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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Using UDL in conversation with your childs teacher

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A UDL mindset expects every class to be comprised of students with a range of needs, interests and abilities and for those needs, interests and abilities to vary from subject to subject, topic to topic, teacher to teacher and so on.

Why is UDL helpful?

When a teacher enters a class with a UDL mindset they see learner variability as the norm rather than the exception and they intentionally plan for that. Planning for learner variability means offering flexibility and choice in the ways students can work towards the same learning goal and helps to keep expectations high. Just like the choices available for accessing a multi-storey building - people can choose to use the stairs, a ramp, a lift, an escalator based on their needs or preferences.

How is UDL different to differentiation?

If a task is universally designed, then consideration is given to the potential barriers in the curriculum, instruction and materials and how these can be removed to ensure every learner can succeed (Humphreys, Jimenez 2018). The teacher considers different options to motivate learners (engagement), different ways to support understanding (representation) and different ways for learners to show what they know and understand (action & expression). The way this differs from differentiation is that instead of the teacher giving an individual child an additional or adjusted task/method, the child can select from the 'buffet' of options made available to the whole class. The advantages of making the supports available to everyone are that:

what is essential for some students can now be beneficial for others

the goal is separated from the means creating opportunities to achieve the same goal but in different ways. In other words there is more than one way to skin a cat.

supports to address the needs of all learners are embedded in an inclusive lesson design and not added-on as something extra or different.

How is UDL relevant to my child?

UDL is relevant to every child since the goal of UDL is to develop expert learners. Expert learners are defined by CAST as being "purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, strategic and goal-directed". With UDL students learn to take responsibility for their own learning. This could be the way they select technology to support their writing, the way they use marking criteria to self-reflect and improve their work, or the way they seek support to manage frustration or stress.

How can UDL support parents to engage with their schools?

If your child is experiencing difficulties at school socially, emotionally or academically UDL is an approach that can help guide conversations with your school. Focus on what your child can do, what the current barriers are in the learning environment, and work together to come up with solutions. Even if your school has not heard of UDL, you can apply a UDL approach to how you respond to and ask questions.

Some examples that may help:

When you hear this... Your child's handwriting is very slow/difficult to read.

Ask this... What is the purpose of the task they have been given? What are the alternatives to handwriting and when could they be used?

Examples of a UDL response in practice... Teacher makes the learning intention very clear to the class and gives students the choice of how they demonstrate their learning e.g. handwriting, word processing, using mind-maps or illustrations, working in groups with assigned roles such as narrator and scribe.

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UDL and Parent Engagement - Authentic Parent Voice

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a very practical framework that can be used to guide inclusive education. UDL is not only about a way of 'doing' but also about a way of 'thinking'.

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When I am presenting on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an education framework routed in offering options to students to help them take control of their own education, teachers often tell me they have been doing it already for years. I ask them to explain.

What follows is often a description of Differentiated Instruction (DI). Like UDL, DI is also an education framework based on providing options to students. However, there are some critical differences that differentiate (pardon the pun!) the two frameworks from one another.

The Dinner Party Analogy

I like to explain the differences by asking teachers think about hosting a dinner party. Let's say you have invited over thirty guests. Several of these guests have food allergies, another few are gluten-free, some are vegetarian or lactose intolerant, and your brother is exclusively Paleo. You want to be the perfect host, and you want to accommodate everyone.

Scenario 1: You decide to make individual meals for each guest so that each of them has the perfect dish. That is a lot of juggling to do. In the end, you are exhausted from all of the cooking, made a few mistakes because it is nearly impossible to get everyone's individual meal perfect, and didn't enjoy yourself. At the same time, you are frustrated that some of your guests preferred other's meals when you had made a special dish JUST FOR THEM.

What I just described is the dinner party equivalent of DI. DI is presenting options, but those options are directed by the teacher. For example, you may take one group of students aside and ask them to read an extra piece of literature because you can tell they are more advanced than their peers. You ask another student to draw a picture instead of writing an essay since you know writing is challenging for him. You are presenting options, but those options are governed by you and it's possible you haven't chosen the right options for the right students. You are burnt out from trying to create so many individualized lessons.

Scenario 2: Let's go back to the dinner party. Rather than preparing thirty individual meals, why not put out a buffet? Include lots of variety, but let the guests choose what is best for them, what they believe will work with their individual diets, and satisfy them. You don't witness guests peering at other's dishes wishing they had been made the same thing. You are relaxed and engaged. You have saved your energy for interacting with your guests, instead of wasting it preparing imperfect options.

UDL offers students a "buffet" of options. The options are offered by the teacher but they aren't individualized for specific students. Through the UDL framework, students are intended to become self-directed learners and choose the options that work best for them, not the other way around. With UDL, students learn to take responsibility for their learning. They are learn the "why" of learning as we turn on the affective network of the brain by providing multiple means of engagement. They learn the "what" of learning as we ignite the recognition network of the brain by providing multiple means of representation. And they learn the "how" of learning as we turn on the strategic network of the brain through multiple means of action & expression.

If you are feeling exhausted by creating individualized learning plans for each of your students through the DI framework, you are not alone. UDL can help you provide options but allow you to maintain your creativity and energy while developing a classroom full of curious, self-directed learners. It isn't a framework you can implement overnight, but once you see it working its magic in your classroom, you will become just as hooked as I am.

To learn more about the UDL framework, and read up on concrete examples of how you can implement it in your classroom, explore our guide to UDL and feel free to pick up a copy of my book, UDL Now!

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Outlining the critical differences that differentiate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) from one another.

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What Makes a Good ILP? | An Inclusive Education Resource

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If your child has a disability and you are seeking an inclusive education for them, you'll be familiar with an Individual Learning Plan or ILP. But what makes a good ILP? Sarah Humphreys from Inclusive Schools Australia has the answer.

This is a presentation by Sarah Humphreys, an inclusion consultant and co-founder of Inclusive Schools Australia.

Sarah is passionate about developing and promoting curriculum access for all. She promotes the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to achieve this goal.

Sarah has worked with national and state curriculum authorities to develop inclusive curriculum, advice materials and resources. She now provides curriculum support and professional development to departments, schools and teachers across Australia and advocates for building positive relationships between parents and schools to support genuine inclusion.

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What Makes a Good ILP? | An Inclusive Education Resource

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What Makes a Good ILP? | An Inclusive Education Resource Skip to content If your child has a disability and you are seeking an inclusive education for them, you'll be familiar with an Individual Learning Plan or ILP. But what makes a good ILP? Sarah Humphreys from Inclusive Schools Australia has the answer.

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Core Education NZ - "Who's at your table?" Video

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Core Education NZ - "Who's at your table?" Video

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Ngaiotanga Professional Learning Solutions We can help you with... Online Programmes Early Years New Pedagogies for Deep Learning He Waka Unua Wellbeing Toolkit Our Facilitators Regionally-allocated PLD Advanced Leadership Leadership Marau ā-kura Hauora | Wellbeing Equity Distance learning support Minecraft: Education Edition training sessions Calendar Our Facilitators Areas of expertise

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Christopher Hills - Switch Accessibility & Video Production Engineer

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Christopher Hills - Switch Accessibility & Video Production Engineer

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Participants' contributions to the following activities:
1. You dinner party dessert is a pavlova.
2. Asking What, How and When questions to improve individual goals.

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Dr. Baked Potato: How can we scaffold complexity?