Universal Design for Learning is based on the principles of Universal Design, which is an attempt to make products and environments accessible and usable by the full range of people who want to use them, without adaptation or special design. A well-known example of universal design is curb cutouts on the corner of many streets. They were designed for wheelchair access to sidewalks, but the benefits extend to many more people, including those with rolling bags or carts, strollers, and more.
"Universal Design for Learning (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." -- UDL on Campus, About UDL
CAST, a non-profit educational research organization, has developed guidelines to suggest ways to increase access to learning. The guidelines are organized into a three-network model:
This guide is also organized using CAST's three-network model of Universal Design for Learning. We present library resources that can help you apply these principles in your teaching.
