What Is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
In Brief
Universal Design for Learning is:
In Detail
Universal design for learning (UDL) is, I believe, the concept that can help make inclusive education work. The concept of Universal Design comes from the field of architecture. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, architects were exploring the concept of accessibility to accommodate people with physical disabilities. Retrofitting buildings with ramps or elevators was not cost-effective, nor was there the space or time to do it effectively. Because building entrances are an important feature of the design, architects want to provide a specific experience for those entering the building. Architects began to push for buildings to be designed so that all people could enter a structure at the same point, if not in the same way. The term “universal design” was thus coined by Ronald Mace (Universal Design Institute, 2011), an architect who challenged traditional architects to better attend to the needs of all people rather than design for only the able-bodied. As architects began to do so, they discovered that many people benefited from the additional options. In the Vancouver airport, for example, people can enter the building using an elevator, an escalator, a ramp, or stairs. All points of entry converge in the same place. Although a ramp was originally meant for people with disabilities to use, it also serves parents with strollers, travellers with rollerboard suitcases, and many others who, at times, cannot negotiate a flight of steps.
This concept is key to the transfer of universal design to education. The question is: “How do we provide accessibility to the learning, the curriculum, and the social life of the classroom for diverse learners without taking away from the experience of those who can step up onto the curb?” In other words, how do we diversify our curriculum, instruction, and assessment in such a way that students who have previously not been able to participate can be actively involved without “dumbing down” the curriculum? What are the “ramps” we can use in education?
Universal Design for Learning is:
- A way to teach diverse learners in the same classroom, without "dumbing down" the curriculum or stressing out the teacher!
- A set of strategies for teaching that allows teachers to recognize students differing background knowledge, skills, and learning styles
In Detail
Universal design for learning (UDL) is, I believe, the concept that can help make inclusive education work. The concept of Universal Design comes from the field of architecture. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, architects were exploring the concept of accessibility to accommodate people with physical disabilities. Retrofitting buildings with ramps or elevators was not cost-effective, nor was there the space or time to do it effectively. Because building entrances are an important feature of the design, architects want to provide a specific experience for those entering the building. Architects began to push for buildings to be designed so that all people could enter a structure at the same point, if not in the same way. The term “universal design” was thus coined by Ronald Mace (Universal Design Institute, 2011), an architect who challenged traditional architects to better attend to the needs of all people rather than design for only the able-bodied. As architects began to do so, they discovered that many people benefited from the additional options. In the Vancouver airport, for example, people can enter the building using an elevator, an escalator, a ramp, or stairs. All points of entry converge in the same place. Although a ramp was originally meant for people with disabilities to use, it also serves parents with strollers, travellers with rollerboard suitcases, and many others who, at times, cannot negotiate a flight of steps.
This concept is key to the transfer of universal design to education. The question is: “How do we provide accessibility to the learning, the curriculum, and the social life of the classroom for diverse learners without taking away from the experience of those who can step up onto the curb?” In other words, how do we diversify our curriculum, instruction, and assessment in such a way that students who have previously not been able to participate can be actively involved without “dumbing down” the curriculum? What are the “ramps” we can use in education?
The Goal: Academic & Social Inclusion
In Brief
Inclusion means all students are educated together, in a general education classroom, and are a part of the social and academic life of the classroom. This is not just about children with disabilities. There are many children from good families, who are academically successful, who feel like they "have no friends," or "no one likes/notices them." Social inclusion is about having every child feel good about who they are, and feel a sense of belonging and connection. SImilarly, there are children who have friends, but are disengaged from the learning in school because it is boring, or uses techniques such as textbooks and written, rote responses that are not how the student learns best.
