UDL at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“Where every person and every interaction matters"
-N2025 Strategic Plan

In line with the university's N2025 strategic plan, this resource is designed to introduce you to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which, when implemented in your courses, reduces barriers to learning for all students and optimizes each individual’s opportunity to learn. We invite you to explore examples of UDL in Nebraska's classrooms and to review the course planning information along with other resources as you reflect on ways to add UDL to your classroom.

If you would like to contribute to this resource through a short video and write-up of UDL practice(s) in your classroom, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact McKinzie Sutter at am.sutter@unl.edu for more information.

Deconstructing Ableism

"All students are capable of learning. Using UDL principles in the classroom gives instructors more tools to reach a wider demographic of students, while simultaneously reducing their workload in regards to further accommodations that will inevitably have to be made later."

- Collin Dike, Sue Kemp, Morgan McGee

Through a Student-Faculty Collaboration grant sponsored by the Center for Transformative Teaching students Colin Dike and Morgan McGee, and their faculty collaborator Sue Kemp increase knowledge about Universal Design for Learning and the lived experiences of disabled students.

The purpose of this project is to increase the visibility of the daily experiences of disabled students at the university to push back against attitudes and assumptions that can be oppressive, as well as create a more inviting atmosphere for disabled students.

Supporting students with disabilities ensures that our most marginalized students, requiring some additional support to perform to their fullest potential, don’t fall through the cracks. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides instructors with a proactive educational framework that can be implemented over time to limit the barriers faced by students with disabilities. By implementing UDL, instructors are also benefiting the learning of all students in their classes and will reduce the number of requests for accommodations.

For more on the project view their introductory video Deconstructing Ableism.

Engagement

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

Center for Transformative Teaching Grant

In this part 1 of 3 series video, you will be introduced to the principle of engagement in the classroom.

Deconstructing Ableism in the Classroom: Engagement

Practice and Action

The UDL principle of engagement focuses on the ways in which learners differ in the ways they can be engaged or motivated to learn. For example, some learners might find spontaneity and novelty engaging while others might disengage preferring a familiar routine. Likewise, some students might prefer to work on projects and classwork individually while others would rather work with their peers. In short, there is not one means of engagement that is optimal for all learners in all contexts; providing options for engagement by activating students’ affective network is essential.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Engagement

Representation

Provide Multiple Means of Representation

Center for Transformative Teaching Grant

In this part 2 of 3 series video, you will be introduced to the principle of representation in the classroom.

Deconstructing Ableism in the Classroom: Representation

Practice and Action

Designing a course that reaches all of the learners in your class(es) can be challenging. The UDL principle of representation acknowledges that our learners differ in the ways in which they perceive and comprehend information that is presented to them. For example, those with sensory disabilities (e.g., blindness or deafness); learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia); language or cultural differences, and so forth may all require different ways of approaching content. Others may simply grasp information quicker or more efficiently through visual or auditory means rather than printed text. Also, learning, and transfer of learning, occur when multiple representations are used, because they allow students to make connections within, as well as between, concepts. In short, we want to teach all of our students and we know there is not one means of representation that will be optimal for all. So to activate all students' recognition networks (Links to an external site.) providing options for representation is essential.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Representation

Action and Expression

Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Center for Transformative Teaching Grant

In this part 3 of 3 series video, you will be introduced to the principle of action and expression in the classroom.

Deconstructing Ableism in the Classroom: Action and Expression

Practice and Action

The UDL principle of action and expression recognizes that students differ in the ways that they can navigate a learning environment and express their learning. For example, individuals with significant movement impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy), those who struggle with strategic and organizational abilities (executive function disorders), those who have language barriers, and so forth approach learning tasks very differently. Some may be able to express themselves well in written text but not speech, and vice versa. It should also be recognized that action and expression require a great deal of strategy, practice, and organization, and this is another area in which learners can differ. In short, there is not one means of action and expression that will be optimal for all learners; therefore, providing options for action and expression by activating students' strategic network is essential.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Captioning Videos for Accessibility

"Captioning videos provides many benefits including digital inclusion for hearing impaired students"

- Beth Whitaker

Lab Manager, Beth Whitaker explains the importance of captioning videos for accessibility and Universal Design for Learning.

For more information watch Beth's video on Captioning Videos.

Engagement

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

Class

Undergraduate lower-level biology class

Captioning Videos

Beth Whitaker was introduced to video captioning while preparing her BIOS 101L course to be online and needed to have accurate captions to support the learning of a hearing-impaired student enrolled in the course. Whitaker discusses tips and suggestions for ensuring accurate caption for VidGrid and YouTube videos in the video linked above.

Practice and Action

As noted in her video, Whitaker used accurately captioned VidGrid and YouTube videos for her course. Captioning videos are an important way to ensure students have an equal opportunity to succeed. Videos, especially those that are machine or professionally captioned can be powerful engagement tools for students. Whether it's a video clip to ignite interest, supplement your other learning material, or a video of your lecture, students can all benefit from being able to view it when it's convenient for them. Videos can help connect learning to students' experiences that are meaningful and valuable. When students perceive information and activities as relevant and valuable, they are more likely to be engaged.

The UDL principle of engagement specifically encourages instructors to build in opportunities within their courses for students to experience individual choice and autonomy. By providing captioned videos for students to view before, during, and after class or lab sessions, students are able to decide how and when they (re)engage in the content.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Engagement

Representation

Provide Multiple Means of Representation

Class

Undergraduate lower-level biology class

Captioning Videos

Beth Whitaker was introduced to video captioning while preparing her BIOS 101L course to be online and needed to have accurate captions to support the learning of a hearing-impaired student enrolled in the course. Whitaker discusses tips and suggestions for ensuring accurate caption for VidGrid and YouTube videos in the video linked above.

