UDL:
Universal Design for Learning
UDL is a term for making curriculum all-encompassing and farreaching, ensuring that all students can access learning.
Students are not the same.
Rather, they are individuals with differing abilities, strengths,
experiences, backgrounds, needs, and learning styles.
What UDL is not….
It is NOT a one size fits all type of learning.
It is NOT teaching to just one level of learning.
It is NOT about taking shortcuts.
Students do not come with a warning label.
If they did, it may read something like this:
WARNING: Students come from different backgrounds:
They have different cultures, ethnicities, experiences,
family dynamics, linguistic capabilities, disabilities,
learning styles, and academic needs. Handle with care
and use all available resources to engage, motivate, and
educate students. Vary techniques and teaching styles.
UDL
provides opportunities
for ALL learners
What is UDL?
• Universal Design for Learning
• Think of it as a blueprint for teaching
students from all walks of life
• Teaching that reaches out to all types of
learners (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic)
• Teaching that addresses all student needs
• Teaching that makes learning meaningful
• Teaching that makes sense
UDL Made Easy
• Next time you head out to a public park or even
a mall, look around you.
• What types of things do you see that help all
people enjoy where you are?
Think…..adaptations!
• Signs in various
languages and colors
• Signs with universally
understood pictures
• Attractions that offer
voice options
• Braille signs to guide
the sight impaired
• Wheelchair ramps to
ease movement
Opportunities for all to enjoy…
Just as our communities try to open all activities to those who
experience things differently, isn’t it time to ensure all students
learn by providing different opportunities to make connections
to new knowledge?
UDL supports cultural, ethnic,
linguistic and academic diversity
Embracing differences and
incorporating them into the
curriculum make a big
difference in how students
accept and make connections
to the instruction. Including all
students and addressing all
needs makes learning
meaningful, and students are
more receptive to new
concepts and experiences.
Individual needs and strengths
must be taken into account.
3 principles of UDL
Art
Music
Multiple means of
presentation
Speech
Multiple means of
engagement
Computers
Multimedia
Art,
Art, Music,
Speech, Computers
Music, Speech,
Computers
Multiple means of
expression
Finding new ways to motivate
students, present information, and
allowing students to share new
knowledge back in a variety of ways,
supports the 3 principles UDL.
Multiple Means of Presentation
For Visual Learners
Fine Art
For Auditory Learners
Music
Sound bites
Movies
Podcasts
Lectures
Written words
Movies
Pictures
Graphs
Charts
Colors
Fonts
For Kinesthetic Learners
Manipulatives
Puzzles
Models
Experiments
Field Research
Internet Searches
Students are not all the same; they learn differently. To reach all learners,
different means of presentation are necessary. For best practices, teachers
should incorporate as many different means as they can.
g
Multiple Means of Engagement
Lectures…
Reading…
Writing…
Oral Reports…
These traditional means of
engaging students take a new
life as you add technology,
music, art, and more.
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Experiments
Art Projects
Research
Podcasts
Blogs
Team work
Wikis
Internet
Printed media
Animations
Music
Movies
Sound
Multiple Means of Expression
• Students need to be able to share what they have
learned in a creative manner that highlights their
strengths.
• In support of Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple
intelligences, ALL students can learn if they are given the
opportunity to tap into their strengths.
Technology and UDL
• Technology supports UDL in so many ways. Here are just a few:
– Voice activated computers for the visually impaired
– Provide portable classrooms
– Collapse traditional classroom walls by using the Internet to reach out to others
globally
– Streaming video or downloading music and pictures to enhance concepts
– Provide information instantly
– Provide drill and skill remediation
– Gives students ownership over their learning
The CENTRAL ROLE of Technology
Technology supports learning in many ways, but its CENTRAL ROLE is to
encourage flexibility and support differences in learners by allowing
educators to adjust and customize learning opportunities.
Why UDL?
• Remember that students are
different?
• Well they all have different
needs, strengths, and
motivations to learn.
affective
networks
recognition
networks
• The brain is made up of
networks.
• Networks that come into play
as we learn new information.
• There are 3 types of networks
in particular that students
access as they acquire
information.
strategic
networks
How do these networks affect learning?
Brain Networks
RECOGNITION
STRATEGIC
AFFECTIVE
The WHAT
of learning
The HOW
of learning
The WHY
of learning
Recognition Networks
We take in information and identify
symbols, words, and information.
Then we try to sort through
everything we just heard, saw, and
read.
Sometimes letters, numbers, and
even words can be confusing.
We need to find alternative ways to
see, hear, and read.
Recognition Networks
• Give students options
in how they acquire
knowledge.
• Make text become
what each reader
needs.
• Present information in
a variety of ways.
• Add sound to catch a
student’s attention.
Strategic Networks
• Think strategy
– Planning, implementing, and performing tasks
– Organizing our ideas
– Sharing our ideas
• What are strategic tasks?
