This guide is intended to support teachers in the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0, created by CAST. All guidelines and considerations (including the descriptions) are adapted from that framework. The strategies listed for each consideration have been compiled by the Relay Graduate School of Education to provide further guidance on using the framework.
Teachers can use the protocol below to remove barriers in their lessons through the lens of Universal Design for Learning. This information is also available as an editable planning template.
| Steps | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify Goal & Barriers | What is my goal for the lesson? What are the potential barriers this group of students might have in relation to engagement, representation, or action and expression because of the lesson design? |
| 2. Prioritize a Barrier | Which barrier will I address in this lesson because it will impact students’ ability to meet the learning outcome? Why did I select this barrier? |
|
3. Select a Strategy |
What is a strategy that will offer flexibility to address the identified barrier and support the learning outcome? Why did I select this strategy? Resource: Relay UDL Strategy Database |
| 4. Plan to Implement | How will this strategy be implemented in the lesson? What informed the implementation plan? |
Universal Design for Learning is a framework created by CAST. This planning guide was created by Relay Graduate School of Education to support teachers in implementing the framework.
Affect represents a crucial element to the learning process, and learners differ markedly in what sparks their motivation and enthusiasm for learning. Learners must be able to bring their authentic selves to the learning environment and find connections to what matters most in their lives. The UDL framework emphasizes the idea of learner variability, and learners’ multiple and intersecting identities are an essential layer of fully recognizing the notion of learner variability. Further, learners' interests and sources of motivation may vary depending on the context. In reality, there is not one means of engagement that will be optimal for all learners in all contexts; multiple options for engagement are essential.
Are you working to:
Learners differ in the ways that they perceive and make meaning of information. There is not one means of representation that will be optimal for every learner; providing options for representation is essential.
Are you working to support students in:
Learners differ in the ways they navigate a learning environment, approach the learning process, and express what they know. Therefore, it is essential to design for and honor these varying forms of action and expression. It should also be recognized that action and expression require a great deal of strategy, practice, and organization, and this is another area in which learners will differ. In reality, there is not one means of action and expression that will be optimal for every learner; options for action and expression are essential.
Are you working to support students in: