Universal Design for Learning

Presented by Diana Inouye and Lisa Ward

Division of Special Education and Division of Instruction
Learner Variability
 The Reality
•  Students come to the classroom with a variety of
needs, skills, talents, interests and various
learning styles.

•  The typical curriculum is filled with barriers and

other obstacles, and has minimal supports for
students.
 Universal Design for Learning
•  Equitable opportunities for all
•  Access to all aspects of learning
•  Mythical “average” student
•  Design curricula to meet the varied
instructional needs of all

Sources:  ELA/ELD  Framework    (2014)  and  Mathema6cs  Framework  

(2013),  California  Department  of  Educa6on  
Every Student Succeeds Act
 National Education
Technology Plan
“Educa1on  stakeholders  should  develop  a  born  
accessible  standard  of  learning  resource  design  
to  help  educators  select  and  evaluate  learning  
resources  for  accessibility  and  equity  of  
learning  experience….using  the  principles  and  
research-­‐based  UD  and  UDL…”  
Three Networks

(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL

 Universal Design for Learning

Source: National Center on Applied Special Technology:

www.cast.org
(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL
 Multiple Means of Engagement

Provide options for:

• Recruiting interest
• Sustaining effort & persistence
• Self regulation

(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL

CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.
Examples from the Classroom
Multiple Means of Engagement
Multiple Means of
Representation

Provides options
for:
– Percep1on  
– Language  and  Symbols  
– Comprehension  

(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL

Examples from the Classroom
Multiple Means of Representation

(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL

Multiple Means of Action & Expression

Provide options for:

• Physical action
• Expressive skills and fluency
• Executive functions

(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL

Examples from the Classroom
Multiple Means of Representation

18  
(c) CAST 2015 #LAUSDandUDL
Reduce barriers in the environment –
same goal with options for all
 Snapshot 9.2. Differentiated Instruction in a Co-Taught
Language Arts Class in Grade Nine (cont.)

At the end of class, students complete an Exit Slip responding to a writing prompt about
the author’s claims and support for those claims. In this way, Ms. Williams and Ms. Malouf are
able to formatively assess how accurately students can independently express the authors’
claims and support for those claims. The Exit Slip provides an informal measure of the
students’ understanding, allowing the teachers to adapt and differentiate their planning and
instruction for the following lesson. At the end of the unit, students will write an argumentative
essay using their completed graphic organizers as well as copies of all three texts.
Some of the students in this class are also enrolled in an English 9 supplemental support
class taught by Ms. Malouf after school. This companion class is designed to provide additional
time and support to help students learn the content of the core English course and build
specific literacy skills. The lower teacher-to-student ratio in the support class allows for
targeted direct instruction based on student needs so that students accelerate their progress in
achieving grade-level standards. In addition, Ms. Malouf previews and reinforces lessons and
skills from the English 9 course and provides additional scaffolds as needed, gradually removing
them as students gain skills.
CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RL.9.10; RI.9.1–3, 5, 10; W.9.1, 4; W.9.9b; SL.9.1, 4

Planning for and Supporting the Range of

Learners
This section of the chapter addresses processes and structures at the classroom, school, and
district levels for planning instruction and systems to support all of California’s learners in transitional
kindergarten through grade twelve. It begins with a discussion of Universal Design for Learning and
then presents information about Multi-Tiered System of Supports and the implementation of culturally
and linguistically responsive pedagogy.

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework for guiding educational
practice. (See http://www.cast.org and http://www.udlcenter.org.) Based on the premise that one-
size-fits-all curricula create unintentional barriers to learning for many students, including the mythical
average student, UDL focuses on planning instruction to meet the varied needs of students. UDL
is not a special education initiative. Rather, UDL acknowledges the needs of all learners at the point
of planning and first teaching, thereby reducing the amount of follow-up and alternative instruction
necessary.
UDL involves the use of effective teaching practices and the intentional differentiation of instruction
from the outset to meet the needs of the full continuum of learners. Teachers who employ UDL attend
to how information is represented as well as choices for student engagement, action, and expression.
In other words, as they plan, general education teachers consider different ways of stimulating
students’ interest and motivation for learning, different ways to present information and content, and
different ways that students can express what they know—all based on students’ needs and assets
and strengths (CAST 2013). Principles and guidelines for the implementation of UDL are summarized
in figure 9.8, which is followed by a more detailed text discussion.

