Precollege and college students come from avariety of ethnic and racial backgrounds. Forsome, English is not their first language. Alsorepresented in most classes are students with adiversity of ages and learning preferences, includingvisual and auditory. In addition, increasingnumbers of students with disabilities are includedin regularprecollege and postsecondary courses.Their disabilities include those that are relatedto sight, hearing, mobility, learning, socialinteractions, and health.Students are in school to learn and instructorsshare this goal. How can educators designinstruction to maximize the learning of allstudents? Universal design of instruction(UDI) can provideaframework for inclusive teaching and learning materials and pedagogy. You canapply this body of knowledge to create coursesthat ensure lectures, discussions, visual aids, videos, printed materials, labs, and fieldworkare accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of allstudents.
Universal Design
Designing any product or environment involves the consideration of many factors, including aesthetics, engineering options, environmental issues, industry standards, safety concerns, and cost. Often, products and environments are designed for the average user. In contrast, UD is defined by Romane and Center for Universal Design (CUD) at North Carolina State University as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design”. When designers apply UD principles, their products and environments meet the needs of potential users with diverse characteristics that include disabilities.
Making a product or environment accessible to people with disabilities often benefits others. For example, sidewalk curb cuts, designed to make sidewalks and streets accessible to those using wheelchairs, are today often used by kids on skateboards, parents with baby strollers, and delivery staff with rolling carts. When television displays in noisy areas of airports and restaurants are captioned, they are more accessible to people who are deaf and everyone else.
UDI Definition, Principles and Guidelines
A definition that can be used for the applications to teaching and learning (i.e. UDI), modified from the basic definition of UD, is the design of teaching and learning products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
At Center for Universal Design (CUD), at North Carolina State University, a group of architects, product designers, engineers, and environmental design researchers established seven principles of UD to provide guidance in the design of all products and environments. CUD’s principles of UD are listed below. They are followed by an example and application to instruction.
Equitable use. The design is useful andmarketable to people with diverse abilities.Example: A professor’s website is designedso that it is accessible to everyone, includingstudents who are blind and using text-to-speech software.
Flexibility in use. The design accommodatesa wide range of individual preferences andabilities. Example: A museum that allows visitors tochoose to read or listen to a description of thecontents of display cases.
- Simple and intuitive use. Use of the design iseasy to understand, regardless of the user’sexperience, knowledge, language skills, orcurrent concentration level. Example: Controlbuttons on science equipment are labeled withtext and symbols that are easy to understand.
Perceptible information. The designcommunicates necessary informationeffectively to the user, regardless of ambientconditions or the user’s sensory abilities.Example: A video presentation projected in acourse includes captions and audio description.
Tolerance for error. The design minimizeshazards and the adverse consequences ofaccidental or unintended actions. Example:Educational software provides guidance andbackground information when the studentmakes an inappropriate response.
Low physical effort. The design can be usedefficiently, comfortably, and with a minimumof fatigue. Example: Doors to a lecture hallopen automatically for everyone.
Size and space for approach and use. Appropriatesize and space is provided for approach, reach,manipulation, and use regardless of the user’sbody size, posture, or mobility. Example: Aflexible science lab work area has adequateworkspace for students who areleft- or right-handed and for those who need to work froma standing or seated position.
A related, but more specific application, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), provides specific guidance for designing curricula that enables all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all. UDL guidelines, developed by Center for Applied Special Techonology (CAST), promote the development of curriculum that includes:
- multiple means of representation,
- multiple means of action and expression, and
- multiple means of engagement.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)4can be used to ensure that IT used for instructionalpractice is accessible and usablefor students withdisabilities. They are supported by a foundation offour principles, resulting in IT that is
- perceivable,
- operable,
- understandable, and
- robust.
UDI embraces UD, UDL, WCAG principles and applies them to all aspects of instruction, including physical spaces, curriculum, pedagogy, and IT. UDI ensures that students have multiple ways to learn, engage and demonstrate what they have learned. UDI also ensures that each UDI practice is accessible, usable, and inclusive.
UDI Examples
To apply UDI, instructors should consider the potential variation in individual skills, learning styles and preferences, age, gender, sexual orientation, culture, abilities, and disabilities as they select appropriate content and strategies for the delivery of instruction and then apply universal design to all course activities and resources.
