UDL
Universal Design for Learning
UDL is an instructional-design framework, codified as "Universal Design for Learning" in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. §1003(24)) and updated to Guidelines 3.0 by CAST (July 2024), that provides curricula with Multiple Means of Engagement (the "why" of learning), Multiple Means of Representation (the "what"), and Multiple Means of Action and Expression (the "how"). UDL anticipates learner variability at the design stage rather than retrofitting accommodations after instruction.
Regulatory Citation
Example in Practice
A UDL-designed mathematics lesson offers students a choice of manipulatives (concrete, virtual, visual), supports sustained effort through peer checkpoints and self-monitoring charts, and allows students to demonstrate mastery through written work, oral explanation, or a visual model.
Key Research Citations
- ·CAST (July 2024) — UDL Guidelines 3.0
- ·King-Sears et al. (2023, Teaching & Teacher Education) — UDL meta-analysis, g=0.43
- ·Rose & Meyer (2002) — Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, CAST
Full bibliography available on the Research page.
Related Terms
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