910 | Chapter 9 Access and Equity

 Figure 9.8. UDL Principles and Guidelines

Principle G uidelines
Provide multiple means of . . . Provide options for . . .
S el f - R eg ul atio n
I . Eng ag em ent Ef f o r t and P er sistence
R ecr uiting I nter est
C o m p r eh ensio n
I I . R ep r esentatio n L ang uag e, M ath em atical Ex p r essio ns, and S ym b o l s
P er cep tio n
Ex ecutiv e F unctio ns
I I I . Actio n and Ex p r essio n Ex p r essio n and C o m m unicatio n
P h ysical Actio n
Source
C AS T . 2 0 1 3 . Universal Design for Learning Guidelines Version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.

Principle I : Prov ide multiple means of eng ag ement to tap indiv idual learners’
interests, challeng e them appropriately, and motiv ate them to learn.
G uidel ine 1 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r sel f - r eg ul atio n.
• P r o m o te ex p ectatio ns and b el ief s th at o p tim iz e m o tiv atio n ( e. g . , h el p students set p er so nal
g o al s) .
• F acil itate p er so nal co p ing sk il l s and str ateg ies ( e. g . , sh ar e ch eck l ists f o r m anag ing b eh av io r ) .
• Develop self-assessment and reflection (e.g., support students in identifying progress toward
g o al s) .

G uidel ine 2 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r sustaining ef f o r t and p er sistence.

• H eig h ten sal ience o f g o al s and o b j ectiv es ( e. g . , p er io dical l y discuss a tar g eted g o al and its
v al ue) .
• V ar y dem ands and r eso ur ces to o p tim iz e ch al l eng e ( e. g . , o f f er str uctur es f o r g r o up w o r k and
discuss ex p ectatio ns) .
• F o ster co l l ab o r atio n and co m m unicatio n ( e. g . , o f f er str uctur es f o r g r o up w o r k and discuss
ex p ectatio ns) .
• Increase mastery-oriented feedback (e.g., provide timely and specific feedback).
G uidel ine 3 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r r ecr uiting inter est.
• O p tim iz e indiv idual ch o ice and auto no m y ( e. g . , p r o v ide l ear ner s ch o ice in th e o r der th ey
acco m p l ish task s) .
• O p tim iz e r el ev ance, v al ue, and auth enticity ( e. g . , p r o v ide h o m e and co m m unity audiences f o r
students’ w o r k ) .
• M inim iz e th r eats and distr actio ns ( e. g . , ensur e r esp ectf ul inter actio ns and p r o v ide quiet sp aces) .

Access and Equity C h ap ter 9 | 9 11

Principle I I : Prov ide multiple means of representation to g iv e students v arious
w ays of acq uiring , processing , and integ rating information and k now ledg e.
G uidel ine 4 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r co m p r eh ensio n.
• Activ ate o r sup p l y b ack g r o und k no w l edg e ( e. g . , use adv anced o r g aniz er s and m ak e ex p l icit
cr o ss- cur r icul ar co nnectio ns) .
• H ig h l ig h t p atter ns, cr itical f eatur es, b ig ideas, and r el atio nsh ip s ( e. g . , use o utl ines to em p h asiz e
im p o r tant ideas o r dr aw students’ attentio n to cr itical f eatur es) .
• G uide inf o r m atio n p r o cessing , v isual iz atio n, and m anip ul atio n ( e. g . , p r o v ide ex p l icit p r o m p ts f o r
each step in a sequential p r o cess) .
• M ax im iz e tr ansf er and g ener al iz atio n ( e. g . , em b ed new ideas in f am il iar co ntex ts)
.
G uidel ine 5 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r l ang uag e, m ath em atical ex p r essio ns, and sym b o l s.

