Universal Design
Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation of specialized design. The concept was coined by Ron Mace, an architect and faculty member who realized that in many cases, retrofitting a building or environment to be accessible could be eliminated if the full range of human diversity was taken into account in the design stage. Things like curb cuts, large, color contrasting fonts, and sloped entrances are all examples of universal design. Click here to see Disability Services' list of universal design examples.
Universal Design for Learning
Universal design for learning (UDL) is a set of guiding principles for course development that helps instructors to make their courses accessible for all students, regardless of learning differences. At the core of UDL is the provision of multiple means of representation action and expression, and engagement. Click here to view a poster summarizing UDL's guidelines. (Source)
Why not just provide accommodations for students with disabilities?
Courses that are created or revamped with UDL in mind are customized for all learners by design, virtually eliminating the need for retrofitting that is common with less flexible, “one-size-fits-all” courses.
"The goal of UDI is to maximize the learning of students with a wide range of characteristics by applying UD principles to all aspects of instruction (e.g., delivery methods, physical spaces, information resources, technology, personal interactions, assessments)." (Source.)
Of course, there will be situations in which individual accommodations are necessary. For example, a student who is D/deaf or Hard of Hearing may need interpreting or transcription services, and a student who is blind may need written materials converted to Braille. In any case, Student Life Disability Services is always available for consultation and collaboration.
Whether you’re new to the concept of universal design or looking for new ways to implement UDL in your classroom, the resources below should prove helpful.
Ohio State UDL Resources:
Office of Distance Education and eLearning (ODEE):
General UDL Resources:
- Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, Principles, Guidelines and Examples
- UDL Center
- UDL guidelines translated into Arabic, Catalan, Chinese (traditional and simplified), French, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish
Course Design:
Utilizing Learning Management Systems (LMS):
- Using Canvas to Reduce the Barriers to Knowledge by Utilizing Universal Design | InstructureCon 2013 (Video)
- Using LMS Data to Inform Course Design
Syllabus:
Assessment:
Applying UDL to Distance Learning:
Case Studies:
- Education, Music, Construction Management and Criminal Justice classes with UDL
- University of Washington Case Studies, Promising Practices and Q&A
Tools:
- Universal Design for Learning: A Rubric for Evaluating Your Course Syllabus
- Course Accessibility Checklist
- A Checklist for Inclusive Teaching (with communication tips)
- Item Writer Guidelines for Greater Accessibility (how to create accessible tests)
- Professional Development for Educators (includes image description examples and explanations)
- WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool and WAVE Chrome extension
How To:
- Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat XI (Acrobat XI Pro is available from OCIO. Download: Windows / Mac )
- Creating Accessible Word Documents
- Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
- Creating Accessible Excel Workbooks
- Checklist: Create Accessible Email (Outlook 2016 and 2013)
- Guidelines for Describing STEM Images (from larger resource, with examples: Effective Practices for Description of Science Content)
Comprehensive Resources:
- UDL-Universe (UDL-U): A Comprehensive Universal Design for Learning Faculty Development Guide
- University of Washington Center for Universal Design in Education
- Universal Design for Learning in Postsecondary Education: Reflections on Principles and their Applications
Supporting Research: