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This video explains the 3 tenets of UDL - Engagement - fostering collaboration and choices, Representation - Using multimedia and multiple sources for learning, and Action and Expression - creating choices for assessment, using models, and giving feedback.

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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Tips for getting your Colleagues to Adopt UDL

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Tips for getting your Colleagues to Adopt UDL

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This is a previously recorded webinar that introduces educators to techniques and strategies for applying UDL in their classrooms. There are a question and answer portion at the end that might be interesting for those of you 'set in your ways'!

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When most people in higher education hear the phrase "universal design for learning," they think about students with physical disabilities and the accommodations we provide to them in order to help them meet course outcomes.

To help make educational materials and practices inclusive for all learners, this interactive webinar session radically reflects on how faculty members and course designers can adopt Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Presented by Thomas Tobin, author and speaker on quality in distance education, this session will help broaden the focus of UDL beyond learners with disabilities and toward a larger ease-of-use/general inclusion framework.

This presentation will cover:

How accommodations and UDL are very different

What you can do today, within a week, and within a month to reach out to your biggest segment of learners-people on their mobile devices

How you can incorporate UDL elements into your courses

How you can design and retrofit existing course components using UDL principles

How to implement UDL across campus to increase persistence, retention, and satisfaction for all learners

Presenters

Tom Tobin
PhD, MSLS, PMP, MOT | Author and speaker on quality in distance education

Patrick Loftus (Moderator)
Marketing Assistant | 3Play Media

Webinar Q&A with Tom Tobin: How to Get Your Colleagues On Board with UDL

Universal design for learning, or UDL, is a concept that describes designing educational programs, products, and courses to benefit people both with and without disabilities.

For example, an interactive transcript makes instructional video recordings accessible to people who are Deaf and hard of hearing because they can read a transcript of the spoken audio. But, it also lets any user search the text to find a section of the video that contains a specific spoken word.

Dr. Thomas J. Tobin, internationally-recognized speaker and author on quality in distance education, recently took audience questions during a webinar called Tips for Getting Your Colleagues to Adopt Universal Design for Learning. Read on for highlights from the Q&A including great advice, key resources, and some common questions about how to encourage UDL implementation as an accessibility solution that benefits everyone at your institution:

What I understand about UDL is that I need to make multiple media formats available for learners. Is that all I need to do?

THOMAS TOBIN: UDL goes way beyond just creating alternative formats for multimedia. It's all about providing choices for people who interact with materials, each other, us, and the wider world. I always approached course design generally by thinking about it as a series of interactions. By focusing on the actions that take place, rather than on the materials, we adopt a mindset that prizes connections made (no matter how).

" By focusing on the actions that take place, rather than on the materials, we adopt a mindset that prizes connections made (no matter how)."

...The best UDL guidelines for higher-ed are from CAST. Go to udloncampus.cast.org and see an overview of UDL, along with great specific examples of courses and programs that have adopted best practices. You can also get a free book from CAST: Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. Go to udltheorypractice.cast.org and give them your name and e-mail address. They collect this only for research stats; they do not sell or give out your information - and you get a free book!

How do you get the word out to faculty that training in UDL, or resources for captioning, etc., are available?

THOMAS TOBIN: One of the things that I've seen at other institutions that's worked very, very well is to work with faculty champions who already know the value of good inclusive design. Have those folks talk up the idea of I didn't have to do all this work myself, and I worked with the Teaching and Learning Center, the folks in the Disability Services Office, the folks in the Media Services area, the folks in IT.

Wherever you can, play up those partnerships where it's the faculty member being the subject matter expert who is suggesting, "Well, if I had this multiple ways, or if I could get students to communicate in different ways, it might open things up." Those are the examples that allow faculty members to convince each other that it's an important thing to do.

Now, there's a flip side to that coin, as well. If your institution is undergoing a broad change that applies to everyone - so for example, in 2012 my former institution, we were moving from one learning management system to another one, which meant that our Teaching and Learning Center suddenly got very, very visible on campus - if you have big institutional changes that are happening, those are often good places where you can put good inclusive design into part of the goals for moving through those changes.

So, while we have all of our courses back in the shop, so to speak, or we're moving to a new learning management system, as was my case, or if you're adopting a new set of standards or going to a new review standard - or even if there's just new leadership at your institution - those are things that can happen top-down in addition to those bottom-up strategies that I mentioned before.

A lot of our faculty members are stuck in their ways. How do you get them to change?

THOMAS TOBIN: A lot of our faculty members were stuck in their ways, as well. And we can't make everyone change. It's an impossible goal. What we can do is at the level of the institution, to say here are the goals that we have- inclusive design, access to education for all.

" The people who are set in their ways will say, 'What did you do? How did you how did you make this happen? How did you reduce your workload?'"

And then at the individual level - when you have those hallway conversations in the cafeteria, in the faculty meetings, when you have those one-on-one or only a few people kinds of conversations - what you do is you say, "Well, I made this one change in my course and now most of my students don't ask a million questions, and they pass the midterm."

