabulary and symbols, options that clarify syntax and structure, options for decoding text or mathematical notation, options that promote cross-linguistic understanding, options that illustrate key concepts non-linguistically.

3. Provide options for comprehension: options that provide or activate background knowledge; options that highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships; options that guide information processing; options that support memory and transfer.

Principle II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression is shown in the center in blue and includes the following:

4. Provide options for physical action: options in the mode of physical response, options in the means of navigation, options for accessing tools and assistive technologies.

5. Provide options for expressive skills and fluency: options in the media for communication, options in the tools for composition and problem solving, options in the scaffolds for practice and performance.

6. Provide options for executive functions: options that guide effective goal-setting, options that support planning and strategy development, options that facilitate managing information and resources, options that enhance capacity for monitoring progress.

Principle III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement is shown on the right in green and includes the following:

7. Provide options for recruiting interest: options that increase individual choice and autonomy; options that enhance relevance, value, and authenticity; options that reduce threats and distractions.

8. Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence: options that heighten salience of goals and objectives, options that vary levels of challenge and support, options that foster collaboration and communication, options that increase mastery-oriented feedback.

9. Provide options for self-regulation: options that guide personal goal-setting and expectations, options that scaffold coping skills and strategies, options that develop self-assessment and reflection.

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More Activities

Read an Article on UDL: Technology and Learning: Meeting Students’ Needs by Rose and Gravel (2010) PDF found HERE.

  1. To what degree did this article increase your understanding of UDL?


  2. To what degree did this article motivate you to implement some aspects of UDL?


  3. Did you learn anything from the article that you can apply to your profession?


  4. What information was most beneficial to you and why?

Download and cut-out the UDL wheel as a quick reference for implementing UDL.

Wheel Template Download from UDLCenter.org

Select one of the sample UDL lessons below. Click on the link and read the lesson plan.

HINT: There are "UDL Connections" buttons throughout these Model lessons (next to Goals, Methods and more) that reveal UDL Features and Reflections!

Grade Pre-K to 2 Life Cycle of Butterflies

Grade 3-5 Rocks and their properties

Grade 8-10 identifying and evaluating point of view

As you browse through the lesson plan, complete this table. Think about which principles or features of UDL are represented in these lessons. This table is located in your Module Workbook under UDL Activity #4.

Component of Lesson UDL Feature
Example: Students will have multiple opportunities to respond to questions embedded in the text in this lesson, including multiple choice assessments with instructional feedback and strategy tips, maze assessments with immediate feedback and strategy tips, and open-ended responses with multiple response options. Example: This is an example of the UDL principle of Multiple Means of Action and Expression. Giving several options in assessment allows students to demonstrate their knowledge of the topic in flexible ways.








Sign up for a free CAST account and explore UDL Lesson Plans and UDL Case Studies at the CAST Curriculum Self-Check Website: SELFCHECK HERE

Scroll through the CAST site and select the specific Model UDL lesson plans relevant to your area and explore the content. As you view the lesson reflect upon the following:

  • What principles of UDL can you find in the lesson(s)?
  • How does this lesson provide more access to students with disabilities and English learners?

Follow this Link to browse and build lessons on CAST UDL Exchange

Link to UDL Self-Assessment Tool PDF

Additional Resources
For Administrators

For Administrators

Administrators can assign this module to school personnel for professional development or have a school committee do a presentation of the UDL chapter at a staff development workshop

Post-Assessment Measure

You are almost to the end of this chapter. In your workbook, please complete the post-assessment measure in the UDL chapter and compare the results to your pre-assessment measure. If you were not able to download the Module Workbook, then you will be checking against your notes for the pr-assessment you took earlier in this chapter.

UDL Post-Assessment

  1. Which of the following is NOT one of the key principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL?)
    1. Multiple means of representation
    2. Multiple means of action and expression
    3. Multiple means of initiation and differentiation
    4. Multiple means of engagement
  2. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles that aims to do the following:
    1. Reduce barriers in instruction
    2. Provide appropriate accommodations and supports
    3. Maintain high expectations for achievement
    4. Provide a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone
    5. All of the above
  3. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) applies to the whole curriculum, including
    1. Goals
    2. Instruction
    3. Materials
    4. Assessment
    5. All of the above
  4. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of representation refers to the following:
    1. The way information is presented to increase recognition and understanding
    2. The way information is assessed to determine recognition and understanding
    3. The way students respond or demonstrate their skills and knowledge
    4. How accessible products are developed for students
  5. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of expression refers to the following:
    1. The various means with which students express their creativity through art
    2. The way students respond or demonstrate their skills and knowledge
    3. The way information is presented to increase recognition and understanding
    4. Graphic organizers for all students who request to use them
  6. In Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiple means of engagement refers to the following:
    1. Expanding purposeful output through visual displays
    2. How information is presented in a clear and accessible manner to all students
    3. The way students demonstrate their skills or knowledge
    4. How students are engaged and involved in their learning
  7. An example of multiple means of representation is:
    1. Choosing which writing tool to use
    2. Enhancing students’ involvement in discussions related to the topic
    3. Visual displays of information contained in lesson
    4. Flexible groupings for cooperative learning
  8. An example of multiple means of engagement is:
    1. Visual displays
    2. Teacher’s creative use of multimedia resources
    3. Graphic organizers
    4. Choice of tools or activities during lesson
  9. An example of multiple means of action and expression is:
    1. Using sentence starters or story outlines during writing
    2. Listening to audiotapes of written materials
    3. Choice of tools or activities during lesson
    4. Peer tutoring