Introduction to UDL:

Differentiated instruction is a teaching theory based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms (Tomlinson, 2001).

Educators have a responsibility to understand and implement differental teaching and learning strategies that will address the broad range of student learning needs that teachers face every day in their classrooms, whether in regular education or special education settings. One size fits all approaches to education simply do not work. Teachers are challenged to teach all kinds of learners to high standards, but our classrooms include students with a variety of learning challenges. Finding the best possible intervention for each and every learner is not easy. What is an educator to do?

There are 4 basic principles of Universal Design for Learning.

• Students with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a separate category
• Teacher adjustments for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with disabilities
• Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse including digital and online resources, rather than centering on a single textbook (this can be controversial given the NCLB and state requirements)
• Instead of remediating students so that they can learn from a set curriculum, curriculum should be made flexible to accommodate learner differences

Assistive Technology provides the necessary supports for students to access a flexible curriculum that meets student needs and provides them with step-by-step successes toward a positive, productive life.

Downloads for UDL
General Curriculum Access.pdf
Literacy_Language_Tech.pdf
Literacy_Toolbox.pdf
Read&Write_Strategies.pdf
UDL_Overview.pdf
UniversalDesign.pdf
Use_Color_to_Meet_Needs.pdf