And then just be quiet for a minute. The people who are set in their ways will say, "What did you do? How did you how did you make this happen? How did you reduce your workload?" And by putting it in terms of "I was able to reduce my workload, I was able to save myself time and work and energy, and by sharing universal design for learning as a way of doing a little work up front to save yourself as a faculty member a lot of work on the backend," many of the folks who are fairly set in their ways start paying more attention to that. Because who doesn't pay attention to something that could save themselves a lot of time and effort and energy?

And one of the cool things about universal design for learning- you don't have to look very far to find an example of a faculty member who tried out even some middle universal design for learning things, like putting up text-based transcripts in addition to the video content because they already started with a script.

It didn't take them a lot of extra work, and they can definitely turn into evangelists for, hey, this work is worth doing. It helps my students be more successful, and it helps me to focus on the things I want to focus on instead of answering a million questions or having to dive in with just one student and make one change one time.

Just the fact of being able to reduce the number of accommodation requests alone is worth making the argument.

What do you do with the support of the college just isn't there, when you don't have administrative buy-in or staff support?

THOMAS TOBIN: I'll add to that question: what do you do when you don't literally have enough people to do the work that you know you need to do? So, if you're looking at a resource constraint- you don't have the funds, you don't have the time, you don't have the people, or you don't have the upper division buy-in from your senior leaders- that's when it's especially important to do a little triage, to prioritize the efforts that you have, and to draw a line in the sand.

A lot of places that got sued by the National Association of the Deaf and the National Federation of the Blind lost those suits and ended up with plans in place to get back on track mostly because they didn't have plans in place. So good intent counts for something these days.

And if you have a plan in place for where you're going to start- OK, as of February 1, 2017, all of our videos that are on our public website are going to be captioned- that's a place to start. And if you can prioritize the work that you're doing to match up to the people you have, that's one thing to do. Where do students always have questions? Where do they get things wrong on the tests or the quizzes? Where do they end up asking for alternative explanations? Those are great places to focus and start.

And you should also take a look at what resources are available to supplement what you're doing. Can you bring on graduate student workers? Can you go find grants? There's a bunch of them for people who want to make their content more accessible.

And I know that our colleagues here are 3Play Media have lists of some of the folks who give out those grants. So there's a lot of things that you can do to keep things moving in a good direction.

[ This last section was actually a comment someone made during the webinar - but we're going to include it anyway!]

"As a blind chemist, I would say use your disabled students as resources for what works."

THOMAS TOBIN: Did everybody notice the chemist with the visual disability who attended our webinar? Me, neither, and that's the entire point of why inclusive design works. Our hosts at 3Play had live captions going during the webinar, and as we went through the session, I always tried to describe what was on the screen ("here's a scene with Luke Skywalker practicing with the light saber and a blackout helmet," "This shows the cart return in the parking lot of my grocery store, and it's in the parking space for people with disabilities").

By just talking through what was on the screen, I adopted an inclusive practice that helped not only those participants with disabilities, but everybody who was listening to the webinar while doing other things - yes, I know some folks were checking e-mail, and that's okay, and perhaps a few folks were listening while driving or while getting lunch or . . . well, you get the point.

And that's the biggest take-away about why UDL is both important to adopt and a good way to save yourself some work, too. Nobody had to say "hey, stop the webinar because I need to be treated
differently," or "I need you to make a change to allow me to participate more fully." We just enjoyed our time together, and, I hope, you came away with some specific and concrete ways that you can increase everybody's access to the learning you offer.

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Tips for Getting Your Colleagues to Adopt Universal Design for Learning

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When most people in higher education hear the phrase "universal design for learning," they think about students with physical disabilities and the accommodations we provide to them in order to help them meet course outcomes.

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This is an excellent video with unique ways of implementing UDL in your classrooms! You will see that giving the students choices in how they learn as well as how they show what they have learned can come in many forms!

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This video illustrates how building a shared understanding of support for all students can result in an individualized and successful learning environment for every student!

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Making sense of universal design for learning

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For those of you that enjoy social media and using it as a tool for research and current information, check out the National Center on UDL via Twitter! They have a 'chat' twice a month as well as post information and other resources that you can search on your own! Follow their site and stay motivated and informed!

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UDL and Implementation and Research Network

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UDL and Implementation and Research Network

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This is an informative, up-to-date website that features webinars, blogs, and information on upcoming events and summits and collaboration between educators and professionals in search of Higher Education. The site provides information for implementation of UDL in our schools and offers weekly updates via email to keep up with new ideas!

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Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network

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With the U.S. Department of Education conducting digital accessibility compliance reviews, our partners at Texthelp created this useful webinar to shed more light on why the audits are taking place and the importance of constantly improving when it comes to accessibility in K-12 and Higher Education.

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Home - Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network

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With the U.S. Department of Education conducting digital accessibility compliance reviews, our partners at Texthelp created this useful webinar to shed more light on why the audits are taking place and the importance of constantly improving when it comes to accessibility in K-12 and Higher Education.

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Understood - A Non-profit Resource Website

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Understood - A Non-profit Resource Website

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The is a site that is built to help educators and families learn and utilize resources for UDL. Their mission is to help those who learn and think differently!

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How can we help?

