A Parent’s Guide To Universal Design For Learning (UDL)
A Parent’s Guide toUniversal Designfor Learning (UDL)Most parents will agree that both teaching and learning today arefull of enormous challenges. Teachers face classrooms full ofstudents with a wide ranges of abilities, speaking an array oflanguages, and coming from very diverse backgrounds. Studentsface increased learning expectations as the nation’s schoolswork to improve their academic achievement and enhance their long-termsuccess.Millions of students also face special learning challenges brought aboutby learning disabilities (LD). Almost three million students in America’sschools receive special education services because of an identified learningdisability. For these students, learning in today’s environment is daunting,even when provided with specialized instruction, accommodations, andassistive technology.Fortunately, there is a new approach to teaching and learning that canreduce these challenges, for all students, not only for those with LD.That new approach is called Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It isa concept that, if embraced by the field of education, can dramaticallychange the school experiences and success of students with LD by makingbroad changes to how information is presented to all students and the waysin which all students are able to show what they know. The applicationof UDL principles in the development of curriculum and assessmentscan broaden the horizons for students with LD and shift the focus from a“student deficit” approach to a “student success” approach. UnderstandingUDL and how it can benefit students with LD is the focus of this ParentAdvocacy Brief.1A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.orgWhat is UniversalDesign for Learning(UDL)?Universal Design for Learning(UDL) is a research-basedframework for designingcurricula—that is, educationalgoals, methods, materials, andassessments—that enable allindividuals to gain knowledge,skills, and enthusiasm forlearning. This is accomplishedby simultaneously providingrich supports for learningand reducing barriers to thecurriculum, while maintaininghigh achievement standardsfor all students.(Source: www.CAST.org)See pages 9-12 for a look athow UDL can be applied toinstruction.
Background and Benefits of UDLUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) grew out of the concept of universaldesign (UD) (see box at right). UD originated in architecture and urbanplanning, as part of a movement to begin designing buildings andother structures that would accommodate the widest spectrum of users,including those with disabilities, right from the start. Instead of retrofittingbuildings with accessibility features such as ramps and elevators, UDconsiders the needs of all possible building users at the design stage.Architects using this design approach also discovered that UD solutionsbenefited a wide range of people, not just those with disabilities. Oneclassic example of UD is the curb cut. Originally designed to enable peoplewho use wheelchairs to negotiate curbs, curb cuts also make travel easierfor those pushing strollers or delivery carts.Universal Design for Learning takes this approach even further. UDLrecommends ways to provide cognitive (or intellectual) as well as physicalaccess to learning. According to the Center for Applied Special Technology(CAST ), where UDL was born, “students are provided with scaffolds andsupports to deeply understand and engage with standards-based material.They not only have access to content and facts, but they learn to askquestions, find information, and use that information effectively. They learnhow to learn.”Advances in technology have made UDL possible. UDL uses technology’spower and flexibility to make education more inclusive and effective forall learners. And UDL provides new ways for teachers to customize theirteaching to students with a range of abilities, interests, and backgrounds.Patti Ralabate, Senior Policy Analyst for Special Educationat the National Education Association says this about UDL:“As classrooms become more diverse andstudents face increased expectations, it iscritical that we find ways to enhance thelearning of all students. Advocating togetherto promote the use of Universal Design forLearning (UDL) in today’s schools, parents andeducators can truly transform the educationof every child.”2A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.orgWhat is UniversalDesign (UD)?The term “UniversalDesign” is defined infederal laws—both theAssistive Technology Act of2004 and the Individualswith Disabilities EducationAct (IDEA 2004)—as “aconcept or philosophy fordesigning and deliveringproducts and services thatare usable by people withthe widest possible rangeof functional capabilities,which include products andservices that are directlyaccessible (without requiringassistive technologies) andproducts and services that areinteroperable with assistivetechnologies.”Speakerphones, curbcuts, and close-captionedtelevision are all examples ofuniversal design.
