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This gives a brief overview about UDL. Who started it and ideas about how it could help students. Do you think it could blur the lines between Regular, and Special Education.

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I loved this chart! It has so much information is such a small space!

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I loved that this article talks about twice as many students with disabilities being able to spend 80% or more of their time in a gen ed classroom than they did in the past. It really shows that UDL helps educators reach all students. What did each of you find interesting?

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The first and second page were mixed up when scanning these pages, however I would like to hear your feedback on the universal design and how the teacher used this in her classroom. Do you agree with the set up, would you do something different.

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Do you think it's important for students to show their knowledge in different ways?  Can it increase learning? What about the different ways they talked about?

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Created for presentation class-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/ . Make your own animated videos and animated presentations for free. PowToon is a free tool that allows you to develop cool animated clips and animated presentations for your website, office meeting, sales pitch, nonprofit fundraiser, product launch, video resume, or anything else you could use an animated explainer video.

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Do you think that the layout this teacher is using could help a wide variety of students.

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EEX 4763 Activity- Tips for creating a UDL classroom.

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Because we all love policy!

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Thinking about UDL in the early childhood context is a bit different than most others. This is an interesting read for a different perspective.

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Here is a quick video about UDL that I found very informational and introduces the topic nicely. 

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Here is a quick video about UDL that I found very informational and introduces the topic nicely. 

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There's a brain chart on this website that shows which areas of the brain are being used in the three parts of UDL. I think it's neat to look at. I also really like the simplicity of this website. The information isn't overwhelming.

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About Universal Design for Learning - CAST

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Learn more about the UDL framework and the UDL Guidelines, developed and maintained by CAST.

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This clip gives good support to Lindsey's aticle.

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The Trend Toward Inclusive General Education Classrooms

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Can special education students thrive in general education classrooms? Watch Carl Cohn, a former superintendent, talk about the trend toward inclusive classrooms (also called inclusion classrooms). Hear his tips on what to ask if a school suggests your child should be in a separate, self-contained classroom.

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I found this relatively short, 14 page, brief that is geared toward parents. I really enjoyed this because it explains about UDL and how it is beneficial for not only students with disabilities, but for all students. It gives a background and a thorough explanation, but it keeps things simple. How great would something this be to share with our future students' parents?

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I found this article helpful as it brieflyexplained the differences between UDL and another practice it is commonly mistaken for, differentiated instruction.

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Similarities and differences between Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction

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UDL and differentiated instruction are, without a doubt, similar concepts that share many of the same goals, ideas about learning, and even classroom practices. However, that is not to say that they are synonymous. The two differ in a few key aspects of their guiding principles, although I believe that they can work together and...

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Lisa: I am responding to Alexandra's post. I about the 3 parts of the brain and the 3rd part has to do with stimulating interest and motivation. This video has 7 tips to engage students in learning.

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7 Ways to Increase Student Engagement in the Classroom

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So, I wanted to see if Teachers Pay Teachers had any (free) materials for UDL. This is super simple, but it's a cute way to make sure you are engaging your students in multiple ways. It's important to know WHAT you are going to teach, but it is also crucial to know HOW you are going to teach.

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This website is for parents and simply states what UDL is and how it is presented in the classroom. Because this website focuses on Learning and Attention issues, it states what it is like with those two issues. What do you think could be different for a physical disability vs. a learning disability?

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To understand what Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is, it helps to understand what it's not. The word universal may throw you off. It may sound like UDL is about finding one way to teach all kids. But UDL actually takes the opposite approach.

The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning and give all students equal opportunities to succeed. It's about building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every student's strengths and needs. That's why UDL benefits all kids.

This approach to teaching doesn't specifically target kids with learning and attention issues. But it can be especially helpful for the 1 in 5 kids with these issues-including those who have not been formally diagnosed. It can also be very helpful for English language learners.

Understanding UDL

Even if you're not familiar with the term universal design, you've likely encountered many examples of it in your everyday life. Closed captions, automatic doors and accessibility features on smartphones are all examples of universal design. These design elements help people with disabilities. But people who don't have disabilities may also want to use them.

For example, closed captioning on TVs allows people with hearing impairments to see onscreen text of what is being said. But closed captioning benefits everybody. If you've ever tried to watch the news or a game in a noisy restaurant, you probably used the closed captions to follow along.

UDL provides that same kind of flexibility in the classroom. By applying UDL principles, teachers can effectively instruct a diverse group of learners. They do this by building in flexibility in the ways learners can access information and in the ways students can demonstrate their knowledge.

This video from Understood founding partner CAST gives a quick overview of UDL.

Three Main Principles of UDL

UDL is a framework for how to develop lesson plans and assessments that is based on three main principles:

Representation: UDL recommends offering information in more than one format. For example, textbooks are primarily visual. But providing text, audio, video and hands-on learning gives all kids a chance to access the material in whichever way is best suited to their learning strengths.

Action and expression: UDL suggests giving kids more than one way to interact with the material and to show what they've learned. For example, students might get to choose between taking a pencil-and-paper test, giving an oral presentation or doing a group project.

Engagement: UDL encourages teachers to look for multiple ways to motivate students. Letting kids make choices and giving them assignments that feel relevant to their lives are some examples of how teachers can sustain students' interest. Other common strategies include making skillbuilding feel like a game and creating opportunities for students to get up and move around the classroom.

Other examples of UDL in the classroom include letting students complete an assignment by making a video or a comic strip. To get a deeper understanding of UDL, it also helps to see how it's different from a traditional approach to education. Explore this chart that compares UDL and traditional education side by side.

Learning and Attention Issues and UDL

UDL helps all students. But here are some of the ways it may be especially helpful to kids with learning and attention issues:

Makes learning more accessible in general education classrooms, which is where most kids with learning and attention issues spend most or all of the school day.

Presents information in ways that adapt to the learner, instead of asking the learner to adapt to the information.

Gives kids more than one way to interact with material. UDL builds in flexibility that can make it easier for kids to use their strengths to work on their weaknesses.

Reduces stigma. By giving a variety of options to all students, UDL doesn't single out the few who receive formal accommodations as part of IEPs or 504 plans.

UDL is regarded so highly that it's mentioned by name in the nation's main education law. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) encourages states and districts to use federal funding to help teachers expand the use of UDL.

If you're not sure whether your school uses UDL, ask. If they don't know about UDL, talk to them about it. As a parent, you can advocate for teacher training that will help make the curriculum more accessible for your child.

Want a more detailed look at UDL? Dive into this 2017 case study on how one school started using UDL.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL): What You Need to Know

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To understand what Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is, it helps to understand what it's not. The word universal may throw you off. It may sound like UDL is about finding one way to teach all kids. But UDL actually takes the opposite approach.

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I found this talk very fascinating. This man is from Ireland and discusses UDL in his country and the importance of it. He talks about his experiences as both a student and an educator. He also mentions multiple times how UDL is the key to inclusion. I also liked comparing the education in Ireland to our system. It gives a bit more insight.

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Universal Design for Learning—A Paradigm for Maximum Inclusion | Terence Brady | TEDxWestFurongRoad

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Ten Propositions For New Directions of UDL

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Ten Propositions For New Directions of UDL

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I really liked this article and the propositions made by the author. Anybody else like the author's propositions?