I want help with behaviors , learning , and everyday skills

We are Understood.
We are the lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. In the past year, we've helped more than 20 million people discover their potentials, take control of their lives, and stay on positive paths.

We support the 1 in 5 Americans who learn and think differently.

Learn more

We believe difference is our greatest strength.

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When we shape the world for difference, we all thrive.

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Discover what's possible when you're understood.

We'll email you our most helpful stories and resources.

We just launched our "Be the Reason" stigma campaign. Learn more here.

Helpful guidance from Understood

Essential resource spotlight

Are you wondering why your child is struggling?

We're here to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Take N.O.T.E. (Notice. Observe. Talk. Engage.) is a simple step-by-step tool that can help you figure out if the struggles you're seeing might be signs of a learning and thinking difference.

"I have a hard time focusing, mostly in school. When I do my homework, I kind of feel stressed out because it feels like so much even though it's not too much."

Emperor Kaioyus, Grade 4

Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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FacultyWare: Online resource on Universal Design for Instruction (UDI)

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FacultyWare: Online resource on Universal Design for Instruction (UDI)

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As educators look for examples and what other educators are doing to implement UDI, FacultyWare is a site where educators can share what and how they are incorporating the nine principles of Universal Design. The site is overseen by a panel of professionals who confirm the plans are in alignment to the UD principles.

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Facultyware: An Online Resource on Universal Design for Instruction

With increasing numbers of students with "hidden disabilities" (e.g., learning disabilities) and other diverse learning needs accessing higher education, institutions are challenged to assure access to programs and courses while maintaining academic and technical standards. Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) offers an innovative means to promote academic access for a broad range of diverse learners. UDI represents a paradigm shift from a retroactive accommodation model of access to a proactive inclusive approach that anticipates and values human diversity.

What is UDI?

UDI is based on the concept of Universal Design (UD), an approach proposed in the late 1970s in the field of architecture (The Center for Universal Design, 1997). UD constitutes an approach to creating environments and products usable by all people to the greatest extent possible without the need for adaptation. Ramps and electronic door openers are examples of features that assure physical access for those with disabilities but also are useful to many people (e.g., a parent pushing a stroller). Applied to the field of education, UDI promotes the planning and delivery of instruction as well as assessment of student learning based upon recognition that classrooms are comprised of a diverse audience of learners. Through UDI, academic and technical standards are maintained, while the need for retrofitted accommodations are reduced or eliminated (Scott, McGuire, & Shaw, 2003).

Faculty at the University of Connecticut Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability (CPED) have identified and operationalized the nine principles of UDI that offer a framework for the design and delivery of instruction as well as the evaluation of student learning (Scott, McGuire, & Foley, 2003). The principles are designed to assist faculty as they reflect upon their teaching and incorporate inclusive approaches that are responsive to diverse learning needs.

Faculty from a range of subject disciplines and postsecondary settings are currently incorporating one or several examples of the principles in their instructional techniques. In order to share these inclusive practices, instructional techniques, or "products," are displayed on the project Web site, www.facultyware.uconn.edu. Each product has undergone a two-step juried review process to ensure that it is reflective of one or more of the nine principles of UDI, and that it is of high quality and usefulness to a broad range of academic disciplines.

Overview of the Product Review Process

To ensure that posted products are both exemplars of UDI and usable by faculty from a range of disciplines, a product review process was designed. This process was modeled in part after a peer-review process for postsecondary instructional materials used by the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT; www.merlot.org).

When a product is submitted by a faculty member for inclusion on the Facultyware Web site, it is posted to password-secure areas of Facultyware. These secure areas were established for two panels of expert reviewers, a group of experts in UDI, and faculty from more than 30 disciplines who are involved in project activities. Both groups of reviewers complete orientation materials prior to participating in the review process. Within password-secure areas of the Web site, reviewers view the instructional product and complete the appropriate rating form.

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security solutions for the campus enterprise

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advanced networking for the campus enterprise

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networking and infrastructure for campus enterprise

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mobile computing for the campus enterprise

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Facultyware: An Online Resource on Universal Design for Instruction -- Campus Technology

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Campus Technology is a higher education technology magazine that provides updated information about advanced networking for the campus enterprise, security solutions for the campus enterprise, enterprise resource planning, managing IT assets, networking and infrastructure for the campus enterprise, and much more information for the campus IT professional.

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CAST - Center for Applied Special Technology

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CAST - Center for Applied Special Technology

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CAST is an organization dedicated in creating a universal curriculum for everyone. They focus on three Learning principles - Recognition (what), Skills and Strategies (how), and Caring and Prioritizing (why). Along with creating Designs for flexibility, every creation focuses on the Goals, Methods, Materials, and Assessments that will best meet the needs of all types of students at the same time.

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Learn about CAST’s Universal Design for Learning framework, fostering inclusive educational experiences and improving learning outcomes for all learners.

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This video discusses the Presentation of the material - perception, understanding representations, and comprehensibility of the topic, the Expression of learning - physical options, expressive skills, and options for executive functions, and Engagement in learning - recruiting interests, sustaining effort and persistence, and self-regulation.

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National Center on Universal Design for Learning