What is Universal Design For Learning? (Examples & Best Practices)

Have you heard of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? A majority of people haven't but as an instructor, this is an essential concept to be aware of.

If you don't incorporate UDL concepts into your teaching designing process, you might accidentally leave students off, or making it difficult for students to understand the material which you've put so much effort to develop.

This could mean that some students do not finish the class, or have more customers asking for support. Actually, having a look at the 3 principals of UDL and methods to apply they could boost your reviews from customers and recommendations as all students feel included and valued.

There is a commonality that a lot of participants for online courses never finish the course. Indeed, a recent study found the 52% learners never glanced over the course.

It's not the best idea to create an online course that the students fail to complete. Are you considering the reasons why a lot of people don't complete online classes? There are many factors that influence this. Examples include the way in the course is organized and what kind of material is presented, and particularly accessibility issues that affect visually impaired or hearing handicapped students. There's a myriad of the possible reasons that could be the cause, but many are tied on Universal Design for Learning.

     In this article, you'll discover more about    

• What UDL is, and where it comes to and what it is and why it's crucial.
• Three fundamentals from Universal Design for Learning. three fundamentals of Universal Design for Learning.
• Methods of building, having access to and incorporate understanding every idea.
• An example of how you can incorporate UDL in your online course to enhance learning for your entire class.

Origins of Universal Design

Universal Design for Learning has its roots in the world of architecture. The first architects to adopt the concept were looking to eliminate the obstacles for building accessibility and accessibility for everyone. If you've ever pressed a button with your elbow to instantly open a entrance to a building, even if you carried two cups of coffee, or two of them, then you've been traversing the universal design.

If you've ever seen the buses dip in hydraulics when you enter, then you've witnessed the universality of. The cuts in the curve not only allow people with disabilities to get across the streets, and they also help parents who have bikes, strollers and wheelchairs as well as a variety of others.

These features are built into the design from the beginning. When you consider the medical and social needs of everyone who uses the system, this helps make the experience better for all. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was designed in the same way around similar concepts.

UDL is defined as a way to increase the quality of teaching and learning to everyone through using scientific information of how learners learn.

Why is this so important?

The aim of Universal Design for Learning is in removing the barriers that hinder learning. Learning barriers exist across all segments of the population at different time periods and in various settings. Barriers to learning may be physical and mental, social and medical. They affect everyone in the educational environment in some degree.

Steve Krug talks about accessibility in his book " Don't Make Me Think":

The accessibility option is the right one to make. It's not just the most efficient option and moral choice, as the primary reason why accessibility isn't made frequently enough is the way it can extraordinarily better life for some individuals. What opportunities do exist to drastically improve people's lives while doing our work in a less significant way?

The tale of human response to human differences

One billion people across the globe suffer from a disability And they are usually faced with barriers when it comes to online learning. 10 percent of all people are affected by learning issues, and 15% are dyslexic. Education in the past separated and secluded communities. Later, that was the reason for attempts to reconcile and be tolerant of differences. Today, thanks to technological advancements and accessibility devices universal design is bridging the gap between the different populations.

It is relying on the writers and creators of content to follow the principles that are the basis of Universal Design for Learning in their online courses.

When you add HTML0 Universal Design of Learning into your online classes, you will be sure that you'll dramatically improve the lives of people who are not just impacted by your courses' content as well as the material as a whole, but making sure that every student get access to the course and can participate through a productive and enjoyable way.

What are the three UDL principles? UDL?

What would a course appear like if it was examined as a by a Universal Design for Learning in the design phase? It is designed to incorporate the three essential components of UDL which was created by CAST, a non-profit educational research and development company. CAST's mission is to revolutionize the way that education is designed and teaching practices to ensure that learning does not have limitations.

 The three principles in UDL:

1.       Offer Multiple Methods of Engagement.
2.       Offer Multiple Methods of representation.
3.       offer multiple ways of Expression and Action.

These concepts can motivate you to think of new methods to inspire students, which you might not have been thought of before. It means that you'll improve the effectiveness and accessibility of your class for all students. Take a look at each of the principles.

     Principle 1. Offer multiple ways to engage

Think of this as your goal of your learning. Take care to attract the interest of your learners, keeping them interested, and offering autonomy over their own self-regulation throughout the process of learning. There are a variety of ways learners can become engaged and actively participate in learning. For instance, some students get excited about new ideas and concepts, while some feel anxious in the face of uncertainty. There isn't a specific way of learning that's appropriate for everyone.

 It can be accomplished via:

It is the ability to ignite excitement and interest in the subject of your study. Introduce an activity as soon after a person signs up for your program. This is that their excitement and desire to learn is at their the highest. Students should be encouraged to think about their goals that they've set for themselves in the class as well as to think about the meaning of what success means for them.

Foster Collaboration and Community. An example of this in addition to group discussions using any platform you prefer. Also, you could offer a course hashtag to encourage sharing resources relevant to your course.

