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Universal Learning Design (ULD), is an educational approach that aims to create all-inclusive learning environments that accommodate the diverse needs of all learners. We see how cultural backgrounds, gender, race, (and so on) have caused disparities in education. The focus of this approach is to design learning material and methods that are effective for everyone regardless of their background or abilities. It is designed to help students overcome any barriers that may have been placed on them in education. The principle of UDL is to challenge the students through multiple means of expression,representation, and styles of engagement that enhance student's curriculum and keep them motivated.

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UDL should be used as it acknowledges that students learn differently. It focuses on the importance of creating an educational environment that is accommodating for various learning styles and learning abilities. When concepts are explained clearly in ways that aligns with students background knowledge and abilities, it reduces confusion and promotes deeper understanding. When learning is more understandable, it is more effective.

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There is a wide range of benefits of UDL. It leads to the improvisation of educational outcomes. UDL reduces barriers to learning and increases student engagement. With UDL, students are given multiple ways to learn, show their knowledge, and stay motivated. This can lead to better understanding and retention of information. It can also lead to increased self-esteem as students feel their needs are recognized, valued, and being met.

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By implementing UDL in schools, educators can create lessons that allow all students, even those from a different cultural background or those with disabilities, to engage with the material in ways that work best for them. This approach supports the needs of students with unique ways of learning as well as enhances the learning experience for the entire classroom. In the classroom, UDL can be applied in many ways, such as providing text in different styles, allowing students to express what they've learned through different formats, and engaging students with different teaching methods such as group work and hands-on activities.

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Technology Solutions That Drive Education

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What Is Universal Design for Learning?

Accommodations are already made for individual college students in certain situations, like those who need note takers or translators in class. But UDL provides options for accessing, engaging with and understanding material for a much broader range of individuals. CAST based its UDL framework on the specific ways that people learn.

"We use UDL to reach the majority of our learners," says Thomas J. Tobin, a founding member of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "We want to give students choices. We want to give them agency in how they take a path through the learning experiences that they have with us."

Janet Ferone, an education lecturer at Curry College, says that she infuses UDL principles into every aspect of her teaching. Each week, rather than consulting a textbook, students engage with the content through outside reading, watching a video or listening to a podcast.

"I vary the way I communicate information to students while also offering students choice in both the content and ways of accessing information," Ferone says.

At the beginning of her courses, Ferone walks students through how to use their learning management software, highlighting the tools the platform offers, such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text options. During Zoom collaboration sessions, students can chat, react, use polls or speak up verbally.
Here's how instructional technology is impacting higher education.
At the University of West Georgia, audiovisual equipment exists in every classroom, so all in-person courses can be recorded and captioned for students' future use. Students can easily rewatch a particularly tricky lesson or spend class time engaging with the discussion, then take notes at home using the recording.

"UDL is about access for all and guides the development of flexible learning environments and learning spaces that can accommodate individual learning differences," says Jon Preston, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of West Georgia.

Why Use UDL in Higher Education?

Tobin says that 1 in 3 students face some kind of barrier that could benefit from disability accommodations, but far fewer go through the process to get that documentation, primarily because of the time and cost required to do so. Given the structure of higher education, disability support services are overburdened with individual requests that mostly could be resolved by restructuring how courses are taught, how information is shared and how assignments are completed.

For example, UDL reduces barriers for anyone who struggles with finding the time to read in preparation for class. By turning a textbook reading into a downloadable PDF, commuting students can use a read-aloud app to complete their homework.

"UDL is a way to address variability before anybody even comes into the classroom," says Tobin. "Having choices is what makes UDL powerful."

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What Is UDL, and How Can It Be Used in Higher Education?

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Universal design for learning gives students options for how to learn, and its implementation can lead to better engagement, retention and outcomes.

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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Open Educational Resources, also known as OER, are freely accessible licensed materials that can be used for teaching, learning, and research. OER has a wide range of resources such as textbooks, lesson plans, interactive activities and videos on a variety of subjects, education levels and geographic standards. This is all provided online at no cost! OER is open licensed which means that the owners of the content have given their permission to OER to allow others to use, share and edit their content with no consequences. Educators and learners can use these resources to help suit their needs.

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Using OER has several benefits. OER helps reduce the financial burden on students and educators by providing free access to educational materials, therefore promoting equal access to education and reducing educational disparities. In addition to that, OER allows for the customization of resources to meet the specific needs of learners and educators, therefore promoting personalized learning experiences. Lastly, OER encourages collaboration and sharing among others which creates a sense of community Overall, OER promotes inclusive education for all.

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OER, or Open Educational Resources has many benefits.

1. They provide free access to educational material ensuring equal access to education.

2. OER lets educators and learners personalize the materials

3. OER promotes collaboration and sharing

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Teachers can use OER in various ways to make classes better. They can add OER to their current curriculum to provide students with additional resources to explore. This could help students deepen their understanding of a topic. OER can also be used instead of expensive textbooks to save money. Educators may also change OER content to fit their student's needs to make learning more effective, fun, and connected to real life.

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How UDL and OER can be used together to address various educational gaps like equity, accessibility, and availability of technology resources. 

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How UDL and OER can be used together to address various educational gaps like equity, accessibility, and availability of technology resources. 

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UDL is an educational framework that allows for the creation of learning experiences to be tailored to the individual needs of students. With OER being freely accessible and adaptable educational materials, it complements UDL by offering content that can be customized to suit the diverse requirements of learners addressing the educational gap of equality and accessibility. Address various educational gaps like availability of technology resources, using UDL, teachers can plan lessons that work for everyone, even if students have different kinds of technology at home, and since OER materials are free, schools don't need to budget to get good learning material. Together they create a powerful inclusive academic environment.

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A summary of what was learned about UDL and OER

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A summary of what was learned about UDL and OER

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UDL is all about setting up teaching to reach every student's learning style, and OER gives away free learning materials that teachers can modify if needed. When you mix UDL's approach with OER's resources, you get a learning environment that's fair and open to all students. It's about making sure no matter what background, disabilities, or type of technological devices students have, they are still provided with with good quality education.

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How UDL & OER can apply to your current and future career as an educator

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How UDL & OER can apply to your current and future career as an educator

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In my current and future career as an educator, UDL and OER will be super useful tools. By using UDL, I’ll be able to design lesson plans that meet the needs of all my future students, making sure everyone can learn in a way that's best for them. With OER, I’ll have access to free resources that I can modify to fit my UDL approach. I’ll be ready to provide a more equitable and accessible education, plus I can keep using and adapting these resources throughout my career.