What is UDL and what does it mean for educators?

What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework that addresses learner diversity at the beginning of the design or planning effort. Using UDL to design academic goals and curriculum has the potential to dramatically change how we teach, how students engage in learning, and how we measure what students learn. Using UDL principles allows us to embed flexibility into all aspects of instruction from the beginning, rather than trying to retro-fit a rigid curriculum, set of instructional materials, or test for each student who happens to learn a different way. Educators should provide multiple ways to access resources and content so learners are given the opportunity to take charge of their engagement in learning.

 

Universal Design for Learning helps meet the challenge of diversity by suggesting flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies can empower educators to meet the varied needs of their students. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can help us refine how we approach who we teach, what we teach and how we teach. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is all about “how” we define goals, teaching methods, instructional materials and assessments. Innovative technologies and online resources can assist teachers when they modify instruction to better meet student needs.

 

To learn more about how UDL applies to education, watch the video below.