Principles of UDLThrough research on how the brain processes information, CAST has identified three primary brain networksand the roles they play in learning. The principles of UDL were developed using these brain networks as aguide. The three UDL principles are:1. Provide Multiple Means of Representation—(the “what” of learning). This principle is based on thebrain’s recognition networks— the networks used to identify and categorize what we see, hear, and read.Embedding multiple means of representation into curriculum greatly assists students with LD because thesestudents often have difficulty accessing the traditional “print” curriculum, such as textbooks.Since all students perceive and comprehend information differently, there is no single way of representinginformation that will meet the needs of all students. Often, special education teachers need to adaptcurriculum for students with LD so they can access content when only one form of representation is provided(such as printed text). The term “universal design” is often mistakenly applied to such after-the-fact curriculumadaptations.Multiple, flexible methods of representation start with digital formats. But UDL is much more than justpresenting text digitally. Some students may grasp information better through visual or auditory meansrather than printed text. To accommodate these differences, the UDL curriculum includes built-in optionssuch as text, speech, video and audio so that students can interact with the content using multiplesenses, aligned to their individual learning preferences.2. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression—(the “how” of learning). This principle is based onthe brain’s strategic networks— the networks used for planning and performing tasks. Students differ in theways that they can navigate a learning environment and express what they know.Students with LD may struggle with strategic and organizational abilities, have language barriers, etc. and willdemonstrate their mastery very differently. In reality, there is no one means for expression that will be optimalfor all students; providing options for expression is essential.Multiple means of action and expression provide a variety of ways for students to demonstrate whatthey have learned — ways like multiple choice tests, group projects and oral presentations. Thesealternatives are particularly useful for students with LD, who often have difficulty with traditional formsof assessments, such as pencil-and-paper tests.3. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement —(the “why” of learning). This principle is based on the brain’saffective dimensions. Students differ markedly in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivatedto learn. Some may desire strict routines and predictable activities while others are highly engaged byspontaneity and novelty. In reality, there is no one means of engagement that will be optimal for all students;providing multiple options for engagement is essential.Multiple means of engagement offer solutions to the problem so often faced by students with LD — alack of motivation to learn due to the obstacles posed by their learning difficulties. Instead of wateringdown the curriculum to assist students with basic skill deficits such as reading, a UDL designedcurriculum offers multiple ways to provide novelty in the learning environment and allows teachers toalter the design based on the student’s particular learning strengths and weaknesses while maintaininglearning expectations.For more detailed information with specific examples of the components of a UDL curriculum, see Universal Design for LearningGuidelines, Version 1.0 available at www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines3A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.org
UDL and Assistive TechnologyAssistive technology (AT ) plays an important role for students with LD. UDLand AT are complementary supports that use different approaches to ensurethe access, participation and progress by lowering barriers to achievement.The goal of UDL is not to eliminate the need for AT, but rather to designlearning environments that —from the beginning — do not contain barriers.Many barriers have to be addressed on an individual basis in typicaleducational environments, but in well-designed UDL environments, thetechnology supports most commonly needed by students with LD arefrequently built into the materials and technology used by all students. Asa result, fewer students with LD will need the individualized solutions thatcan only be provided through AT. Since individualized AT is often costlyand difficult for schools to provide on a consistent and reliable basis, lessdependence on such supports is beneficial to both schools and students.It is important to note, however, that considering each student’s individualneed for AT— both devices and services (see box at right) —remains anecessary part of planning for both the student’s instruction and participationin assessments.UDL and AccommodationsFor years, accommodations for both instruction and assessment havebeen used to lessen the effects of the disability for students with LD.Accommodations are designed to “level the playing field” and are notintended to reduce learning expectations. Yet too often, the provision ofaccommodations is dependent on school personnel — the student’s teacheror teacher’s assistant, for example. Such dependency reduces the likelihoodthat accommodations will be provided consistently and in accordance withthe student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.And, many accommodations, while well-intended and appropriate, are stillcrude attempts to fix the inaccessible materials so often used in teaching—materials such as printed textbooks and pencil-and-paper tests.Curriculum and assessments designed using the principles of UDL canreduce the need for accommodations. Teachers will be able to more easilytailor instruction to student characteristics by using the multiple andflexible elements embedded in the curriculum. Equally important, studentswith LD will not be subject to the stigma that often comes with usingaccommodations in classroom instruction and testing.4A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.orgImportant Termsto KnowAssistive Technology Device:Any item, piece of equipment,or product system, whetheracquired commerciallyoff the shelf, modified, orcustomized, that is used toincrease, maintain, or improvethe functional capabilities ofa child with a disability. (20U.S.C. 1401 (1))Assistive TechnologyService: Any service thatdirectly assist a child witha disability in the selection,acquisition, or use of anassistive technology device.(20 U.S.C. 1401 (2))The need for assistivetechnology devices andservices must be consideredwhen formulating a student’sIndividualized EducationProgram (IEP).
