Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that has evolved over the past 20 years based on evidence from the field of education, cognitive science and neuroscience. It is based on the premise that:

Everyone learns differently and that educational curriculum development should revolve around ensuring that learning is accessible to all learners, regardless of their differences.

UDL also asserts that:

There should be a focus on removing any and all barriers that might be preventing this learning from occurring while preserving the challenges necessary for learning to occur.

Being able to differentiate between a barrier and a challenge can be a very nebulous maneuver at the best of times, and can be highly inconsistent in the frequently charged clinical environment.

The principles of UDL, as presented by National Center for the Universal Design for Learning, are outlined below. There are also guidelines associated with these principles that are aimed at removing barriers and enhancing access to learning for a widely disparate audience of learners.

If the purpose of our educational efforts is to help produce a population of clinical nurses who graduate as lifelong learners—knowing what, when and how to learn—it is critical that we recognize our role in this process.

  1. Provide multiple means of REPRESENTATION

This is the “what” of learning and learners differ in how they perceive & comprehend information given to them. For example, those with visual or aural disabilities; learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia); language or cultural differences, and so forth may all require different ways of approaching content. Others may simply grasp information quicker or more efficiently through visual or auditory means rather than printed text.

Providing multiple means of representation includes providing options for:

Perception

Learning is impossible or difficult if information is imperceptible to the learner or presented in formats that require extraordinary effort or assistance.

    • Offer learners ways to customize their display of information.
      1. E.g. #1: Ensure “flexible format” of printed course materials so learner can manage font size, increase/decrease contrast between text and background, etc.
      2. E.g. #2: Ensure flexibility of other visual course materials so learner can resize images or graphs, or increase/decrease contrast between image and background.
    • Provide alternatives for auditory information.
      1. E.g. #1: Provide transcripts for videos & audio clips
      2. E.g. #2: Use text-equivalents for spoken word, such as live captions or automated speech-to-text
    • Provide alternatives for visual information.
      1. E.g.: Provide text or spoken descriptions for all images, graphics, animations or videos.

Language, Mathematical Expressions & Symbols

Graphs, charts, pictures & vocabulary can all be interpreted differently, so barriers can be created for some learners if the information is presented in a single form.

    • Clarify vocabulary and symbols.
      1. E.g. #1: Provide alternative text descriptions for all graphic symbols
      2. E.g. #2: Embed support for vocabulary & symbols within the text, such as linking to definitions, translations or illustrations.
    • Promote understanding across languages.
      1. E.g. #1: Provide definitions of idioms and culturally-specific vocabulary (in common terms and plain language)
      2. E.g. #2: Embed visual supports (pictures, videos, etc.) to clarify vocabulary

Comprehension

Individual learners differ greatly in their information-processing skills and how they assimilate new information with prior knowledge.

    • Provide background knowledge
      1. E.g.: “Pre-teach” foundational or pre-requisite concepts through demonstrations or models.
    • Highlight patterns, big ideas & relationships
      1. E.g. #1: Highlight skills learners have gained previously that they can use to solve unfamiliar problems.
      2. E.g. #2: Use outlines or graphic organizers to emphasize key ideas & relationships.
    • Guide information processing
      1. E.g.: “Chunk” information into smaller elements.
    • Support transfer and generalization of learning
      1. E.g. #1: Incorporate explicit opportunities for review & practice.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide templates, graphic organizers, concept maps to support note taking.

  1. Provide multiple means of ACTION & EXPRESSION

This is the “how” of learning and learners differ in how they navigate a learning environment & express what they know.

Providing multiple means of action & expression includes providing options for:

Physical Action

Navigation and interaction limitations can create barriers for learners with physical disabilities; properly designed materials can interface seamlessly with common assistive technologies used by these learners, allowing individuals with movement impairments to navigate and express what they know.

    • Vary methods for response & navigation
      1. E.g.:  Provide alternatives in the requirements for rate, timing, speed, and range of motor action required to interact with instructional materials and technologies.
    • Optimize access for assistive technologies
      1. E.g.: When choosing software, ensure selections work well with keyboard alternatives & ALT keys

Expressions & Communication

It is important to provide alternative modalities for expression, both to the level the playing field among learners and to allow the learner to appropriately (or easily) express knowledge, ideas and concepts in the learning environment.

