In this YouTube video from the 2012 Cyberlearning Research Summit, Dr. Todd Rose explains UDL, variability, and designing to meet the needs of diverse learners..

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This informational video supports the Teaching and Learning Domain, Element 1 (D2, E1), which focuses on educators being intentional about designing learning experiences that address learner variability and reduce barriers to learning.

How might you use it?

• This video can be used during professional development to introduce and enhance understanding of learning variability and its role in designing learning experiences.
• Professional learning around learner variability and how to identify and design for it can be discussed.
• Guidelines for how to think about, support and design for learner variability should be a part of learning communities and professional development.

This article on Understood's website offers insight into planning and designing a lesson using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. A step-by-step process for planning and designing a lesson to teach a range of students is provided. In addition, questions for reflection, how this might show up in the classroom, and examples for implementation are provided along with the lesson plan template.

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This informational video supports the Teaching and Learning Domain, Element 1 (D2, E1), which focuses on educators being intentional about designing learning experiences that address learner variability reducing barriers to learning.

How might you use it?

• Provide professional development to educators on the process discussed and using the lesson plan template to support the use of UDL
• Consider adopting this lesson plan for all staff to use when planning and designing instruction to support UDL implementation
• Ensure template is available, understood, and reinforced throughout the lesson to plan instruction to support UDL

In this video, three purposes and functions of common learning spaces within the classroom are named and described. The concept of “Caves” are used as a reflective space where learners look inside and think about what and even how they are learning. Campfires are spaces where people gather and learn together. In these spaces, knowledge, and information is delivered to the group. “Waterholes” are designed for learners to collaborate, share and provide feedback amongst each other. The video shares how these concepts can be expanded to digital spaces (Caves can be blogs, Campfires are like flipped learning and google docs or other collaborative tools can function as Watering Holes).

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This informational video supports the School Culture and Environment, Element 4 (D1, E4)

which focuses on designing community, classroom, and digital spaces within a school to support variability. Within this element, school spaces are intentionally designed to respond to anticipated variability including cognitives, physical, perceptual, sensory, social, emotional and cultural variability.

How might you use it?

• Provide professional development on the three concepts and lead a schoolwide professional development for teachers to reflect on where and how they have students within learning spaces (You should have options for where, how, and when they are grouped)
• Ask yourself “Does the school have physical and virtual spaces that provide opportunities for self introspection or reflection, space to gather knowledge from an expert and space to collaboration?” (community, teachers, and students).

The School Communication Planning Guide tool provides guidance for communicating with the school community. This tool provides insight in leveraging digital options such as websites, mobile apps and social media to connect with students, staff, parents and other key stakeholders. Creating a communication plan begins with a well-conceived, well-articulated mission statement. View this resource to see what is next in this process and how it can be done.

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This tool supports the School Culture and Environment Domain, Element 3 (D1, E3), which focuses on the planning and monitoring of communications to help unify the school and community around the commitment to UDL.

How might you use it?

Options for using this tool include:

• Read the resource to determine if the recommendations or process fits your school needs
• Identify elements of the tool that can be embedded into your if your current communication plan
• Use this tool as a step-by-step guide to creating a communication plan

Leading with Access & Equity is a facilitator’s guide to a series of webinar modules that were developed to support schools with disparities amongst specific student populations. The modules include discussion questions posed to guide reflection as you work through the module, a slide deck and a webinar video. Additional resources to support the topic are also provided. Some of the topics included in these modules are:

• Introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Incorporating UDL into your Turnaround Plans
• Identifying Inequities and Elevating Expectations in Education
• Culturally Responsive Design and Implicit Bias
• Funds of knowledge
• Learner Variability and Special Education 
• Working Together: General Education and Special Education Partnerships
• Deconstructing Inequitable Systems to Support All Learners
• Addressing Systems of Oppression

How does it relate to the UDL-SICC?

This tool supports the School Culture and Environment Domain, Element 1 (D1.E1), which focuses on ensuring that all members of the school community are included in and benefit from learning opportunities. The intent of this element is that the school community commits to designing equitable and inclusive learning opportunities and environments.

How might you use it?

Options for using this tool include:

• Review the table of contents to identify the area or areas where your school can improve. Involve your leadership team to decide how the practices mentioned can support your school.
• Review the discussion questions and module highlights and decide which modules you and your school will engage with and when.
• Engage in all modules to determine what, how and when the strategies can be embedded into your school's practices.
• The videos, discussion questions, and resources in this guide can be used to facilitate a one-hour faculty meeting or professional development session, or you can use the guide independently to deepen your learning and reflect on your practice. If you are facilitating these videos at a faculty meeting or professional development session, please be prepared to project the video and pause at the appropriate times to ensure there is an opportunity for discussion. Also, you may choose to provide time for participants to explore provided resources during the meeting, or you may provide the resources as optional extension activities.

The UDL- SICC Goal Setting and Planning Tool can be used to turn data from the UDL-SICC Self-Assessment into meaningful, realistic implementation goals. School teams may choose to build on areas of UDL implementation strength or focus on areas of needed growth. Setting goals across several domains helps ensure a global, holistic approach to UDL school improvement.

Click here to view the UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)

The self-assessment is designed to help school teams map their school’s current UDL practices to determine where they are and what next steps they can take on their UDL journey. Leadership teams use school data to identify areas of strength and growth related to schoolwide UDL practices and to identify potential entry points for improving UDL implementation. School teams can use the outcomes of this self-assessment to:  

• determine an area of focus;
• set an improvement goal;
• identify ongoing data that can be used to substantiate progress toward the goal;
• develop an action plan; 
• determine a timeline for revisiting and revising the plan and goal; and
• determine readiness for UDL School Certification

Click here to view the UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)

The UDL-SICC Full Criteria document provides a comprehensive description of the SICC. The UDL-SICC is built around four domains; School Culture and Environment, Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Management, and Professional Learning. They provide an organizational structure for thinking about schoolwide UDL implementation. Each domain is defined by its four elements, which guide implementation and are measured during certification. It includes grounding information about the criteria organization and structure, and provides detailed information, by domain, for all elements. Each element is defined by intent, indicator, and level. 

• Intent describes the purpose behind the element and its significance to school-wide UDL implementation.
• Indicators define and set the standard for full implementation of each element, and are used to monitor progress toward implementation. 
• Levels describe the continuum of practices that improve implementation, leading to certification of the element.

Click here to view the UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)

The UDL Implementation Readiness Indicators Tool supports school teams with determining a school’s readiness for UDL Implementation, helps teams avoid the potentially costly mistake of launching implementation efforts prematurely.

It’s important to recognize that readiness is contextual. A school team may be ready to scale up one initiative while still exploring readiness for another. All schools have unique qualities and needs. Understanding your school’s attributes will help your team determine where to begin your UDL implementation journey.

Click here to view the UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)