• C l ar if y v o cab ul ar y and sym b o l s ( e. g . , p r o v ide a g l o ssar y o r g r ap h ic equiv al ents o r teach w o r d

co m p o nents) .
• C l ar if y syntax and str uctur e ( e. g . , h ig h l ig h t tr ansitio n w o r ds) .
• S up p o r t deco ding o f tex t o r m ath em atical no tatio n ( e. g . , use dig ital tex t w ith acco m p anying
h um an v o ice r eco r ding ) .
• P r o m o te under standing acr o ss l ang uag es ( e. g . , use th e l ang uag e o f th e students) .
• I l l ustr ate k ey co ncep ts th r o ug h m ul tip l e m edia ( e. g . , p r o v ide il l ustr atio ns, sim ul atio ns, o r
inter activ e g r ap h ics o r m ak e ex p l icit th e co nnectio ns b etw een tex t and il l ustr atio ns, diag r am s,
o r o th er r ep r esentatio ns o f inf o r m atio n)
.
G uidel ine 6 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r p er cep tio n.

• C usto m iz e th e disp l ay o f inf o r m atio n ( e. g . , ch ang e th e siz e o f tex t o r im ag es o r ch ang ing th e

v o l um e o f sp eech ) .
• P r o v ide al ter nativ es f o r audito r y inf o r m atio n ( e. g . , p r o v ide w r itten tr anscr ip ts o r use Am er ican
S ig n L ang uag e) .
• P r o v ide al ter nativ es f o r v isual inf o r m atio n ( e. g . , p r o v ide descr ip tio ns o f im ag es, tactil e g r ap h ics,
o r p h ysical o b j ects) .
Principle I I I : Prov ide multiple means of action and ex pression to prov ide students
w ith options for nav ig ating and demonstrating learning .
G uidel ine 7 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r ex ecutiv e f unctio ns.
• Guide appropriate goal-setting (e.g., support learners in estimating the difficulty of a goal).
• S up p o r t p l anning and str ateg y dev el o p m ent ( e. g . , sup p o r t l ear ner s in identif ying p r io r ities and a
sequence o f step s) .
• F acil itate m anag ing inf o r m atio n and r eso ur ces ( e. g . , p r o v ide g uides f o r no te- tak ing ) .
• Enh ance cap acity f o r m o nito r ing p r o g r ess ( e. g . , p r o m p t l ear ner s to identif y th e typ e o f f eedb ack
th ey seek ) .
G uidel ine 8 : P r o v ide m ul tip l e to o l s f o r co nstr uctio n and co m p o sitio n.
• U se m ul tip l e m edia f o r co m m unicatio n ( e. g . , p r o v ide o p tio ns f o r co m p o sing , such as in tex t and
film).

9 12 | C h ap ter 9 Access and Equity

 • P r o v ide ap p r o p r iate to o l s f o r co m p o sitio n and p r o b l em so l v ing ( e. g . , p r o v ide co ncep t m ap p ing
to o l s) .
• Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance (e.g., provide
m o r e o r l ess scaf f o l ding dep ending up o n th e l ear ner ) .
G uidel ine 9 : P r o v ide o p tio ns f o r p h ysical actio n.
• V ar y th e m eth o ds f o r r esp o nse and nav ig atio n ( e. g . , p r o v ide l ear ner s w ith al ter nativ es to

r esp o nding o n p ap er )
.
• I nteg r ate assistiv e tech no l o g ies ( e. g . , h av e to uch scr eens and al ter nativ e k eyb o ar ds accessib l e) .
When initial instruction is planned in a way that flexibly addresses learner variability, more students
are likely to succeed. Fewer students will find initial instruction inaccessible, and therefore fewer
r equir e additio nal , al ter nativ e “ catch up ” instr uctio n.

Multi­Tiered System of Supports  Like RtI2, MTSS incorporates 
the three tiered structure 
A co o r dinated system o f sup p o r ts and ser v ices is cr ucial
of increasing levels of 
f o r ensur ing ap p r o p r iate and tim el y attentio n to students’
needs. T h e M ul ti- T ier ed S ystem o f S up p o r ts ( M T S S ) m o del supports beginning with the 
ex p ands C al if o r nia’ s R esp o nse to I nter v entio n and I nstr uctio n establishment of strong core 
( R tI 2 ) p r o cess b y al ig ning al l system s o f h ig h - qual ity instruction in Tier 1. These 
first instruction, support, and intervention and including tiers reflect the intensity 
str uctur es f o r b uil ding , ch ang ing , and sustaining system s. of instruction, not specific 
T h e f o undatio nal str uctur es o f M T S S incl ude h ig h - qual ity co r e
instr uctio n using U D L p r incip l es and ap p r o p r iate sup p o r ts,
programs, students, or 
str ateg ies, and acco m m o datio ns. I n additio n, assessm ent
staff (i.e., Title 1 or special 
p r o cesses and p r o g r ess m o nito r ing ar e em p l o yed to al l o w education).

f o r a data- b ased, p r o b l em - so l v ing ap p r o ach to instr uctio nal

decisio n- m ak ing .

