How Designing Accessible Curriculum For All Can Help Make Online Learning More Equitable

The Universal Learning by Design (UDL) framework, originally designed to support special education students, offers a model for making instruction accessible to all. UDL acknowledges that every student has unique "strengths, preferences and learning needs," and, as such, creating flexible learning pathways in curricula can help support this variability.

This primer from KQED focuses on the basic principles of UDL, particularly how they can be deployed in virtual learning environments in the context of COVID-19. It focuses on how UDL can help address some of the glaring disparities that have emerged during the pandemic. The primer is embedded with several free resources for educators seeking to learn more about UDL:

• Video: UDL At A Glance (4:36)
• Resource Portal: The UDL Guidelines
• Fact Sheet: UDL Design Cycle

UDL strategies fall under three main categories: representation of formats, opportunities for action and expression, and options for engagement.