The UD, UDL, and WCAG principles that underpin UDI can be applied to the overall design of instruction as well as to specific instructional materials, facilities, and strategies (such as lectures, classroom discussions, group work, web-based instruction, labs, field work, and demonstrations). Listed below are examples of UDI. They are organized under eight performance indicator categories, with a general
guidelinefor each. Numbers in brackets at the end of each examples refer to UD, UDL, and WCAG principles most relevant to the example.
- Class climate. Adopt practices that reflect highvalues with respect to diversity, equity, andinclusion. Example: Put a statement on yoursyllabus inviting students to meet with you todiscuss disability-related accommodations andother special learning needs. [UD 1, UDL 2]
- Interaction. Encourage regular and effectiveinteractions between students, employmultiple communication methods, and ensurethat communication methods are accessibleto all participants. Example: Assign groupwork for which learners must engage using avariety of skills and roles. [UD 1, 2, 4; UDL 3;WCAG]
- Physical environments and products. For outsideinstruction, ensure that facilities, activities,materials, and equipment are physicallyaccessible to and usable by all students andthat diverse potential student characteristicsare addressed in safety considerations.Example: Develop safety procedures for allstudents, including those who are blind, deaf,or wheelchair users. [UD 3, 4, 6, 7]
- Delivery methods. Use multiple instructionalmethods that are accessible to all learners.Example: Use multiple modes to delivercontent; when possible allow students tochoose from multiple options for learning;and motivate and engage students—considerlectures, collaborative learning options, hands-on activities, Internet-based communications,educational software, field work, and so forth.[UD 2–4; UDL 1–3; WCAG]
- Information resources and technology. Ensure thatcourse materials, notes, and other informationresources are engaging, flexible, and accessiblefor all students. Example: Choose printedmaterials and prepare a syllabus early toallow students the option of beginning to readmaterials and work on assignments before thecourse begins. Allow adequate time to arrangefor alternate formats, such as books in audioformat. [UDL 1; WCAG]
- Feedback and assessment. Regularly assessstudents’ progress, provide specific feedbackon a regular basis using multiple accessiblemethods and tools, and adjust instructionaccordingly. Example: Allow students to turnin parts of large projects for feedback beforethe final project is due. [UD 5; UDL 2, 3]
- Accommodations. Plan for accommodationsfor students whose needs are not fully metby the instructional content and practices.Example: Know campus protocols for gettingmaterials in alternate formats, reschedulingclassroom locations, and arranging for otheraccommodations for students with disabilities.[UD 1, 2, 4, 6]
The last classification of UDI practices isimportant because employing UDI principlesdoes not eliminate the need for specificaccommodations for students with disabilities.For example, you may need to provide a signlanguage interpreter for a student who is deaf.However, applying UDI concepts in courseplanning ensures full access to the contentfor most students and minimizes the need forspecial accommodations. For example, designingweb resources in accessible formats as they aredeveloped means that no redevelopment is
necessary if a blind student enrolls in the class.
UDI benefits students with disabilities but alsobenefits others. For example, captioningcoursevideos, which provides access to deaf or hardof hearing students, is also a benefit to studentsfor whom English is a second language, tosome students with learning disabilities, and tothose watching the tape in a noisy environment.Delivering content in redundant ways canimprove instruction for students with a variety oflearning styles and cultural backgrounds. Lettingall students have access to your class notes andassignments on a website benefits students withdisabilities and everyone else. Planning aheadsaves time in the long run.
Resources
Consult the following resources for furtherinformation on UDI.
- Equal access:Universal design of instruction.
- Burgstahler, S. (Ed.). (2015). Universal Designin Higher Education: From Principles to Practice.Second edition.Boston: Harvard Education Press.
- Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
- The Center for Universal Design
- The Center for Universal Design in Education
- UDL on Campus
About DO-IT
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities,Internetworking, and Technology) serves toincrease the successful participation of individualswith disabilities in challenging academicprograms and careers, such as those in science,engineering, mathematics, and technology.Primaryfunding for DO-IT is provided bythe National Science Foundation, the Stateof Washington, and the U.S. Department ofEducation.
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Acknowledgment
The Center for Universal Design in Educationas well as this publication were developedunder grants from the U.S. Department ofEducation, #P333A020042, #P333A020044,and #P333A050064. However, the contents donot necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.Department of Education, and you should notassume endorsement by the federal government.
Copyright © 2020, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2008,2005, 2001, Sheryl Burgstahler. Permission isgranted to copy these materials for educational,noncommercial purposes provided the source isacknowledged.