L ik e R tI 2 , M T S S inco r p o r ates th e th r ee tier ed str uctur e o f incr easing l ev el s o f sup p o r ts b eg inning

with the establishment of strong core instruction in Tier 1. These tiers reflect the intensity of
instruction, not specific programs, students, or staff (i.e., Title 1 or special education). The tiers are
discussed here and displayed in figure 9.9.
• T ier 1: T ier 1 co r e o r univ er sal instr uctio n, al so k no w n as first teaching, is dif f er entiated
instr uctio n del iv er ed to all students in general education. D if f er entiated instr uctio n entail s
th e use o f a v ar iety o f ev idence- b ased instr uctio nal ap p r o ach es and th e use o f ap p r o p r iate
m ater ial s and cur r icul um in r esp o nse to th e inter ests, p r ef er ences, and r eadiness o f div er se
l ear ner s. I t is no t a p r o g r am b ut a w ay f o r teach er s to th ink ef f ectiv el y ab o ut w h o m th ey teach ,
w h er e th ey teach , and h o w th ey teach to m ax im iz e al l students’ academ ic p o tential ( G l ass
2 0 1 2 ) . T each er s desig n instr uctio n f o r th is tier in acco r dance w ith th e p r incip l es o f U D L ( see
p r ev io us sectio n in th is ch ap ter ) . T h e g o al is f o r al l students to r eceiv e h ig h - qual ity, standar ds-
al ig ned instr uctio n, using cul tur al l y and l ing uistical l y r esp o nsiv e teach ing ( see nex t sectio n in
th is ch ap ter ) , th at m eets th e f ul l r ang e o f student needs. EL D instr uctio n ( b o th integ r ated and
designated ELD) is part of this core first teaching for ELs. Expectations for behavior are made
explicit. Valid universal screenings that identify students’ progress toward identified goals are
reliably administered to ensure that all students benefit from core instruction. Tier 1 instruction
sh o ul d r esul t in no l ess th an 8 0 % o f students ach iev ing g r ade- l ev el ex p ectatio ns. I f l ess th an
8 0 % succeed in T ier 1 instr uctio n, sch o o l s sh o ul d eng ag e in cl o se ex am inatio n o f th e cur r icul um
and teach ing p r actices and m ak e ap p r o p r iate adj ustm ents.

Access and Equity C h ap ter 9 | 9 13

 Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
 

Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement Representation Action & Expression
Purposeful, motivated learners Resourceful, knowledgeable learners Strategic, goal-directed learners

Provide options for self-regulation Provide options for comprehension Provide options for executive functions
+ Promote expectations and beliefs that + Activate or supply background knowledge + Guide appropriate goal-setting
optimize motivation + Highlight patterns, critical features, big + Support planning and strategy development
+ Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies ideas, and relationships + Enhance capacity for monitoring progress
+ Develop self-assessment and reflection + Guide information processing, visualization,
and manipulation
+ Maximize transfer and generalization

Provide options for sustaining effort and Provide options for language, Provide options for expressive skills and
persistence mathematical expressions, and symbols fluency
+ Heighten salience of goals and objectives + Clarify vocabulary and symbols + Use multiple media for communication
+ Vary demands and resources to + Clarify syntax and structure + Use multiple tools for construction
optimize challenge + Support decoding of text, mathematical and composition
+ Foster collaboration and community notation, and symbols + Build fluencies with graduated levels of
+ Increase mastery-oriented feedback + Promote understanding across languages support for practice and performance
+ Illustrate through multiple media

Provide options for recruiting interest Provide options for perception Provide options for physical action
+ Optimize individual choice and autonomy + Offer ways of customizing the display + Vary the methods for response
+ Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity of information and navigation
+ Minimize threats and distractions + Offer alternatives for auditory information + Optimize access to tools and
+ Offer alternatives for visual information assistive technologies

  ©  2014  CAST,  Inc.