Accessibility & Universal Design for Learning

Accessibility goes hand-in-hand with Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a research-based framework that supports removing barriers from the learning process so we can meet the needs of diverse learners.

It's human nature for instructors to design courses in the way we like to learn (often without even realizing we're doing it!). Keeping UDL principles in mind can help us move beyond this natural inclination.

Please watch this video. UDL at a Glance Links to an external site.(length: 4:36)

In a nutshell, UDL guidelines include:

Multiple means of representation
Give students the same information through different formats (visual, auditory, or textual) to ensure that key information will be equally perceptible to all.
Multiple means of action and expression
Give students plenty of options for expressing what they know, and provide models, feedback, and supports for their different levels of proficiency.
Multiple means of engagement
What excites one student may bore another! Give students choices (working independently vs. working collaboratively, the sequence or timing of tasks, the level of challenge, etc.) to spark their interests and autonomy.

While UDL is about so much more than just formatting for accessibility, it can be used as an underlying principle to reduce barriers to learning by ensuring accessibility is built into your courses.

If you'd like more information on this topic, here's an informative article (with video) from 3PlayMedia on making UDL a reality Links to an external site..

Credits

This module has been adapted and modified from the original Introduction to Designing for Accessibility course by CVC-OEI.

Introduction to Designing for Accessibility by CVC-OEIis licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Development of this course was funded by a grant from the California Community Colleges' Chancellor's Office.