Improving Accessibility with UDL

Near the start of every term and throughout the semester, great efforts are undertaken to remediate course materials (e.g., online readings, problem sets, slide decks, course videos) in time for use in instruction for students with disabilities. Performing remediation in this fashion, at the last minute, often requires a tremendous effort. From a UDL perspective, a more proactive approach would be for an instructor, as the author, creator, and/or selector of the instructional material to build in accessibility from the very start. This approach means we would no longer see users with disabilities as special cases. Rather, in UDL, accessibility considerations apply to the broader range of different capabilities across all learners. Implementing UDL into your course(s) does not require a complete redesign of the course and its content. Rather, there are strategies and approaches you can use to start weaving UDL into your classes.

Getting Started

It's hard to know how to begin planning your courses using the UDL framework so that learning goals, methods, materials, and assessments work for all of the students in your classes. The information found in this resource will introduce you to the UDL framework and guidelines as well as provide resources as well as provide you with some guidance on how to re(design) your courses with UDL in mind.

The decision to begin using the UDL framework to (re)design courses and learning environments can feel overwhelming at first. Remember that changing or shifting just one or two practices or materials can help build momentum toward (re)designing your course(s).

Reviewing the UDL Framework & Guidelines

Universal Design for Learning is an approach to designing classroom experiences and content that minimizes barriers and optimizes learning for all students regardless of the modality you teach. The three primary principles of UDL are representation, engagement, and action and expression. Each principle, which is based on neuroscience research, guides UDL and provides the underlying framework for the accompanying guidelines. To help you get started, consider reviewing the Universal Design for Learning framework and guidelines, visiting the UDL frequently asked questions page., and reviewing this resource on how to get started with UDL.

The short video below walks through the UDL framework and guidelines and explains how UDL can improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

"Universal Design for Learning (Part 1): Definition and Explanation (Links to an external site.)" by Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at OU (Links to an external site.) is licensed under CC BY 3.0 (Links to an external site.).

Getting Started with Reflection

Loui Lord Nelson recommends a reflection-centric process that starts and ends with instructor reflection.¹

Using UDL Checklists

The Universal Design for Learning Framework is not intended to be a prescriptive approach to designing and teaching courses. Rather, consider the UDL Guidelines as suggestions that can be applied to any discipline to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities. As you review the provided checklists, think about them not as "things to do", but as a new lens for looking at your courses.

From Theory to Practice: UDL "Quick Tips" & How Do you Teach? Checklists

Colorado State University, in partnership with the ACCESS Project, created a set of UDL checklists that instructors can use to reflect on their courses and determine how and where to implement UDL in their courses.⁴

The UDL "Quick Tips" guide provides ways in which you can incorporate multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement within your course objectives, instructional materials, as well as your teaching and assessment methods.
The "How Do you Teach?" checklist includes specific strategies for ensuring a learning environment that incorporates multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement.

All UDL Guidelines Checklist

The UDL framework includes a set of three principles: representation, engagement, and action and expression. These principles are further broken down into guidelines, and each of the guidelines includes corresponding "checkpoints" providing you with detailed suggestions. This UDL Guidelines Checklist includes all of the principles, guidelines, and checkpoints in an easy-to-view list. Consider how you might mix and match the guidelines and checkpoints to reduce barriers to learning and support all of your learners.

Course Learning Goals & Syllabus

Course goals and course syllabi play a critical role in your classes. If your learning goals are unnecessarily restrictive, you are inadvertently constricting how learners will achieve them. The more rigid the learning goals, the less room you have for offering options to your learners. A UDL-oriented course syllabus clearly communicates the multiple means for learning and achievement within your course and sets a supportive tone.

(Re)writing Course Learning Goals

(Re)writing Flexible Learning Goals

Reviewing and potentially revising your course's outcomes or learning goals might be the first step to implementing UDL. Are your outcomes/learning goals overly narrow and prescriptive? For example, are they written so that they can only be measured in one way (e.g., written paper)? While some instructional goals call for specific assessments, review your goals to see if you can write clear goals that allow for the flexibility in which it is measured.

In the example below, the instructor reevaluated one of the course's learning goals and realized it was centered around the activity and not focused on the content knowledge the instructor wished to measure. By broadening the goal a bit more (i.e. using a more flexible verb), students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways providing choice.

Example of a less flexible learning goal:

Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role the nuclear fusion in the sun's core to release energy in the form of radiation.

Example of a more flexible learning goal:

Analyze data from selected informational texts to demonstrate how the sun's release of energy affects the earth and other planets in our system.