– Writing a speech, research paper, or essay
– Working out math problems
– Creating art, music, or presentations
Affective Networks
• Think EMOTION
–
–
–
–
–
What appeals to learners?
What motivates them?
What makes learning relevant?
What will provide satisfaction?
What will stimulate learning?
• How can affective networks be accommodated?
–
–
–
–
–
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Provide different challenges
Provide different options for mastering skills
Allow student creativity to propose goals and objectives
Make appropriate for age, racial, cultural, and gender differences
Allow students to help, mentor, or teach back material
Allow students to choose the way they learn and present
Information About CAST
• The following information has been taken from the CAST website.
• CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that
works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially
those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning.
• Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology,
CAST has earned international recognition for its innovative
contributions to educational products, classroom practices, and
policies. Its staff includes specialists in education research and
policy, neuropsychology, clinical/school psychology, technology,
engineering, curriculum development, K-12 professional
development, and more.
• CAST's work is inspired and informed by the learners who often get
pushed aside in traditional education settings.
From http://cast.org
CAST offers FREE online tools
– Learning Tools for Educators
• UDL Curriculum Self-Check (helps educators self-assess their
curriculum and teaching habits) http://udlselfcheck.cast.org/
• UDL Book Builder (helps educators create digital books to support
reading and literacy) http://bookbuilder.cast.org/
• UDL Guidelines (Guidelines and principles for creating UDL
enabled curriculum) http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
• UDL Lesson Builder (assists educators in designing lessons
incorporating UDL methods) http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/
• UDL Online Modules (Learn the theory, principles, and
implementation of UDL) http://udlonline.cast.org/home
• Strategy Tutor (web-based tool to help students and teachers with
Internet research; teachers can also build web-based lessons with
this tool) http://cst.cast.org/
• Teaching Every Student (Provides explanations, examples, and
tools for UDL implementation)
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent
Active links provided for those viewing the Power Point presentation on their computers.
CAST offers FREE online tools
– Learning Tools for Students
• Science Writer (web based writing tool to help students with
science report-writing) http://sciencewriter.cast.org/
• UDL Book Builder (helps educators create digital books to
support reading and literacy) http://bookbuilder.cast.org/
(available to students, teachers, and parents)
• UDL Editions (used to present classic stories in an easy to
understand format for all-leveled readers)
http://udleditions.cast.org/
• Strategy Tutor (web-based tool to help students and
teachers with Internet research) http://cst.cast.org/
Active links provided for those viewing the Power Point presentation on their computers.
Personalizing CAST
(3 strategies for meeting the needs at my school)
All the CAST online tools are of high value.
To begin meeting the personal needs of our student body, teachers must understand
how best to meet diverse needs and how to offer learning opportunities to all learners.
To best address this need, the first two strategies are geared towards instructing
teachers on UDL.
– Although teachers make accommodations as necessary, the principles of UDL are
not automatically applied and teaching can be vastly improved by adopting UDL
methods. Sharing the Teaching Every Student online tool would enable teachers to
better understand UDL through explanations and examples. This tool also provides
assistance for UDL implementation.
– Once teachers better understand what UDL is, it is vital that they self-assess their
usage of UDL in their curriculums and teaching styles. The UDL Curriculum SelfCheck online tool allows teachers to take an honest look at how they teach and
where they can make positive changes.
– Student reading levels vary significantly in regards to both fluency and
comprehension. Incorporating the UDL Book Builder online tool into curriculum can
help bridge the learning gaps. Teachers can create their own digital books to
support reading and literacy. By including graphics, definitions, strategies, and even
bilingual content, all students can improve.
Potential Impact of UDL
on student learning at my school
By incorporating just 3 strategies such as those described in the last slide,
positive changes will occur in our learning community.
– Teachers will improve their teaching methods and include all types of
learners making learning available to all students. This will lead to
motivated and excited students that want to learn.
– Teachers will continually self-assess their UDL practices to ensure they
are doing all they can to reach every student and make learning
relevant and meaningful to all students.
– Students, teachers, and parents will all benefit from using the online
Book Builder tool. Parents will limited English skills can learn with their
students and students can further practice skills by reading materials
back to their parents. Improved fluency and comprehension skills make
it easier for students to improve in all subjects and to feel success and
improvement in self-worth and esteem.
Resources
• CAST http://cast.org/
• National Center on Universal Design for Learning
http://www.udlcenter.org/
• NECTAC http://www.nectac.org/topics/atech/udl.asp
• Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligen
ces
• YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4&featur
e=player_profilepage
• Walden sources?
Special Thank You to
• Rachel Bordelon for her
support and guidance
• Group 2 members for support
and suggestions
• Walden University for the
innovative courses that have
helped me improve my
teaching methods