UDL and UD in Large-scale AssessmentsAll states are required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as the No Child LeftBehind Act or NCLB) — the nation’s federal education law — to administer annual tests in reading/languagearts and mathematics to all public school students in grades 3 through 8. In addition, high school studentsmust be tested sometime during grades 10-12 in both reading/language arts and math. NCLB also requiresthat all students — including those with disabilities like LD — participate in these assessments, taking eitherthe general education assessment or an alternate assessment. Results of these assessments are used to holdschools and school districts accountable for the academic performance of students in an effort to improveachievement.Many states add other tests to their statewide testing programs, both more frequent tests and tests in moresubjects. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) requires that all states incorporateuniversal design principles in developing and administering all state- and district-wide tests, to the extentfeasible.Universally designed assessments — developed in accordance with Universal Design for Assessments (UDA)guidelines — provide students taking general education assessments a fair opportunity to show what theyknow and an accurate way to measure what they have learned. Universally designed assessments are meantto increase access, but they do not change what the assessment is designed to measure.Dr. Christopher Johnstone, researcher at the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) and leadauthor of A State Guide to the Development of Universally Designed Assessments, says this about UDL andassessments: “ The biggest difference between UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and UDA (Universal Designfor Assessments) is that in UDL there can be more flexibility with helping students to understand concepts.With UDA, the way we design tests and support students must be carefully considered so we do not changewhat an item is trying to test.”Still, universally designed curriculum and assessments go hand-in-hand. Providing enhanced learningopportunities through UDL designed curriculum while continuing to use rigid tests to measure learningis unfair to students. Universally designed assessments result in tests that are more accessible to greaternumbers of students and are more responsive to student differences. Equally important, such assessmentswill provide results that are more valid.Universally designed assessments are notmeant to replace accommodations or toreplace the need for an alternate assessmentfor some students with disabilities.Accommodations may still be needed forsome students. But universally designedassessments can reduce the need foraccommodations, which come with an arrayof issues discussed earlier. Still, the IDEArequires that the IEP of every student addressthe need for any appropriate accommodationsthat are necessary to measure the student’sacademic achievement and functionalperformance on state- and district-wideassessments.5A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.orgBelow is the traditional approach and UDA approach toa fourth grade math test item.Question: Parents and students attended Back-to-School nightin the school auditorium. In the front of the auditorium, thereare 76 chairs arranged equally in 4 rows. How many chairs arein each row?TraditionalApproachA. 12B. 15C. 18D. 19UDA Approach4x 76A. 12B. 15C. 18D. 19(Note: The amount of supporting information that can be provided in large-scaleassessments will vary depending on the precise skill being measured.)
Large-scale assessments with high-stakes consequencesIncreasingly, states are requiring all students to pass tests in orderto receive a regular high school diploma — including students withdisabilities. Currently 26 states have or plan to begin administering exitexams (or an exit exam) that students must pass to receive a regularhigh school diploma. Such “high-stakes” tests are often presented in rigidformats that create barriers for students with LD, who frequently havedeficits in core academic skills such as reading (see box at right).Universally designed tests increase the likelihood that students with LDcan perform satisfactorily while requiring fewer accommodations. Sincethe results of these tests are used to make important decisions that impactthe futures of students, it is particularly critical that they be designedwith UDA in mind. High-stakes testing has been noted as a possible factorthat contributes to a student’s decision to drop out of school, anotherimportant issue discussed next.Did you know Two-thirds of secondarystudents with learningdisabilities are reading 3 ormore grade levels behind. Twenty percent are reading5 or more grade levelsbehind.Source: Youth with Disabilities:A Changing Population andThe Achievements of Youthwith Disabilities DuringSecondary School. Reportsfrom the National LongitudinalTransition Study-2 (NLTS2)2003UDL and School CompletionThe graduation rate of students with LD is unacceptably low. Latestinformation places the rate of graduation with a regular high schooldiploma at approximately 62 percent nationwide. One in four (25percent) students with LD drops out of school. Failure to earn a highschool diploma poses significant lifelong consequences for students withLD — consequences such as lack of access to postsecondary education,persistent unemployment or underemployment, and increased risk ofmental health issues.Research has shown that dropping out of school is a process ofdisengagement that begins early. Engaging students with LD in school andlearning is a key ingredient in preventing dropout and keeping them inschool through graduation.One in every four studentswith LD will drop out ofschool.The use of UDL designed curriculum has the potential to provide newand different ways to engage students with LD, increasing their interest inlearning and decreasing their risk of dropping out.Only two-thirds (62 percent)of students with LD willgraduate from high schoolwith a regular diploma.Source: IDEA Part B Exiting(2005-2006)www.ideadata.org6A Parent’s Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)National Center for Learning Disabilities www.LD.org
LD Talk: Universal Design for Learning (UDL):Effective Technology-based Teaching Practices for All Struggling LearnersDr. David Rose is Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Cognition and Learning at CAST. In 1984,David Rose helped to found CAST with a vision of expanding opportunities for all students,especially those with disabilities, through the innovative development and application ofnew technologies, resulting in the development of the theory and practical framework ofUniversal Design for Learning.Below are excerpts from the LD Talk with Dr. Rose conducted on February 20, 2007.Question: I think the idea of universal design makes perfect sense. School topics SHOULD be taught in waysthat are inviting and interactive and give every student a chance to learn in the style and with feedback thatsuits them best. What I don’t understand is how, as a parent, I can get my daughter’s school to ‘get with theprogram’.Dr. Rose: We have started to reconceptualize this problem a bit. We are beginning to speak about schools ashaving “print disabilities.” They are limited in the kinds of learning and teaching that they can do because oftheir print disabilities. The disability limits them in three ways:First, it limits them in WHO they can teach, in the kinds of students with whom they can hope to havesuccess. Students with LD are the victims of this kind of school-based disability.Second, it limits them in WHAT they can be successful in teaching. Many subjects, math and science forexample, are poorly taught in a textbook-dominated manner, for any student.Third, it limits them in HOW they are preparing students for the
universal design. Background and Benefi ts of UDL Universal Design for Learning (UDL) grew out of the concept of universal design (UD) (see box at right). UD originated in architecture and urban planning, as part of a movement to begin designing buildings and other structures that would accommodate the widest spectrum of users,
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