Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation requires intentional consideration and development of the goal or objective for any part of a lesson. This resource will support you in developing goals and/or objectives for your learning experiences by recommending questions to ask yourself as you begin, tips for creating meaningful goals, and ways to reflect on the principles of UDL as you develop these goals.

This resource is a part of the Distance Learning Series of the TIES Center.

Frequently asked questions of the Universal Design for Learning framework are explored and explained in detail. Information of the UDL framework, its goals, organization of the framework and much more are provided. 

David Rose walks us through the structure of the UDL Guidelines, including how to read the guidelines, what should be reviewed first, and how the goals of the framework are supported by the guidelines and checkpoints within.

This website highlights UDL and Assessments as it relates to higher education. The principles of UDL are explored and described within the context of assessments in higher education. Types of assessments are described as well as how educators should assess variable learners. In addition, information on how to measure knowledge constructs, skills, and abilities with UDL in mind is also described.

This fast paced and fun video provides an introduction to assessments for classroom teachers. It covers the topics of

• Types of Assessments
• Improving Assessments
• Challenges to Assessments

Select the "Video" tab to access and play the video.

This study investigated online faculty familiarity, course design use, and professional development interest regarding universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines. The researchers surveyed all 2017 to 2018 online faculty at a large university in the southeastern United States. Findings included 71.6% of faculty reporting familiarity with at least one UDL guideline, with most respondents indicating familiarity with guidelines relating to perception, expression, and communication. Faculty reported the highest implementation of UDL guidelines was for those suggesting options for comprehension as well as expression and communication; the lowest implementation was for those suggesting options for physical action as well as language and support. Survey results also indicated high to moderate interest in learning more about all UDL guidelines, with emphasis on comprehension, persistence, and expression. This study suggests that faculty members desire UDL training and offers possibilities for planning and implementing such professional development in areas targeted to best meet the needs of online faculty.

Familiarity, Current Use, and Interest in Universal Design for Learning Among Online University Instructors by Carl D. Westine, Ph.D., Beth Oyarzun, Ph.D., Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell, Ph.D., Amanda Casto, Cornelia Okraski, Gwitaek Park, Julie Person, and Lucy Steele is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

In this resource, we review 125 studies published between 2000 and early 2019, that investigated the use of UDL in early childhood through postsecondary education settings. Highlights of our results include the finding that basic conceptualizations of UDL vary in significant ways, affecting the possibility of drawing conclusions about its impact and efficacy. UDL research is being disseminated to a variety of audiences, but is associated most frequently with special education. Research about UDL has increased and research quality has improved.

Is Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in your future? The principal and teachers of a middle school in Wilmington, Delaware, along with the ACCESS Project of the University of Delaware, are on their second year of UDL Implementation. In this resource multiple perspectives will be shared regarding schoolwide UDL implementation. Accomplishments and barriers encountered during the first two years will be shared as well as a plan for moving forward. The transformation of the middle school, while slow, has begun and a future filled with Universal Design for Learning is the ultimate goal.

Providing individualized supports using the UDL framework can be challenging in standards-driven teacher preparation programs. This resource describes how choice, flexibility, and creativity can lead to effective mentoring of undergraduate STEM majors while also addressing executive function deficits. It describes how education teachers in the Exceptional Education Program at the University of Central Florida built relationships and mentored undergraduate STEM majors using the UDL framework. While this resource focuses on higher education, lessons learned can be easily transferred to students in middle and high school. 

The members of the UDL-IRN Implementation Special Interest Group (SIG) are currently implementing, or supporting, districts in the implementation of UDL. The SIG created a process that helps educators align UDL with other effective innovations. The Effective Innovations (EI) Alignment Process is based on the idea that critical components of effective innovations intersect. The recognition of this intersection deepens the understanding and improves the effectiveness of all EIs.