Guidance on (Re)writing Learning Goals

The Introduction to Backward Design course is an asynchronous and self-paced opportunity to learn how to write and/or revise the learning goals of your course. It will provide a variety of learning materials and resources aimed at writing measurable learning objectives, brainstorming learning experiences and assessments, as well as ensuring alignment between your learning goals and course assessments.

Additionally, you can explore this UDL on-campus resource that discusses the ways in which learning goals can be constructed through the lens of UDL.

Designing your Syllabus

A UDL-Oriented Syllabus

Your syllabus sets the tone of your class and is a student's first impression about what to expect. Knowing this, consider how you can use the syllabus to establish an inclusive class climate, identify specific learning expectations, and discuss options and accessibility.³

There are several important considerations and components to think about and to include in your syllabus that are bulleted below. To review a detailed list and examples of how to achieve each in your syllabus, review this UDL Syllabus resource provided by the CAST organization.

Make sure your syllabus is available in an accessible format.
Include a variety of ways students can connect with you to lower the barrier of entry to you (e.g., email, virtual office hours, slack, phone)
Introduce yourself and the course to the students whether online or face-to-face. This could include an introduction video and/or a tour of the course in which you highlight critical features and/or components of the course.
Consider placing information about accommodations and university support systems and services toward the beginning of the syllabus. This sets a supportive tone that you want them to succeed.
Highlight your course goals and add why this material is relevant/important to students (e.g., career, continued education, personal development).
Show students how course objectives align to the assessments/activities they will complete in your course.
Vary your materials where possible so that printed text is not always the primary learning material. This will increase the options of representation and engagement. As always, select and/or create materials that are accessible to all learners including those using assistive technology such as screen readers.

Syllabus Review Guide for Equity-Minded Practice

Your syllabus is often thought of as a contract between the instructor and students, which outlines course expectations and policies. The syllabus can be used to accomplish even more like establishing a welcoming tone and environment for students from diverse backgrounds. This Syllabus and Course Policies Guide provides examples and guidance on how to review and reconstruct your syllabus through a racial/ethnic equity lens.

Diversity and Inclusion Statements

A course statement on diversity/inclusion can be an effective way to communicate expectations and establish norms within the class. It proactively supports diversity. Even in classes without explicit diversity-related content, a diversity statement is valuable in addressing implicit bias and other issues the instructor may not be aware of. They can be part of the syllabus, displayed at the top of the Canvas home page, and discussed on a slide in class. The College of Arts and Sciences offers some example statements from instructors in the college.

SSD Syllabus Statement

It is important that faculty include in each syllabus a statement asking students to inform them of any special needs to ensure that those needs are met in a timely manner. It is so important, in fact, that the faculty senate requires it on all syllabi at the university. A further recommendation is that the statement is read aloud by the faculty member during the first week of class. This approach demonstrates to students that you are someone who is sensitive to and concerned about meeting the needs of all students you teach. Furthermore, it affords students the opportunity to make their accommodation needs to be known to you early in the semester. The SSD office offers more guidance on syllabus statements in the faculty brochure. The current syllabus statement is always available on the SSD website.

Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

Faculty can also be mindful that students may encounter mental health needs while attending school. It is important to have a statement about mental health and well-being resources so students have access to contact information when they are in need. It is great to read this statement at the start of the school year and potentially ask CAPS or Big Red Resilience to come speak with your students so they are more familiar with their services. The following statement is required by faculty senate to be on all syllabi at the university. "UNL offers a variety of options to students to aid them in dealing with stress and adversity. Counseling and Psychological & Services (CAPS)Links to an external site.; is a multidisciplinary team of psychologists and counselors that works collaboratively with Nebraska students to help them explore their feelings and thoughts and learn helpful ways to improve their mental, psychological and emotional well-being when issues arise. CAPS can be reached by calling 402-472-7450. Big Red Resilience & Well-BeingLinks to an external site. (BRRWB) provides one-on-one well-being coaching to any student who wants to enhance their well-being. Trained well-being coaches help students create and be grateful for positive experiences, practice resilience and self-compassion, and find support as they need it. BRRWB can be reached by calling 402-472-8770."

Course Design & Content

Designing a course that can accommodate a wider variety of student needs can eliminate unnecessary barriers to learning especially when designed from the onset. If you aren't able to redesign your course or have the chance to design a new course, that's okay! There are still plenty of ways to incorporate UDL into your current course design that will positively impact the learning of your students.

Considering the UDL Principles

Below, we pose some questions and provide considerations based on the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for you to think about as you (re)design your course. The UDL checklists linked in the section above can also help you reflect on your courses and identify areas where UDL can be implemented.

The principle of Representation recognizes that learners access information differently and as a result suggests that instructors provide options for perception. For example, if your face-to-face course relies mostly on lecture as a means of relaying information to your students, consider adding a visual aid of some kind to supplement the material being delivered verbally.

