Ms. Gilmore, a 4th grade teacher, was concerned that some of her students were consistently failing assignments. After researching universal design for learning (UDL), she realized the problem was not with the students, but with her curriculum not being flexible enough to accommodate different learning styles. UDL aims to provide all students ways to engage with and demonstrate their learning. It is based on brain research showing individuals prefer different methods for taking in, responding to, and finding motivation from new information. Ms. Gilmore learned she needed to vary her teaching methods and assignments to reach all learners. She was eager to start applying UDL principles to make her classroom more inclusive.

1. Universal Design for Learning
A Teacher’s Quest to Reach Every Learner

2. Ms. Gilmore looked abysmally at her 4th grade students’ recent homework
assignment. The assignment had involved answering questions from the Science
textbook. A majority of students had passed. However, some students had failed –
again.

3. Why can’t they pass? she wondered. She ran through a list of reasons in her
head. None of them seemed right. She was blaming the students for everything.
That didn’t seem right either.

4. Ms. Gilmore decided to do some research. She opened her laptop and began
searching. A particular key word caught her eye – Universal Design for Learning.

5. She had never heard of this term before, so she began researching it. It turned out
that it had all started with Universal Design – a movement by Ron Mace to make
access to buildings possible for as many people as possible1. This included wider
doors and ramps.

6. Educators had taken hold of this idea and created Universal Design for Learning.
Its goal was to provide learning that allows all students to engage and succeed –
not just the majority5. It taps into the ways students learn and how they learn best.
The problem wasn’t the students, but the curriculum used. Flexibility was a must.

7. How
Students
Learn
Principles
of UDL
Why What
Students Students
Learn Learn
With some more research, Ms. Gilmore saw that Universal Design for Learning
had three principles – the how, what, and why of learning in students5. As she
read, it occurred to her that these reasons seemed like common sense.

8. First, teachers have to consider how students learn. By doing so, they can then
vary the ways they share information with students. Ms. Gilmore realized a lesson
she had just taught on Jamestown could have included video footage. She could
have also had her students help her act out the founding of the colony.

9. Next, teachers need to consider what students learn. Teachers need to vary the
way that students can demonstrate new knowledge. Instead of answering textbook
questions, Ms. Gilmore could have had her students write a song, create a story,
or draw a mural to demonstrate comprehension.

10. Finally, teachers need to consider why students learn. Teachers have to find ways
to motivate and engage all learners. Ms. Gilmore realizes that she should have
paid attention to the interest inventory she had given at the beginning of the year.
Then she would remember which students preferred drawing, roleplay, or videos.

11. Recognition
Brain
Networks
Affective Strategic
Something in the back of her mind told her to look more closely at the principles
behind Universal Design for Learning. A few more clicks and she discovered that
the principles were based on brain research. There were three networks of the
brain tied to the principles.

12. The recognition network searches for patterns in what is being sensed6. It’s the
part of the brain that takes in information. Each person’s brain prefers different
ways of getting information.

13. Then there was the strategic network. It sends messages to the organs, and
makes “plans of action”6. The strategic network is responsible for how students
respond to learning, and what methods suit each one best.

14. Finally the affective network evaluates the patterns the brain gathers and then
reacts6. It triggers emotions. Some consider it to be the most important network
because if students aren’t motivated or interested, they won’t learn4.

15. Ms. Gilmore discovered there was more than just the networks to consider. She
constantly saw the word flexibility appear again and again – flexibility in sharing
information, flexibility in demonstrating information, and flexibility in engaging
students2.

16. Her school wasn’t flexible in the curriculum. Her school, like most, focused heavily
on printed text. She was only reaching the children who learned best that way.
Schools today emphasize verbal, linguistic, and language learning styles, which
do not fit many students4. Those students were becoming lost, distracted, or

17. On the other hand, Universal Design for Learning focuses on adapting the
curriculum to the student. The teacher’s problem isn’t the student, but the
curriculum. It removes cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and academic barriers. If barriers
exist due to existing curriculum, the expected academic gain will be below what is

18. Continuing her search, Ms. Gilmore found that technology and Universal Design
for Learning go together. Technology provides multiple ways to present information
through blogs, videos, chatting, podcasts, and more. Teachers can gather and
save resources that are more than just printed articles by using social

19. Technology can allow the manipulation of text, which printed material cannot do2.
Students can have text read to them or click on a word and immediately see the
definition. The text might also link to videos or images that aid comprehension.
This gives the recognition brain network multiple ways of receiving information.

