Universal Design for Learning: How to create UDL classrooms that ‘bust the barriers’ for students

May 31, 2024
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For many K–12 students, the path to learning is riddled with barriers, big and small. Universal Design for Learning is an inclusive approach that’s redefining those educational obstacles as valuable opportunities. 

 Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, is a framework for developing successful educational curricula. But more than that – and this is key –  it’s doing so within the context that learner variability is the norm for all students. Foremost, UDL aims to change the design of the environment rather than to change the learner to maximize learning. 

 Today, UDL is one of the biggest factors shaping the intentional design of modern K–12 classrooms, furniture, and products.  

 Here’s why understanding UDL is so important for educators and designers. 

UDL Classroom_Elementary School_2

Differences in Student Learning

Universal Design for Learning is based on the most widely replicated finding in educational research: Students respond to instruction in very different ways.  

That’s according to the educational nonprofit CAST, the revered pioneer behind UDL and its go-to resource. CAST reports that in virtually every report of research on instruction or intervention, individual differences are not only evident, they’re prominent. Yet these differences are usually treated as annoying error variances, as distractions from the more important main findings. 

UDL experts disagree. They treat these findings as fundamental to understanding and designing effective instruction. The same is true for designing educational spaces, according to Bryan Dean. He’s a UDL innovation specialist and lead designer for the UDL project at Oakland Schools in Michigan. 

“UDL is about understanding that every learner has inherent variability in how they learn, what motivates them to learn, and how they process and synthesize their learning,” Dean explained. “Variability of learners is jagged, and designing only for the middle ensures that no one gets full access.” 

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What is Universal Design for Learning?

Its overarching goal is making sure that all students have a way to participate and learn to the best of their ability. Or, as CAST proclaims in its mission, “Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day.”  

UDL draws from the fields of neuroscience, the learning sciences, and cognitive psychology. Based on insights, UDL’s aim is to revolutionize the way teachers think about creating, delivering and assessing lessons. Its core principles are about creating “expert learners” by understanding individual differences and the pedagogies they require. [See this helpful blog, Improving Classrooms for Neurodiverse Students and Different Learning Styles.] 

Notre Dame Learning defines UDL as a form of inclusive teaching that: 

  • Benefits instructors by allowing them to connect with their students, and 
  • Benefits students by creating classrooms in which they feel comfortable, supported, and invested 

NOTE: UDL is not the same as Universal Design, which architects use to design buildings and environments that are accessible to all people. Rather, UDL applies this architectural theory to pedagogy to create curriculum, assignments and an environment that account for students’ varied physical, intellectual and learning needs. 

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How to Apply UDL in Classrooms: Follow Three Principles

In her Notre Dame Learning article, “Beyond Accommodations: An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning,” author Emily Smith outlined how teachers can make their pedagogy accessible to all students using CAST’s three UDL Guidelines.

Representation

Offer students multiple ways to acquire information and knowledge.

Deliver instructions in a variety of formats, such as through writing, video, or voice recording. Make sure students can adjust the information by zooming in on text or turning up the volume in a video. Be sure to clarify words, symbols and numbers used in teaching with things like graphic organizers. Remind students of the most important concepts they need to remember.

Engagement

Offer multiple ways to tap into learners' interests, challenge them and motivate them. 

Give students opportunities to make choices about their learning. Empower them. Consider having students choose topics or assignments that best fit their interests. Then design activities with a clear purpose and connection to the students; let them know why the work matters. Help students develop healthy coping strategies that facilitate a “growth” mindset and share feedback that encourages their effort and improvement. 

Action & Expression

Offer multiple ways to interact with the material and to demonstrate what they’ve learned.

Think beyond the textbook by incorporating interactive software or technologies into teaching – or low-tech, like handheld whiteboards. Offer students the chance to demonstrate their content mastery through multimodal assessments that use text, speech, art or interactive web tools. Help students set attainable goals and track their progress.

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How to Create Universal Design for Learning Classrooms

Teachers often ask, “How do I set up a UDL classroom?” Dean shared his opinion on design elements to include in a UDL space. He said it may look different across grade levels, but all students benefit from an accessible environment that reflects them and meets their specific learning needs. 

“For a UDL-infused space, it’s all about options. Options for flexibility in seating. Options for acoustics, options for movement, options for tactile and emotional regulation, options for technology, and options for creativity.” 

But designing UDL spaces doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach. It begins with identifying and removing hurdles. CAST believes,

"that when environments are intentionally designed to reduce barriers, all learners can engage in rigorous, meaningful learning."

UDL Classroom_Classroom Setting_2

Flexible UDL Furniture Suggestions

Ideally, a dream UDL classroom would be architecturally designed with every type of student in mind. That’s not in the budget for most schools. Teachers can, however, scan their space and see what’s possible to make it a universally better learning environment.  

Below are some of Smith System’s UDL classroom design and furniture suggestions paired to each UDL’s principles. Above all, look for quality furniture that mixes flexibility and multifunctionality with a healthy dose of fun.  

Furniture Ideas for "Representation"

Teachers should have multiple ways to represent information – visual learning cues, along with digital and audio technology, and presentations. Consider furniture that allows zones for students to absorb that information. For example, create spaces for reading options: in print, digital with captions, text-to-speech and audiobooks. For digital text, provide screens to enlarge text, along with choices for screen color and contrast. Videos should have caption options and transcripts for audio.  

Furniture Ideas for “Action & Expression”

Students should have multiple ways to synthesize what they’ve learned. For instance, they might create a podcast, video or comic strip. Create reconfigurable learning zones for quiet individual work, small and large group work. If students need to tune out noise, they can choose earbuds or headphones during independent work.

 

Furniture Ideas for “Engagement”

Spaces should be engaging and fun, not institutional. Students also need room for movement, to stand, sit, rock or crouch, especially for kinesthetic processers. Create spaces that have some vibrancy, and engaging palettes that are age-appropriate and connect to the natural world through biophilia.

 

UDL Classroom_High School_1

The Benefits of UDL Abound

How do students benefit from UDL learning spaces? As one high school English teacher said, “When we show trust by giving students choices, when we teach them how to reflect on those choices and their work, and when we value growth as much as results, we are developing expert learners.” 

 Bryan Dean added the ways that he believes students in a UDL environment grow. 

 “They benefit from self-discovery, from learning self-regulation, and from learning how to advocate for their needs and not just their desires or wants. Learners of all ages can learn these things.” In the end, Dean said UDL is about the intentional design of learning spaces to meet the needs of all learners. 

Smith System: UDL Furniture for Schools

If your school is interested in Universal Design for Learning, contact us. A Smith System representative can help your school or district learn how to create intentional UDL-inspired spaces that bring out the best in learners of all ages, PreK–12. 

Resources  

https://www.cast.org  

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/10/4-steps-implement-universal-design-learning-classroom  https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-principles-universal-design-learning-approach/ 

https://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/a29547925/classroom-universal-design-for-learning/ 

https://learning.nd.edu/stories/beyond-accommodations-an-introduction-to-universal-design-for-learning/  

https://www.texthelp.com/resources/blog/7-ways-to-introduce-udl-into-your-classroom/ 

https://www.understood.org/en/articles/5-examples-of-universal-design-for-learning-in-the-classroom