Practice and Action

Accurately captioned videos can benefit all learners, including those with disabilities, to perceive and comprehend auditory-based information. Additionally, captioned videos can act as an alternative learning opportunity for students. Courses requiring students to read a lot of text-based materials to learn the content might consider providing captioned video lectures or other supplemental video content to help reinforce concepts. Providing captioned videos for students is likely to help them to grasp the information quicker or more efficiently through this visual/auditory means. A captioned video has other benefits as well. Students are able to listen to the video if they prefer while doing daily activities that might otherwise prevent them from viewing the video. Alternatively, having accurate closed captions allows learners to view the material silently if that's preferred or a necessity (e.g., reading the captions because you are monitoring a sleeping child). Visit this resource to learn more about captioning VidGrid videos and how to search for captioned YouTube videos.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Representation

Student Choice within an Assignment

"I provided students the opportunity to select the area of research they do based on their future career goals. After doing some more research on the area of self-determination theory, I also realized additional benefits for my students, including helping them be more motivated and engaged with the assignments. And also, helping them be able to explore and kind of go on their own path of self-discovery rather than just taking a more check the box approach with a really structured assessment. So that's what I decided to do is to offer a little bit of flexibility within one of my assessments."

- Amanda Gonzales

Associate Professor of Practice Amanda Gonzales from the College of Business's School of Accountancy talks about the importance of offering student choice in her course within one of her assessments.

For more information, watch Amanda's video on Student Choice within an Assignment.

Engagement

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

Class

Undergraduate senior-level accounting class

Topic

Research & Written Communication in Accounting

Goal of the Assessment

Demonstrate mastery of being able to articulate ideas with clarity and conciseness and professionalism in written form.

Practice and Action

Students were provided with an opportunity to select the area of research they do for this assignment based on their planned or potential future career goals. Professor Gonzales states that “after doing some more research, on the area of self-determination theory, I also realized additional benefits for my students, including helping them be more motivated and engaged with the assignments. And also, helping them be able to explore and kind of go on their own path of self-discovery rather than just taking a more check the box approach with a really structured assessment. So, that's what I decided to do is to offer a little bit of flexibility within one of my assessments.”

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Engagement

Action and Expression

Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Class

Undergraduate senior-level accounting class

Topic

Research & Written Communication in Accounting

Goal of the Assessment

Demonstrate mastery of being able to articulate ideas with clarity and conciseness and professionalism in written form.

Practice and Action

Introducing student choice in this assignment was done so primarily as a way to be inclusive of the students taking the course. There are a wide variety of professional career interests that students have outside of the main paths such as auditing or taxes. Other career opportunities students plan on pursuing might be in banking, working at the federal reserve, or working as a forensic accountant for the FBI. To that end, the instructor offered some flexibility so that the assessments in her class could align with those students' interests.

As Professor Gonzales later notes in her video,

It’s important to have well-articulated goals in mind for the assessment so that with those objectives in mind, you can ask yourself “how can I allow students this flexibility to explore an area that’s interesting to them? In the past, I might have just given them a preset fact pattern and an area of primary interest to students. Maybe I would have given them a fact pattern related to an individual income tax example, and then one of them to research and write about it. Instead, I allowed students to decide what kind of role did they want to have? Were they an auditor of a major company? Were they working as a banker at a local bank? And so, I gave them flexibility on what role they had and also flexibility in identifying an important accounting situation that would, within that role and also a written form of communication, that they would expect in that role. So, I gave students flexibility in all of those areas and it was really encouraging to see students' excitement about having this flexibility.

Learn more about the UDL Principle of Multiple Means of Action and Expressions

UDL in Higher Education

There are many strategies for how to you may implement UDL into your course. By sharing stories of what other post-secondary institutions have found successful we hope you might start to find ideas for how you will use UDL in your own course.

UDL at Ohio State

UDL at College Star

UDL at McGill

Course Planning with UDL

Universal Design for Learning is a design approach that benefits all students, reduces the need for specific accommodations for students with disabilities, and makes your classroom more inclusive. Implementing UDL into your course(s) does not require a complete redesign of the course and its content. You can gradually weave UDL practices into your classes through iterations of your teaching. This resource provides an overview of the three foundational principles of UDL and guidance on how to apply these in your courses.

Course Planning Using UDL

Spotlight Reads

Fostering Inclusion with Universal Design for Learning

Universities are charged with educating students from diverse backgrounds. In order to meet the wide variety of learning needs and abilities in the college classroom, teachers must find innovative methods for reaching this diverse population of students.

UDL and 21st Century Learning

Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, presents a compelling alternative to a standardized, "one size fits all" model of education. With its simple, yet far-reaching mantra- "teach every student" - UDL encourages instructors to provide all learners with multiple pathways to success.

Learn More About UDL

Recommended Books

Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education

- Thomas Tobin's book is aimed at faculty, faculty-service staff, disability support providers, student-service staff, campus leaders, and graduate students who want to strengthen the engagement, interaction, and performance of all college students. Tobin speaks about his book in episode 227 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.

UDL Now! A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today's Classrooms

- Katie Novak provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners meet high standards using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework for inclusive education that aims to lower barriers to learning and optimize each individual's opportunity to learn.

Your UDL Lesson Planner: the step-by-step guide for teaching all learners

- Patti Kelly Ralabate authored a practical, accessible guidebook that walks teachers through the entire UDL lesson planning process.

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