UDL: The What

What is UDL?

Aiming “to change the design of the environment rather than to change the learner”, CAST (2018) advocates for creating accessible learning environments by reducing and removing barriers. UDL (Universal Design for Learning) is a framework that advocates every learner should have equitable opportunities to:

• access information,
• participate in learning activities, and
• express their acquisition in ways that are appropriate based on their needs and preferences.

This can be achieved through thoughtful design to:

• capture learners’ interests,
• provide various ways to deliver course content, and
• allow different ways to complete course work.

The image below is the UDL guidelines with suggestions for implementing each across a variety of entry points to a learning activity. You may use the zoom in/out controls on the PDF below, or you can visit the CAST website, and you may interact with each guideline and checkpoint.