In Detail
It is important that we all recognize that diversity does not refer only to children with exceptional needs, nor does it refer only to ethnic, racial, or linguistic diversity. Diversity encompasses all children — their diverse personalities, ethnicities, languages, family structures, and learning styles all contribute to the makeup of a diverse classroom. Even a group of so-called typical learners from Caucasian, middle-class families are diverse in how they learn best - for instance, some will learn better visually, some auditorally, some students need to "do it" for it to make sense. Teaching to diversity requires that teachers create a learning climate in the classroom and devise activities that allow ALL children to feel safe, respected, and valued for what they have to contribute.
Social inclusion or exclusion has become a rising concern around the world. Research studies they have conducted note the rising number of Canadian children living in poverty, suffering from hunger, and excluded from opportunities to fully realize their potential. Social inclusion recognizes the need that all people have for belonging, for acceptance, and for opportunities to participate fully and equally in economic, social, cultural and political institutions.In education, at all levels, the terms inclusion and inclusive are used increasingly to mean that all students have the opportunity to learn and grow in learning communities alongside their peers. This again, is not just about the disadvantaged. There are many children from good families, who are academically successful, who feel like they "have no friends," or "no one likes/notices them." Social inclusion is about having every child feel good about who they are, and feel a sense of belonging and connection.
Academic inclusion in education is an approach to educating all students together. Under the inclusion model, all students are placed in their home schools, and services are delivered in the classrooms and in the school. The classroom teacher takes primary responsibility for all students enrolled in the class. Inclusion is not just about children with special needs; it is concerned with all students accessing their right to the very best education regardless of race, religion, language, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or ability/disability. There are many learners who feel like the current textbased, rote learning promoted in many schools is not meeting their needs - because it doesn't interest them, challenge them, or allow them to learn in the way they learn best.
Inclusion means making the learning in our schools engaging, respectful, collaborative, and challenging for all learners. UDL is the way to make this happen...
Inclusion means all students are educated together, in a general education classroom, and are a part of the social and academic life of the classroom. This is not just about children with disabilities. There are many children from good families, who are academically successful, who feel like they "have no friends," or "no one likes/notices them." Social inclusion is about having every child feel good about who they are, and feel a sense of belonging and connection. SImilarly, there are children who have friends, but are disengaged from the learning in school because it is boring, or uses techniques such as textbooks and written, rote responses that are not how the student learns best.
In Detail
It is important that we all recognize that diversity does not refer only to children with exceptional needs, nor does it refer only to ethnic, racial, or linguistic diversity. Diversity encompasses all children — their diverse personalities, ethnicities, languages, family structures, and learning styles all contribute to the makeup of a diverse classroom. Even a group of so-called typical learners from Caucasian, middle-class families are diverse in how they learn best - for instance, some will learn better visually, some auditorally, some students need to "do it" for it to make sense. Teaching to diversity requires that teachers create a learning climate in the classroom and devise activities that allow ALL children to feel safe, respected, and valued for what they have to contribute.
Social inclusion or exclusion has become a rising concern around the world. Research studies they have conducted note the rising number of Canadian children living in poverty, suffering from hunger, and excluded from opportunities to fully realize their potential. Social inclusion recognizes the need that all people have for belonging, for acceptance, and for opportunities to participate fully and equally in economic, social, cultural and political institutions.In education, at all levels, the terms inclusion and inclusive are used increasingly to mean that all students have the opportunity to learn and grow in learning communities alongside their peers. This again, is not just about the disadvantaged. There are many children from good families, who are academically successful, who feel like they "have no friends," or "no one likes/notices them." Social inclusion is about having every child feel good about who they are, and feel a sense of belonging and connection.
Academic inclusion in education is an approach to educating all students together. Under the inclusion model, all students are placed in their home schools, and services are delivered in the classrooms and in the school. The classroom teacher takes primary responsibility for all students enrolled in the class. Inclusion is not just about children with special needs; it is concerned with all students accessing their right to the very best education regardless of race, religion, language, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or ability/disability. There are many learners who feel like the current textbased, rote learning promoted in many schools is not meeting their needs - because it doesn't interest them, challenge them, or allow them to learn in the way they learn best.
