Universal design for learning

What is UDL?

Universal design for learning (UDL) is an approach that promotes inclusive education through thoughtful learning design, development, delivery and assessment. The approach recognises that the ‘average learner’ does not exist, rather, all learners have different preferences, needs and experiences. By designing your subject for the broadest group of learners you can enhance the learning experience for all students.

Students with and without disabilities reported having a variety of learning preferences, and rated [UDL] principles as useful in improving their learning. Black, Weinberg and Brodwin

While UDL practices are essential for some learners, they benefit everyone. For example, consider the common UDL practice of providing lecture slides, via the LMS, to students ahead of a lecture. This practice benefits students with visual impairment by providing them with access to information that may not be explicitly spoken to in class. Equitable access to lecture slides also benefits students who wish to annotate slides in lieu of note-taking, as well as students who prefer to follow along on their own devices, or students who wish to review lectures later. By providing lecture materials for your students, you not only support students who rely on the slides but also provide the option for all students to enhance their personal learning experience.

Is UDL the same as accessibility?

Not quite, however UDL practices often overlap with accessibility. Accessibility addresses specific barriers for people with disability. Improving accessibility can improve usability, which organically creates an inclusive approach that benefits everyone. UDL is about drawing from your accessibility, usability and learning design toolkits to thoughtfully mould your curriculum, learning materials, activities and assessment into an experience that is accommodating for everyone.

How do you implement UDL approaches?

While there are many techniques and strategies to create a universal design, your aim should be to minimise barriers for your students and create flexible paths for them to navigate. In the next section, we will explore two pragmatic components of UDL; multiple modes of representation, and multiple forms of action and expression.

Providing multiple options for activities and/or assessments

You don’t have to commit to a complete overhaul of your subject or course to start implementing UDL.

One practical step you can take is to provide your students with multiple options for action and expression. You can provide these options even within the structure of the handbook entry. For example, in her subject Professional Pedagogical Practices, Dr Catherine Hamm provides a journal assessment and a presentation assessment with multiple options for students.

Describing professional pedagogical practices, Dr Hamm explains that “students have the opportunity to share their learning and teaching while undertaking their placements in a variety of ways for their assessments. For example, they are able to create a video, podcast, photo essay or image collage to illustrate the ways that they have listened with babies and toddlers or co-participated with children to build curriculum. The opportunity to share in a multi-modal format generates powerful conversations that inform practice.”

By giving students the option to submit one assessment as either a video, a podcast, or a collection of images, this subject meets the requirements of the handbook while providing equitable access for a range of students.

Using transcripts

Another high-impact step (Evmenova, 2008; Gernsbacher, 2015; Kent et al., 2017) is to enable automated transcriptions for your lecture and webinar recordings and upload the transcripts afterwards.

Transcripts provide students with multiple modes of perception and are valuable for international students as well as those with hearing impairments (Kent et al., 2017). Students also have the option of downloading or printing the transcripts, should they prefer or need the materials in an alternative format.

The most important step you can take is committing to making one change this year. Have a look at the UDL plus-one pledge on the ADCET website, and if you’re feeling inspired, take the plus one pledge yourself!

Where can I find out more?

References

  • Evmenova, A. S. (2008). Lights! Camera! Captions!: The Effects of Picture and/or Word Captioning Adaptations, Alternative Narration, and Interactive Features on Video Comprehension by Students with Intellectual Disabilities. http://mars.gmu.edu/handle/1920/3071
  • Gernsbacher, M. A. (2015). Video Captions Benefit Everyone. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2(1), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215602130
  • Kent, M., Ellis, K., Latter, N., & Peaty, G. (2017). The Case for Captioned Lectures in Australian Higher Education. TechTrends, 2(62), 158–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0225-x