Disability Support Services

Working with Students with Disabilities: A Faculty/Staff Guide

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework instructors may find useful in designing courses to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse study body. The goal of UDL is to make learning more accessible for all learners, and it minimizes the need to alter it for anyone. The UDL framework can be applied to the overall design of course curriculum, as well as to specific materials, strategies and environment, including lectures, classroom discussions, group work, web-based instruction, demonstrations, labs and field work.

UDL provides students with a wide range of abilities, disabilities, ethnic backgrounds, language skills and learning styles multiple ways to learn and demonstrate mastery of course material.  It is not a single, one-size-fits all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.  Although UDL minimizes the need for specific accommodations for students with disabilities, it will not eliminate them altogether. 

Examples of universal design for learning:

1.  Class climate

Adopt practices that reflect value for both diversity and inclusiveness.

• Create a welcoming environment by greeting students at the door.

• Include a statement in your syllabus inviting students to meet with you to discuss disability-related accommodations, learning styles and other learning needs.
• Encourage students to seek assistance during your office hours and to use campus support services.

2.  Physical access, usability and safety

Assure that the instructional environment is physically accessible to all students with a range of characteristics, including student size, mobility and communication needs.

• In small class settings, use circular seating arrangements to allow students to see and face speakers during discussion (especially important for students with attention-deficit disorders or who are deaf or hard of hearing).

• Think in advance about field trips.  Make the calls necessary to ensure that the site or event is accessible to students with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Make sure all equipment in the classroom is within reach.

3.  Teaching methods

Use multiple instructional methods to provide different ways of learning and expressing knowledge.

• Begin class with a review of the previous lecture and an overview of the topics to be covered that day.  At the end of class, summarize key points.
• Highlight major concepts and terminology both orally and visually.
• Speak directly to students, and minimize auditory and visual distractions.
• Use visual aids such as diagrams, charts and graphs. Use color to enhance the message.
• Vary instructional methods using a combination of lecture with a visual outline, group activities, use of stories, guest speakers, web-based discussions.  Integrate technology (e.g., You Tube, Itunes U) to support class content.
• Relate content to real world situations.

4.  Materials and information

Assure that course materials, notes and other information are widely accessible by all students.

• Select textbooks early so students have time to obtain them in alternate formats (e.g., books on CDs) and begin reading before class begins.  Even better, select textbooks/materials in digital format or on line so students can access them through traditional hard copy or with assistive technology (e.g., screen reader, online dictionary).
• Post class notes on line so they can be accessed in the same manner by all students (regardless of hearing ability, English proficiency, learning or attention disorders, or note-taking skill level).
• Post Powerpoints in advance of class so students can preview them and listen for essential concepts without having to copy notes from overheads.

5.  Interaction

Create an instructional environment that facilitates interaction among students and between students and faculty.

• Provide opportunities for participation, questions and discussion by structuring study groups, discussion groups, e-mail lists, or chat rooms.
• Assign group work in which students must collaborate and support each other by using different skills and performing different tasks.

6.  Feedback

Provide specific feedback on a regular basis.

• Utilize TU's Early Warning System.

• Give feedback on early drafts of papers so there is adequate time for clarification, rewrites and assignments.
• Structure a long-term course project so that students have the option of turning in sections for your review and comment before the final project is due.
• Provide a handbook guiding students through difficult homework assignments.

7. Assessment

Regularly assess student progress using multiple, accessible methods and tools.

• Provide study questions and review sessions to help students prepare for tests.
• Give sample test questions.  Explain what constitutes a good answer and why.
• Provide a grading rubric that clearly lays out expectations for exam performance, papers, and projects.
• Assess group or cooperative performance as well as individual achievement.
• Create choices by allowing students to choose an oral presentation, a paper, or test to demonstrate mastery.

8.  Accommodation

If the instructional design does not meet the needs of individual students with disabilities, collaborate with the student and DSS to provide specific accommodations so he or she is afforded equal educational opportunities.

(Adapted from the University of Washington: Universal Design for Instruction at www.washington.edu/doit.)

For further information on Universal Design for Learning go to the CAST Home Page at http://www.cast.org or to the National Center on UDL at http://www.udlcenter.org/.