About
The OACC Educator Guide is based in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles and provides educators with practical strategies to create inclusive, student-centered learning environments.
What is UDL?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that can be used to develop curricula to meet the needs of all learners. UDL was inspired by the concept of Universal Design (UD) in architecture, which works to make physical environments usable to individuals. For example, buildings with a ramp, in addition to steps, lets more individuals enter the building. A curb cut on a sidewalk lets more individuals navigate street crossings.
UDL is grounded in understanding from cognitive psychology and neuroscience that shows tremendous variability in how we learn. Instead of thinking of these differences as challenges students have to manage, UDL provides a framework to anticipate this variability and plan for it from the start.
There are 3 UDL Principles based on the 3 Brain Networks:
Engagement
Representation
Action & Expression
Engagement
Engagement recognizes the variability of interests and motivations and includes suggestions that include options that welcome interests & identities, support effort & persistence, and support emotional capacity. For example, a lesson may give students some choice, opportunities to collaborate, or promote reflection.
Explore engagement strategies
Representation
Representation recognizes the variability in how learners perceive and understand information. This Principle includes suggestions for how to design lessons that are perceivable, supportive of new language and symbols, and that supports background knowledge. For example, a lesson may have annotated texts that highlight the critical features or include different ways to learn the content, such as images, graphics, text, and animations.
Action & Expression
Action & Expression recognizes the variability in how learners plan and communicate what they know or can do. This Principle includes suggestions for options for interaction, expression & communication, and strategy development. For example, a worked model example can help learners know what they are working to achieve, or a grammar checker or calculator might help students with foundational skills so they can focus on higher level skills.
Progress, not perfection
There do not need to be countless options - often one strategy can make a difference. UDL may feel overwhelming, like “one more thing” you have to do and it can take more time. However, simple strategies can make a difference for students. The ultimate goal of UDL is to support agency in learning, so students know what they need to do to do their best learning - and we can support this through the design of the learning experience.