    • Use multiple media for communication
      1. E.g. #1: Allow/support use of interactive web tools, such as discussion forums, chats, annotation tools, etc./li>
      2. E.g. #2: Support problem-solving using variety of strategies.
    • Use multiple tools for composition and problem-solving
      1. E.g. #1: Provide spellcheckers, grammar checkers, etc.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide Text-to-Speech software, human dictation, recording, etc.
    • Build fluencies with graduated-levels of support for practice and performance
      1. E.g. #1: Provide multiple examples of novel solutions to authentic problems
      2. E.g. #2: Provide “differentiated feedback” (i.e. customized to individual learners)

Executive Functions

In a course, executive functions may be required when a learner is required to gather data, summarize information, or budget time on a project. A learner’s capacity for “higher level” executive skills is adversely affected when the learner has to focus on managing “lower level” skills and responses which are not automatic or fluent, or the learner has a lack of fluency with executive strategies.

    • Guide appropriate goal-setting
      1. E.g. #1: Post goals, objectives & schedules in an obvious place.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide cues to help learners estimate effort required, resources (including time), and difficulty level.
    • Support planning and strategy development
      1. E.g. #1: Provide checklists & project-planning templates for understanding the problem, sequences of tasks, setting up priorities, etc.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide guides for breaking down long-term goals into reachable, short-term goals.
    • Facilitate managing information and resources
      1. E.g.: Provide checklists & guides for note-taking.
    • Enhance capacity for monitoring progress
      1. E.g. #1: Incorporate assessment checklists, scoring rubrics, multiple examples of annotated student work.
      2. E.g. #2: Prompt learners to identify the type of feedback or advice they are seeking.

  1. Provide multiple means of ENGAGEMENT

This is the “why” of learning and learners differ markedly in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivated to learn. Some learners are highly engaged by spontaneity and novelty while other are disengaged, even frightened, by those aspects, preferring strict routine. Some learners might like to work alone, while others prefer to work with their peers.

Providing multiple means of engagement includes providing options for:

Self-regulation

Students need to be able to regulate their own emotions and motivations. Many individuals develop self-regulatory skills on their own but many others have significant difficulties in developing these skills.

    • Guide personal goal-setting and expectations to maximize motivation
      1. E.g.: Support activities that encourage self-reflection and identification of personal goals.
    • Facilitate personal coping skills & strategies.
      1. E.g. #1: Model for students how to appropriately handle their judgment of own “natural” aptitude.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide models for managing frustration, use real-life situations to demonstrate coping skills, etc.
    • Support development of self-assessment and reflections.
      1. E.g.: Offer aids to assist individuals in learning to collect, chart and display data from their own behaviour for the purpose of monitoring changes in those behaviours.

Sustaining effort and persistence

Many kinds of learning – especially of skills and strategies – require sustained concentration and effort. Learners vary in their ability to self-regulate their attention; the motivation for learning, the capacity to handle irregularities in their lives differences from student to student.

    • Emphasize goals and objectives
      1. E.g.: Help learners to divide long-term goals into short-term objectives
    • Vary demands and resources to optimize challenges
      1. E.g.: Emphasize process, effort and improvement in meeting standards, as alternatives to external evaluation and competitions.
    • Foster collaboration and communication
      1. E.g.: Support opportunities for peer interactions & support.
    • Increase mastery-oriented feedback
      1. E.g. #1: Provide feedback that emphasizes effort, improvement and achieving a standard rather than on relative performance.
      2. E.g. #2: Provide feedback that is frequent, timely and specific.

Recruiting interest

If students are not engaged in the content, then the information being presented is inaccessible; relevant information goes unnoticed and unprocessed. Every learner has his or her own learning goals, interests, backgrounds and motivations.

    • Increase individual choice and autonomy
      1. E.g.: Provide learners with as much autonomy as possible by providing choices in tools used for info gathering, sequence or timing for task completion, etc.
    • Optimize relevance and authenticity
      1. E.g. #1: Provide tasks that allow for active participation, exploration & experimentation.
      2. E.g. #2: Vary activities & sources of information so they can be culturally- and socially-relevant, age & ability appropriate, and personalized to learners’ experience.
    • Minimize threats and distractions
      1. E.g. #1: Vary the “social demands” required of the learner, such as requirements for public display and evaluation.
      2. E.g. #2: Vary the level of “sensory stimulation”, such as pace of work, availability of breaks, and timing or sequence of activities.

See also UDL on Campus: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education (CAST)