Keep reading
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has an enormous potential to positively impact the experience of all learners. Learn more about building the case for applying universal design for learning at your institution.
The origins of UDL
Where did Universal Design for Learning come from?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emerged from the architectural concept of universal design. Ron Mace, North Carolina State University, envisioned universal design as a means to promote the design of products and environments that would appeal to all people, yet meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide access for individuals with disabilities. These principles established a framework for developing design standards that permit the greatest degree of access and usability for the widest range of individuals.
It’s based on the idea that the “design of products and environments should be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible - without the need for adaptation or specialised design”.
A practical example of Universal Design
If you want a practical example, big box stores were among the first establishments to implement electronic sliding doors. The idea was that their patrons were making large purchases (appliances, lawn mowers, home repair and building materials), and they would have their hands full leaving the store. While this architectural feature was designed for this purpose, it also benefits those who may be pushing a stroller, using a wheelchair, holding hands with little ones, and those who may wish to avoid touching door handles during cold and flu season.
How does CAST link to UDL?
Physical access to classrooms and other educational facilities was an important first step toward accessibility within the educational process. Many schools began to embrace the philosophy of inclusion by physically including students with disabilities in the classroom. However, this did not ensure equal access to the general curriculum or opportunities for students with disabilities to benefit from what the school curriculum offered.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) began in 1984 when Dr. David Rose and Dr. Anne Meyer, two researchers from the Harvard School of Graduate Education, incorporated CAST, Inc., The Center for Applied Specialized Technology. The goal of CAST was to revolutionize the way that students with special needs were taught by introducing technology that would allow teachers and learners to customise their learning experiences. By 1990, this goal evolved to address the “disabilities of schools” instead of the “disabilities of the individual”. This change mirrored what was happening in architecture, with buildings designed so that all people could access them regardless of their disabilities.
What are some examples of UDL?
Universal Design can be found just about anywhere you look - both inside and outside your school. The most common examples used to describe this change are:
A “universally designed” building is accessible to everyone. Disability access is always well considered as part of the building design phase - not retrofitted. Yet, when you think about who can benefit from a wheelchair ramp installed at a hotel entrance, it is not only people in wheelchairs, but also travelers with luggage, delivery people with carts, families with strollers, and others.
Curb cuts share the same premise - they change sidewalks so that they’re accessible to the greatest range of users, a person on a bike or a skateboard, a person pushing a stroller, or riding a bike can all benefit from the design.
Closed captions support users who are deaf or who have hearing loss, as well as those who may be in a noisy restaurant or on their daily commute to work.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focuses on designing the learning goals, materials, methods, and assessments so that from the start to ensure any individual can access, build skills, and internalize the learning. Thoughtful, inclusive design makes the world easier for everyone.
When UDL is applied, the barriers to learning disappear.
The UDL Guidelines
Take a look at the UDL Guidelines, developed by CAST and how they were conceived.
Read about the guidelines
