Faculty Focus

MAY 18, 2025

Provide multiple sources and access points for assignment requirements and expectations (written descriptions, presentations, instructional videos, examples, rubrics). Collaborate with colleagues in accessibility services to better understand and integrate the services and supports available. Be open and welcome student questions.

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Accessibility Disabilities Learning Disabilities Special Education 97

EdTech Magazine

JUNE 10, 2022

Automatic doors, crosswalks with audible directions, adjustable car seats ­— these are all universally designed products. They make the world accessible to a variety of people and they make everyday life easier for everyone. The Universal Design for Learning framework supports learning for all students.

Universal Design 202

Universal Design Disabilities Education Learning 202

Edsurge

MAY 31, 2023

For teachers, this means providing equal access to educational experiences and ensuring that all students have the support and resources they need to succeed academically, socially and emotionally. For Mulcahy, UDL means “making sure that all of the students have an accessible way to learn.”

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Universal Design Disabilities Mobile Devices Students 209

Ask a Tech Teacher

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

Today, we offer one more: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) What is UDL Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences that can accommodate individual learning differences. In order to do that, students need to be motivated, resourceful, and self-directed.

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Universal Design Learning Styles Disabilities Learning 195

eSchool News

APRIL 10, 2019

As educators, there are many things we can do to make our Google Docs more accessible to our students. We should always be thinking about including universal design for learning (UDL) in all that we do. 4 ways to make your Google Docs more accessible. Related: So you think you understand UDL? Use headings.

Accessibility 274

Accessibility Universal Design Reading Activities 274

Catlin Tucker

MAY 20, 2023

Making formative assessment data accessible to students is essential to foster a learning environment that prioritizes autonomy, self-regulation, and reflection. Monitoring Access to ongoing formative assessment results allows students to continuously monitor their progress toward standards-aligned learning goals.

Metacognitive Skills 482

Metacognitive Skills Universal Design Blended Learning Evaluation 482

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

Colleges have long had offices designed to support students who have learning disabilities and to encourage broader accessibility in the classroom and beyond. On the latest installment of our monthly online discussion forum, EdSurge Live , we explored accessibility in this unusual era of emergency remote teaching.

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Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

eSchool News

DECEMBER 16, 2015

New report highlights 10-step plan to applying Universal Design for Learning online. The authors note that while, ideally, UDL allows students with disabilities to access courses without adaptation, it can also help to improve learning—and, therefore, retention—among all students.

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Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Instructors 189

Edsurge

JANUARY 13, 2025

Centering instruction in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and implementing both direct and student-driven instruction can help engage learners, address diverse needs and improve learning outcomes for all students. Universal Design for Learning provides a framework for designing inclusive learning environments.

Universal Design 142

Universal Design Feedback Learning Beliefs 142

Edsurge

JULY 19, 2024

They have to learn just like other students, but they can also have to deal with assignments they can’t access and other digital hurdles. Department of Justice published its final rule for web and mobile accessibility. The update is meant to expand access by spelling out specific technical standards government entities must follow.

Accessibility 214

Accessibility Disabilities Local Government Schools 214

Catlin Tucker

MAY 11, 2021

Like many, this teacher felt intense pressure to teach the standards and wasn’t sure how to embrace Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and blended learning. All of these adjustments can make the information more accessible. This is not unusual. They can find a podcast (e.g., How can you proactively remove those barriers?

Blended Learning 545

Blended Learning Learning Universal Design Disabilities 545

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 28, 2023

Through our online series, we explored the power of universally designed blended learning models to achieve deeper learning outcomes. How do teachers ensure that instruction and facilitation of learning are accessible, inclusive, and equitable? This includes higher-order thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning.

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Blended Learning Universal Design Learning Motivation 460

Edsurge

JUNE 12, 2020

It has disabled our education system, creating challenges to educational access, barriers to student academic progress and strains on teachers’ and students’ physical and emotional well-being. Simultaneously, educators needed to identify what content students needed, how to organize it and how to help students access it.

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Distance Learning Learning Students 218

eSchool News

AUGUST 26, 2024

It also explores current teaching practices and frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), offering actionable tips to help schools support neurodiverse students and prioritize inclusive strategies and practices.

Learning Spaces 306

Learning Spaces Universal Design Learning Students 306

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 10, 2021

Instead, students have a repository of on-demand videos they can access any time from anywhere. You can access those thinking routines in these two blog posts: Support Powerful Thinking Routines Part 1 and Part 2. Teachers do not lose precious class time repeating instruction, models, and directions.

Multiple Choice Questions 543

Multiple Choice Questions Blended Learning Discussions Art 543

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 28, 2023

Slide decks, in particular, offer a visually engaging way to present the content, making it more accessible and interesting for students. Whether using a public or private system, the key is to ensure that it is easily accessible and user-friendly, so students can update their progress and stay on track throughout the learning process.

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Blended Learning Feedback Universal Design Art 436

eSchool News

APRIL 22, 2024

Designing for Inclusion, Designing for All: A mindset shift and practical approaches to further your journey toward inclusive design in EdTech , illustrates how inclusive design practices can improve any edtech solution by providing educational experiences that are more flexible, customizable, and meaningful for all students.

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Game-Based Learning Gamification Learning Universal Design 328

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 21, 2021

lecture, discussion, written responses), there are myriad barriers that may make it hard for students to access information and share their learning effectively. Taking time to identify barriers in our design work is critical. Yet, when we think about many of the instructional strategies we have used for years (e.g.,

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Blended Learning Learning Lecturing Motivation 518

eSchool News

AUGUST 29, 2024

But how does the concept of Universal Design Learning (UDL) fit into all this? Each type should offer UDL principles to create inclusive and accessible educational experiences. Why is it so important now, and how can e-learning fulfill its requirements within the UDL framework? Let’s unravel these questions.

