Universal Design for

Learning
Mary Desharnais
Granite State College
January 7, 2015

What is Universal Design for

Learning?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
provides a blueprint for creating
instructional goals that work for all
members of the learning environment, it is
a plan for success for all students from the
start.

History of Universal Design for

Learning
1960s-1980s -Civil rights movements of the 60s led to legislations in the 70s
and 80s
1968- Architectural Barriers Act- legislation that mandated that all buildings
that were designed, constructed, altered, leased with federal funds be
accessible to everyone.
1970-Ron Mace- Father of universal Design
1973- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was the first civil rights law for
people with disabilities.
1975- Education of Handicapped Children Act- Grated Free and Appropriate
education for all.

History of UDL -Continued

1990- Americans with Disabilities Acts- Prohibited by law
discrimination in employment, access to public places,
accommodations, services, programs, and public
transportation.

UDL Guidelines
Three primary principles guide UDL:
1- Provide Multiple means of
Representation
2- Provide Multiple Means of Action and
Expression
3-Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

UDL Guidelines Visual

1- Provide Multiple means of

Representation
All learners regardless of disabilities differ in the way they perceive and comprehend information.
Guideline 1- Provide Options for Perception- present information in ways that is perceptible by all
learners. Provide the information through different methods, visual, verbally or through touch.
Guideline 2- Provide Options for language, mathematical expression and symbols. Students differ in
their perception of mathematical expressions and symbols, provide alternative representation of
expressions and symbols for clarification and comprehension across all learners.
Guideline 3- Provide Options for Comprehension- It is not enough to make information accessible,
learners need to learn how to transfer their accessible information into useable knowledge.
Information needs to be scaffolded to ensure that all students have access to knowledge. This can
be done by activating background knowledge, highlight patterns or critical ideas, guide the
processing of information, and maximising the transfer and assisting in generalizing the
information.

2- Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Guideline 4- Provide Options for Physical Action- provide all students in
learning environment with ways to interact with their learning with use of
assistive technology and other means so they can navigate through their
learning and show what they know.
Guideline 5- Provide Options for Expression and Communication- It is
important to provide alternative methods for students to express themselves
in order to allow all students the opportunity to express their knowledge.
Guideline 6- Provide Options for Executive Functions- Provide students with
the skills to tap into executive function skills. Scaffold skills for all levels in
order to facilitate goal setting and development of skills.

3- Provide Multiple Means of Engament

Guideline 7- Provide Options for Recruiting Interest- Learners differ in what
atrtracts or interests them in learning. This needs to be taken into
consideration when presenting information, if a student has not become
interested they will not access the information.
Guideline 8- Provide Options for Sustaining Effort and Persistence- continue
to build idividual skill sin self regulation, this will allow students to access
thier education.
Guideline 9- Provide Options for self Regulations- Develop students intrinsic
abilities to regulate their motivation and emotions , this will allo the sutdents
wo be mor present and engaged in their environment.

Practical Application of UDL

Class- English 9 (Freshman English)
Co-Taught 1 English Teacher 1 Special Educator
Demographics: 12 Students ( 6 on IEPs, 2 with 504s, 4 Typical)
To Kill and Mockingbird Unit
Unit Requirements/Outcomes1- Expose students to classic novel
2-Understanding of Themes of Good/Evil, social inequality.
3- Complete Writing Assignment on theme
1- 5 paragraph Essay -length determined by student ability
2- Newspaper Article-- description of event
Reading Options: To Kill a Mockingbird- By Harper Lee Traditional Novel
To Kill a Mockingbird Screenplay
To Kill a Mockingbird Graphic Novel
Supplement with To Kill a Mockingbird Audio Book /Movie Clips

Practical Application Continued:

Unit Plan:
1-Students will be assigned to 3 reading groups based on type of book reading
2- All Students will read corresponding sections of their books at same pace in order to facilitate
small group and whole class discussion daily to fill in gaps in stories and assist in comprehension.
Because all groups will be in approximently the same place, the discussion will be whole class or
mixed groups in order to expose others to the format they are not reading.
3- All students will have access to Audiobook via Youtube or CD in class
4- For Writing: Graphic organizers and Scaffolding of Paper writing for all
Students will be assigned either 3, 4, 5 paragraphs based on teacher discretion
Dicatation software available on classroom laptops and ipads to facilitate writing
Requied writing workshop time with teacher in order to assist when struggles arise.
5- Cumulative Unit Project- Theme project, poster, movie, written assignment, comic strip or
student designed and approved by teachers. Projects will be presented to the class.

UDL in an Established Curriculum

When curriculum is established (especially at the high school level) We: Take the unit requirements and plan varying
methods and presentations of information to meet the needs of all students in the class before the unit starts.

Unit Outcome

Variations in
Materials,
presentation and
assignments so all
students meet the
unit requirements at
their ability level.

Typical

IEP
Students

504
Students

Resources
Zeff, R. Universal design across curriculum. New Directions for Higher Education., 137, 27-44.
Stanford, B. & Reeves, S. (2009). Making it happen: Using differentiated instruction, retrofit
framework, and universal design for learning. Teaching Exceptional Children, 5(6), 1-8.
CAST- Teaching Every Student: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ January 6, 2015
Center for Universal Design: http:www.ncsu/edu/ncsu/design/cud/ January 6, 2015