Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that aims to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all by providing students with multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. When done well, UDL has the ability to provide flexibility, allowing all students the ability to connect their unique ways of understanding and learning to the essential requirements of the class, course, and program of study.
Queen’s Student Accessibility Services supports and encourages the implementation of UDL that:
- Promotes instructors’ pedagogical creativity and exploration. Allows for multiple ways of representing the essential material of a class, course, and/or program of study
- Recognizes each student’s unique way of understanding. Allows students to engage with essential material in multiple ways
- Highlights each student’s unique strengths. Allows students to express and demonstrate independent learning in multiple ways
In supporting and encouraging the usage of UDL, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services acknowledges that:
- UDL is integrated and foundational. UDL must be integrated into the curriculum planning from the start to ensure it is foundational to course development rather than additive
- UDL is active and ongoing. UDL must be actively and continually implemented into classrooms. UDL is an ongoing process of engagement, creativity, and reflexivity
- UDL and accommodations are both important, necessary, and required. While UDL does improve accessibility, it does not remove all barriers to access for which students with disabilities may seek accommodations. UDL does not remove the necessity to accommodate students.