Find out how to harness your emotions and how they can be used to motivate students in studying. In the age of learning online, give your students a variety of options to meet online along with you as an instructor. Provide online office hours, or the AMA (ask me everything) session, or permit students to create their own study groups, since these are extremely stimulating.

     Principle 2. Offer multiple representation options

Think of this as the WHAT of learning. Different learners use different strategies to comprehend and perceive when confronted with information. Sensory perception and learning disabilities, culture and differences in social status all influence the way information is perceived.

 Do this by:

Content that can be accessed through a wide range of options that don't need to be dependent on one sensory input. The content can be downloaded in many formats, allowing students to be able to choose the format they like best.

Use a language to communicate that is an agreed upon knowledge. Provide a glossary for experts as they may be stuck in language and abbreviations that can be difficult to comprehend for newcomers.

Make meaning clear and encourage students to develop a new understanding. Make room for students to have your own"aha!" moment. Develop activities that allow the opportunity for reflection and an understanding of their own situation.

     Principle 3. Provide multiple choices for actions and expression

Imagine this as the how of learning. The students differ on how they move through a class and present their learning. Recently, I heard an adult tell me she was planning to quit classes that require the use of public speeches (presentation recordings) because it created many anxious. Certain people might be struggling with their organizational abilities (executive dysfunctions) or those with difficulty speaking, might need alternative methods of communicating.

 This is done by:

Accessibility devices, as well as assistive technology. Maintain a log of what tools are beneficial to your students. Do not rely on your students being equipped with their own aidive tools. Most of them have them, but you must be prepared for students that require assistance.

Utilize tools for sharing ideas to help you achieve your learning objectives. Use tools for presenting your ideas to help comprehension. Include audio, video, as well as informationgraphics.

Make and execute plans that maximize the value of your knowledge. Provide activities to people looking to take their knowledge to the next stage. The modules could conclude with should do's, should be's, and objectives to reach to ensure the desired goal is achieved by all who is involved.

A universal design to teach examples of learning.

How can you start incorporating UDL into your online courses? Begin small, and build the basic skills that you require to advance.

1. You should include a welcome message that is captioned and an official statement of your openness and dedication to access for everyone. Make them aware that you're willing to hear comments and would like to collaborate on this experience.
2. Make sure that discussions are governed by boundaries that include the guidelines of behavior and an environment that is secure to everyone. Engage in fostering a community of care where students are able to safely express their needs and know that they will receive the best response.
3. Offer an ongoing flow and navigation of course for increased confidence and decrease anxiety.

• It can impact the speed of learning because students who are confused on how their class is structured and whether they're following the correct order can become overwhelmed. When they leave the course, it's less likely that they'll return because they're not sure about the next step.
• If you're running a whole set of lessons or classes that have to be completed in order make sure you've included the students with a map of each class to help students find the place they're.

1. Select instruments with care with regard to all capacities of the student.

• Chat rooms, for instance, could be a problem for some students, as it may be too fast or create an excessive amount of distraction from the class. If you decide to use chat functions, assure students that chats are not recorded and the transcripts will be available in the future, so that they don't have to be worried about keeping up and they can concentrate on their learning.

1. Utilisation Color and fonts conform to the requirements of accessibility.

• Guidelines for accessibility on web-based content. guidelines on contrast ratios for different shades, therefore make sure that you look over the colors of your branding's materials like worksheets and slides that students can use.
• Clean, crisp fonts can be the most efficient when using script and handwritten fonts that are used in a limited amount.

1. Give open formats for documents which can be read by screen readers.

• Screen readers have the ability to navigate with heading styles. Therefore, when you create a document you should create headings, and then assign them throughout the document as you're writing the document.

1. Be sure to add Alt image tags and alt descriptions for visually impaired students. Without descriptive tags screen readers can only read "image" without providing any additional background. Be as descriptive as you can.
2. Offer learning materials in various formats, for example, an audio transcript or video. Include the transcript in the same class so that students do not have to "look" for the transcript. Make use of closed captions on video and allow them to turn them off and on. When you upload a video, you are able to upload it in the .srt file. The .srt file is created by the editing program you use (e.g. Descript.com)

1. Divide large text chunks using bullets as well as lists. Provide graphics and split large slides so that they can be easily scannable.

In the class

1. Design the ideal working environment that allows students to take on various projects. ie. students suffering from ADHD might need to sit for exams in a quiet space with no distractions
2. Make sure you have flexible space for small groups, and areas where you can work on your own, and also a relaxed spaces that allow students to feel at ease when they are learning.
3. Create learning objectives online, so that they can be seen by the students who are online as well as in the class.
4. Designate a notetaker who can send notes online to be reviewed and revised.

Conclusion

Practicing the core skills in Universal Design for Learning as the course is designed can ensure that there is less obstacles to learning for all of your students. The students you teach will enjoy greater percentage of students who successfully complete your classes and also less demand. It's an atmosphere where students learn to quickly and confidently navigate information, making students eager to read. The students leave having enjoyed an enjoyable experience and prepared to tell others about the lessons they've learned.

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