Inclusion means making the learning in our schools engaging, respectful, collaborative, and challenging for all learners. UDL is the way to make this happen...
Why the Three Block Model of UDL?
In Brief:
The Three Block Model of UDL gives teachers the strategies to meet the social and academic needs of diverse learners.
In Detail:
The Three Block Model of UDL expands the technological emphasis of UDL into a framework encompassing the cornerstones of inclusive education: developing community / social and emotional well-being, instructional practice, and systematic strategies and structures. It synthesizes decades of research on inclusive educational practice and connects theory to practice in a practical, classroom based framework to create a learning environment that values diversity, promotes cooperation amongst students, and provides multiple means of learning. Research has indicated that the Three Block Model of UDL has significant, positive impacts on students’ self-concept, respect for diverse others, inclusivity, classroom climate, and social and academic engagement, while reducing social and academic exclusion, and aggressive behaviour. Teachers employing the model indicated it allowed them to include students with disabilities in their classrooms more successfully, improved the interactions between students, and reduced behavioral challenges, making assessment and instruction easier and more enjoyable. As a result of these findings, researchers from the Canadian Research Centre for Inclusive Education have adopted the Three Block Model as a framework for promoting inclusive education.
The Three Block Model of UDL gives teachers the strategies to meet the social and academic needs of diverse learners.
- It teaches teachers how to build a positive classroom climate where bullying is ended. Yes, ended.
- It also gives teachers a way to plan, instruct, and assess diverse learners together in one classroom - without stressing out the teachers (I was one for 16 years, I know)!
- It prepares students for the real working/professional world - nowadays, any rote, repetitive work is done by a computer. Professionals must be able to problem solve, take initiative, work with diverse others, select appropriate skills and strategies for the job, and respond through multi-media. For instance, an architect, software designer, advertising/marketing specialist, etc. must be able to visualize and symbolically represent, and use sophisticated software programs - reading a novel and answering rote questions will not prepare a student for these careers, or for engineering, science, or even teaching!
In Detail:
The Three Block Model of UDL expands the technological emphasis of UDL into a framework encompassing the cornerstones of inclusive education: developing community / social and emotional well-being, instructional practice, and systematic strategies and structures. It synthesizes decades of research on inclusive educational practice and connects theory to practice in a practical, classroom based framework to create a learning environment that values diversity, promotes cooperation amongst students, and provides multiple means of learning. Research has indicated that the Three Block Model of UDL has significant, positive impacts on students’ self-concept, respect for diverse others, inclusivity, classroom climate, and social and academic engagement, while reducing social and academic exclusion, and aggressive behaviour. Teachers employing the model indicated it allowed them to include students with disabilities in their classrooms more successfully, improved the interactions between students, and reduced behavioral challenges, making assessment and instruction easier and more enjoyable. As a result of these findings, researchers from the Canadian Research Centre for Inclusive Education have adopted the Three Block Model as a framework for promoting inclusive education.
The Outcomes
Research shows students in inclusive classrooms:
Research shows teachers who use the Three Block Model of UDL:
- Have improved leadership, empathy and communication skills.
- Do as well or better than students who are not in inclusive classrooms on literacy and numeracy exams, state standardized exams, and college entrance rates.
- Students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms have superior literacy and numeracy skills, general knowledge, and do better in LIFE SKILLS - peer modelling plays a critical role!
Research shows teachers who use the Three Block Model of UDL:
- Improve students active engagement - that is, students stay focused and actively involved in their learning more than twice the time they do in regular classes!
- Improve students' academic achievement and critical thinking.
- Improve classroom and school climate.
- Improve students self-concept/self-esteem, respect for others, willingness to be inclusive / work with others, leadership skills, and sense of belonging.
- Decrease bullying/aggressive behaviors.
- Are less stressed, and feel more capable of successfully educating diverse learners - i.e. "meeting all the needs."