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Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a broad set of strategies educators can use to create more inclusive, flexible instruction so that every student has access to learning, regardless of ability or background. Instead of reacting to different students’ needs, we can assume from the beginning that our students are heterogeneous, and plan our courses with this in mind. 

UDL has three key principles:

1. Provide multiple means of engagement by offering students a variety of options, challenges, and forms of support.
2. Provide multiple means of representation. Offer alternatives for the representation of information (visual, text, audio, video), and follow best principles of accessibility. 
3. Provide multiple means of action and expression. Give students options for expressing what they know and provide scaffolded learning through multiple practice opportunities.

You can explain UDL’s suggestions in more detail in the resources below. The scope of this framework can be overwhelming, but adopting UDL doesn’t require a full course redesign! You can begin with small, practical steps that make learning more accessible. Focus first on understanding students’ needs, and then gradually add options for how content is presented, how students engage with it, and how they express what they’ve learned.  

UDL Resources:

• This of the latest version of the UDL guidelines, from the disability advocacy group AHEAD.
• The full , from the nonprofit organization that originally developed it. 
• of what it can look like to incorporate UDL principles into higher education classrooms. 
• CMU’s Digital Accessibility Office offers guides for accessibility best practices and available tools.

And of course you can always reach out to eberly-assist@andrew.cmu.edu to work one-on-one with a consultant. 

Other Strategies for Inclusive Teaching

• Examine your content for diverse perspectives
• Be transparent about expectations
• Design inclusive assessments
• Create accessible content
• Illustrate concepts with multiple and diverse examples
• Give students choice, where appropriate
• Promote a growth mindset

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is a framework for teaching that integrates cultural content and awareness to enhance achievement for all students. Although it was first developed in K-12 circles, CRT can be applied to college teaching and benefits all students (Ginsberg & Wlodkowski, 2009).

CRT recognizes that intrinsic motivation matters for student learning. Motivation can be enhanced or reduced by classroom conditions. Motivation is connected to cultural backgrounds and forms of learning, which means that faculty have a responsibility to promote a culturally responsive teaching environment in their classrooms. To do so, instructors can develop norms and practices for the following four conditions:

1. Establish inclusion by creating a learning environment in which learners and teachers feel respected and connected to one another.
2. Develop a positive attitude towards learning through personal relevance and volition.
3. Enhance meaning by creating challenging and engaging learning experiences that include learners’ perspectives and values.
4. Engender competence to help learners see how they are effectively learning something they value and that is of authentic value to their community.

Strategies for Inclusive Teaching

• • Examine your content for diverse perspectives.
  • Establish guidelines for interaction.
  • Be transparent about expectations.
  • Design inclusive assessments.
  • Create accessible content.
  • Do not ask individuals to speak for an entire group.
  • Use multiple and diverse examples.
  • Learn your students’ names and how to pronounce them.
  • Get to know your students as individuals.

Ginsberg, M. B. and R. J. Wlodkowski. 2009. Diversity & Motivation: Culturally Responsive Teaching in College, John Wiley & Sons.