Ms. Findel

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for a curriculum development that allows each individual an equal opportunity to learn. It provides a plan for teachers to create goals, methods materials and assessments with flexibility and customization so it works for the everyone (National Center on UDL, 2014). UDL minimizes barriers that students face while maximizing the learning for all students (CAST 2010). UDL focuses on the “what”, “how”, and “why” of learning to gain knowledge, skills and become enthusiastic about learning. Information is presented in multiple media forms with various supports allowing students to use what is best for them with the assistance they may need (CAST 2010). It gives students options for expressing what they know through models, feedback or supports and gives them choices to fuel their own interests in learning (CAST, 2010). The UDL is carefully planned and well designed into the curriculum that identifies potential barriers to learning and reduces those barriers through a better design or idea ( Rose, D. H., Hasselbring, T. S., Stahl, S., & Zabala, J. 2005). The key to the UDL is not the technology itself, or the individual themselves (Rose, D. H., Hasselbring, T. S., Stahl, S., & Zabala, J. 2005), but it is the environment that allows for a variety of learning that may include high or low-tech solutions to get there (National Center on UDL, 2014).