Universal design for learning

Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework for designing flexible learning environments that anticipate learner variability. It offers multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression.

Multiple means of engagement: A UDL principle that offers varied ways to recruit interest, sustain effort, and support self-regulation. It addresses why learners participate and persist in a learning experience.
Learning objective: A statement of what learners should know or be able to do after instruction. Clear objectives help distinguish essential learning from optional ways of showing it.
Accessible educational technology: Digital learning tools designed for use by people with diverse abilities and assistive technologies. Accessible tools can provide flexible routes through learning materials and activities.
Universal design: The design of products and environments to be usable by people with diverse abilities without specialized adaptation. UDL adapts universal design’s anticipatory approach to learning environments.
Multiple means of representation: A UDL principle that presents information in varied formats to support perception, language, and comprehension. It broadens how learners can access and understand information.
Instructional design: The systematic planning of learning experiences, materials, activities, and assessment. UDL applies its principles across the design of an entire learning experience.
Closed captioning: On-screen text that represents speech and relevant sounds in audiovisual media. Captions provide an alternate route to information in instructional videos.
Ron Mace: An American architect and disability-rights advocate who developed and popularized the concept of universal design. His work supplied the design tradition that UDL extends to education.
Multiple means of action and expression: A UDL principle that offers varied ways to interact with learning and demonstrate knowledge or skills. It separates mastery from reliance on a single response format.
Formative assessment: Assessment used during learning to reveal progress and inform subsequent instruction. Frequent evidence helps identify barriers before final evaluation.

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