Learning 306

Learning Universal Design Syllabus Quizzes 306

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 14, 2020

As I said in an earlier blog about using the principles of Universal Design for Learning to guide the design of blended and online learning experiences, this choice allows students to select a strategy for communicating their ideas that is comfortable for them. I’d suggest providing a mix of online and offline options.

Learning 546

Learning Assignments Universal Design Feedback 546

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

I thought I had a pretty good handle on universal design for learning (UDL), but after chatting with Katie Novak , Ed.D., Although this allowed students to access knowledge, they weren’t empowered to become learners and make choices for themselves. I realize I didn’t understand the framework at all. Novak, author of UDL Now!

Disabilities 280

Disabilities Universal Design Essay Beliefs 280

eSchool News

APRIL 17, 2020

It’s no secret that creating accessible digital and inclusive learning experiences can be a challenge. But the good news is that along with an inclusive mindset, there are simple strategies you can draw from Universal Design for Learning pedagogy, which emphasizes: ? Practice empathy.

Universal Design 320

Universal Design Communication Discussions Online Learning 320

Edsurge

MAY 9, 2018

Can proactive instructional design eliminate barriers to access for learners? Will artificial intelligence play a role in improving accessibility? How can institutions create a culture of collaboration to support universal design? I think a lot of folks forget about these different types of accessibility needs.

Accessibility 125

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 125

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

CoSN and CAST last released a comprehensive report entitled “ AI and Accessibility in Education.” The AI and Accessibility in Education report emphasizes that the integration of AI in education holds significant promise for enhancing accessibility and support for all students,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN. “By

Disabilities 226

Disabilities Local Government Ethics Special Education 226

eSchool News

JANUARY 12, 2024

Educators with a mind towards equity typically excel at access. According to the CSTA: Inclusive Teaching Pedagogies , “UDL is an instructional planning approach designed to give all students an equal opportunity to learn by removing barriers that prevent students from fully engaging in their classroom communities” (White, 2023).

Education 306

Education Evaluation Accessibility Science 306

eSchool News

OCTOBER 27, 2016

Blended learning is rapidly becoming a core part of schools’ educational approach, partly because the model suits so many educational needs–credit recovery, dual enrollment, and access to advanced courses not always offered in brick-and-mortar schools.

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Blended Learning Universal Design Learning Accessibility 262

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

While K-12 schools and higher-ed institutions have spent considerable effort adhering to accessibility standards (and should be applauded for that effort), one in four lawsuits in education center around accessibility. Thus, the focus on captioning–a requirement in K-12 and higher education–has intensified.

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Disabilities Lecturing Learning Styles Accessibility 278

eSchool News

JANUARY 31, 2025

Universal design for learning Todays students are making more choices about how and where they want to learn than ever before. Universal design for learning (UDL) promotes achievement among diverse student bodies by giving each student access to resources and environments that help them learn.

Education 305

Education Ethics Culture Universal Design 305

Catlin Tucker

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

Before AI, designing for learner variability was an arduous process that may have felt unsustainable. I remember facilitating workshops on blended learning models and universally designed learning to provide students with flexible pathways. As great as AI tools are, they don’t know our students the way we do.

Blended Learning 392

Blended Learning Knowledge Feedback Universal Design 392

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Differentiating the content, or how students access knowledge, understanding, and skills. You can learn more about universally designing blended learning to give students more agency in my book UDL and Blended Learning or by taking my online, self-paced courses. There are three main ways to approach differentiation.

Blended Learning 544

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Learning Motivation 544

eSchool News

JANUARY 1, 2018

Inclusive educators often use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to provide students with consistent access to engaging content and effective paths for achieving educational goals in classrooms where they experience a greater sense of belonging. This way, students have auditory and visual input—more than just one mode.

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Universal Design Students Lecturing Social Studies 236

eSchool News

DECEMBER 23, 2018

Inclusive educators often use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to provide students with consistent access to engaging content and effective paths for achieving educational goals in classrooms where they experience a greater sense of belonging. This way, students have auditory and visual input—more than just one mode.

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Universal Design Students Lecturing Social Studies 233

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

There is an inherent connection between equity, accessibility, and open educational resources (OER). Equity is the fair and just access to opportunities and resources for all. Accessibility is the quality of an item being easy to obtain, use, understood, and appreciated. Offering an accessible alternative benefits all learners.

Accessibility 98

Accessibility Exams Learning Peer Review 98

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 11, 2024

Such preliminary insights, whether through pre-assessments, diagnostics, or activities aimed at accessing prior knowledge, can illuminate the diverse range of skills, abilities, and needs within a classroom. This inquiry always prompts me to reflect: How many educators gather pre-assessment data before crafting their lesson plans?

Blended Learning 375

Blended Learning Coaching Writing Knowledge 375

Catlin Tucker

MAY 12, 2025

Principle #2: Use Technology to Support UDL and Cultivate Learner Agency When used with intention, technology can make learning more accessible and more empowering. Instead, we should design learning experiences that allow students to access content in multiple ways (e.g.,

Technology 277

Technology Learning Coaching Feedback 277

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

There is an inherent connection between equity, accessibility, and open educational resources (OER). Equity is the fair and just access to opportunities and resources for all. Accessibility is the quality of an item being easy to obtain, use, understood, and appreciated. Offering an accessible alternative benefits all learners.

Accessibility 95

Accessibility Exams Learning Peer Review 95

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 31, 2020

As I work with Katie Novak on my newest book project, I think the synergy between her expertise on Universal Design for Learning and my work on blended learning provide an exciting new way to think about thriving in flexible learning landscapes. #3 3 Students are capable of self-directed learning. ” I hear this a lot.

Learning 544

Learning Blended Learning Assignments Feedback 544