What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, is an approach to course design that emphasizes that designing a course with fewer barriers benefits everyone. UDL embraces the varied ways that our students learn best, and builds options and multiple means of engaging with the content into the course from the get-go, rather than adding accommodations as-needed. We recommend watching this video Introduction to UDL from NC State University to get the essentials of UDL.

UDL is summed up with three primary principles:

1. Multiple means of representation of information: provide materials and present concepts in a variety of different ways (audio, video, text, simulations, infographics, etc).
2. Multiple means of student action and expression: include a variety of different activities and assignment formats so that students can express their knowledge in different ways.
3. Multiple means of student engagement: provide multiple ways to interest students in the course content, help them connect it to their lives and educational goals, and use multiple methods of helping students reflect on their learning and sustain focus on their projects.

Getting Started with UDL

The general advice is to start small with one aspect of your course. Reflect on where the pain points are in the course, and start there. Take one specific concept or assignment, and begin to build a variety options for students to engage with the content, access the information, and/or express their knowledge. 

See examples of UDL in the classroom on the CAST website.

Access Help

Distance Education's Instructional Designer offers 1-on-1 consultations to help you begin applying UDL principles in your course.  Sign up for a consultation today!

Also, consider using Ludia, an AI tool that is trained to help you brainstorm ideas for how to apply UDL to your course.  It allows you to input specifics about your course, discipline, and student population, providing ideas for Universal Design that are customized for you. 

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