20. Ms. Gilmore was surprised to discover that just putting a textbook on a computer
was not Universal Design for Learning3. Adding video, images, audio, as well as
tools such as highlighters and dictionaries, is what makes a textbook Universal
Design for Learning compliant. Students now have multiple ways to recognize the

21. Because every child is different, they respond differently to the presentation of
information, as well as how they demonstrate knowledge. Technology is capable of
providing many assistive technologies, such as (but not limited to) text-to-speech,
online calculators, and screen magnifiers.

22. Technology also has the benefit of allowing the student to repeat something over
and over as needed, whereas a teacher may not be so patient. Students could
rewatch lab videos or have text repeated to them.

23. At the end of her search, Ms. Gilmore finds that she understands why some of her
students are always failing. She hasn’t been flexible with the curriculum, and she’s
placed the blame on the student instead. Perhaps it’s time for me to change,
rather than expect my students to change their learning style.

24. Universal Design for Learning is a big task she thinks to herself but if I start small
with one subject area, it won’t seem as overwhelming. Ms. Gilmore looked down
at the graded assignments beside her laptop. And I know just where to start!

25. Like Ms. Gilmore, you might be wondering how Universal Design for Learning
could work in your classroom. The impact would be huge. All students would be
engaged and motivated. Students could be challenged in their zone of proximal
development, and teachers could provide critical thinking strategies centered

26. Test scores are always a huge factor in our school today. Teachers can use
Universal Design for Learning in the classroom, and then show students how to
connect the differentiated assessments to the standardized assessments on
WESTEST 2.

27. UDL Starter Kit Resources
1. Book Builder – Use this kit to create interactive books that assist your
students in comprehending the curriculum in their own learning style.
2. Lesson Builder – Use this kit to help design lessons that meet the needs of
every child in your classroom.
3. UDL Curriculum Self-Check – Use this kit to help make your curriculum more
flexible. Discover your curriculum weaknesses and then see how UDL can
help.
4. UDL Tech Toolkit – This wiki has a variety of tools such as graphic
organizers, audio, research, writing, and more that will provide useful in a
UDL curriculum.
5. Cool Tools for School – This site has a link to a variety of technology tools for
the classroom teacher. Find resources for presentation, mapping, writing, and
more.
Of course, no teacher can start Universal Design for Learning without some
resources to get started. Here are some links to help you get started enhancing
your curriculum and changing the way your students learn.

28. References
1. Bremer, C.D., Clapper, A.T., Hitchcock, C., Hall, T., & Kachgal, M. (2002).
Universal design: A strategy to support students’ access to the general
education curriculum.
Information Brief, 1(3), 1–5. Retrieved from Google Scholar.
2. Gordon, D. T. (2002). Curriculum access in the digital age. Harvard
Education Letter, 18 (1), 1-5. Retrieved from Google Scholar
3. Harms, M.; Burling, K.; Hanna, E.; & Dolan, B. (2006). Constructing
innovative computer-administered tasks and items according to
universal design: establishing guidelines for test developers. Paper
presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement
in Education, San Francisco, CA. Retrieved from Google Scholar
Note: Please match the superscripted number in the book to the reference number
shown here. Photographs on slides 1, 21, & 25 are mine. Screencaps are on
slides 19, 20, & 22. All other images come from Microsoft Office’s clipart gallery.

29. References, Continued
4. Johnston, D. C. (2008). Learning alternatives and strategies for students
who are struggling. Exceptional Parent, 38(9), 8-11. Retrieved from the
Walden University Library using the ERIC database.
5. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program twelve.
Universal design for learning [Webcast]. Reaching and engaging all learners
through technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
6. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program thirteen.
Brain research and universal design for learning [Webcast]. Baltimore, MD:
Author.
Note: Please match the superscripted number in the book to the reference number
shown here. Photographs on slides 1, 21, & 25 are mine. Screencaps are on
slides 19, 20, & 22. All other images come from Microsoft Office’s clipart gallery.