Pause and Reflect

Could you offer more variety and flexibility in the way you present information and content to your students? It can be helpful to think about points in time during the semester in which students "get stuck" and start adding more variety related to those topics/concepts. This might include a short video or podcast that reviews a pinch-point topic that you play in class and/or post in the LMS for students to review.

The principle of Engagement acknowledges that students are motivated to learn for various reasons and by different types of learning activities. If students' interest and motivation are peaked, student motivation is likely higher leading to better performance on assessments.

Pause and Reflect

Could you offer a variety and flexibility in the ways in which you engage students in your course content and activities? Some learners are highly engaged by spontaneity and novelty while others are disengaged, even frightened, by those aspects, preferring a strict routine. Some learners might like to work alone, while others prefer to work with their peers. Try providing options to students and/or mixing up your approach to engage more of your students.

The principle of Action and Expression underscores that learners vary in their abilities to demonstrate learning. It suggests that no one means of action and expression (e.g., test, presentation, paper) will be optimal for all learners. Where possible, either consider providing a choice in how a student expresses what they know or varying how you measure what they know by using different types of assessment throughout the semester (e.g., test, paper, presentation, group work).

Pause and Reflect

Consider the ways in which you measure what a student knows in your class. Do you use the same type of assessment throughout the semester (e.g., multiple-choice test, group project) to discern this information? Review your learning goals and consider whether or not you can diversify the assessments allowing students with varying strengths and abilities can express themselves in ways that help them demonstrate what they know.

Using Accessible Materials

All materials used in the learning environment, whether you teach online or face-to-face, should be designed, selected, or adaptable to be used across the widest range of learner variability, which includes students with disabilities who may require assistive technology such as a screen reader. By making your content accessible and/or by selecting accessible content, you not only improve learning for those with disabilities but also create an environment in which all students can learn at their best.

Making material accessible does not have to wait until you are notified to do so by the SSD office. We encourage you to be proactive about accessibility rather than waiting to retrofit your materials. Ensuring your content is accessible benefits all learners, demonstrates inclusivity, and limits the need for individual accommodations.

Accessible Course Materials Resource

To learn more about how to evaluate the accessibility of your course materials and what steps and best practice you can adopt to improve the accessibility of your materials, review the Accessible Course Materials Resource.

Connect with a Librarian

Instructors can connect with library staff to provide accessible digital content for students using course reserves and subject and course guides. In addition, librarians can help to secure licenses to resources for your students, including assisting you in finding open educational resources and educate your students on the library services available to them. Subject specialists are especially knowledgeable about the challenges of research in particular fields, and these specialists can also be a resource for your students in guiding their research. Visit the Libraries' websiteLinks to an external site. for more information, talk with your program's subject specialist (Links to an external site.), or to explore classroom resourcesLinks to an external site. available for you and your students. Love library also has select accessibility equipment and technologyLinks to an external site. in the building to ensure students with disabilities have access to learning and studying spaces while using the physical library resources.

Assessing Student Learning

Assessing student learning is an integral part of a course. Effective assessments provide both the instructor and the student with information on how well they are reaching the course's learning goals. In some cases, getting started with the UDL principle of providing multiple means of action and expression can involve an evaluation of your course's learning goals to see if they allow for or can be written to allow flexibility in how students demonstrate their learning (see above under Course Learning Goals).

Formative & Summative Assessments

A UDL-oriented course includes assessments that are "...flexible, ongoing, informative, and meaningful" (Ralabate, 2016). Assessments fall into the two categories of summative and formative assessments. Formative assessments are commonly incorporated into UDL-oriented courses to help students and instructors track learning. Formative assessments are ongoing measurements of student progress that support instruction. By reviewing formative assessment results instructors are able to identify any misconceptions or misunderstandings related to student learning and address them throughout the semester. Conversely, summative assessments such as mid-terms and final projects act as a final judgment about student learning completed after instruction is complete.

Flexible Assessments

We know that our classrooms are made up of diverse learners. To that end, learner variability whether it's cultural, neurological, etc. is the norm. Broadening the course's learning goals (i.e. using a more flexible verb) so that students can demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways champions that diversity. A flexible verb in your learning goal allows for various and adjustable assessment options. For example, can you capture adequate evidence of learning in a multiple-choice exam, a multi-media presentation, paper, and or graphic display? Using a rubric or checklist with the same criteria to evaluate each product would allow for a consistent collection of learning.

For more information on assessments, review the following materials:

Provide Clear Instructions & Giving Feedback

Students will be more successful in completing the assessment if the instructions are clear. It's important to avoid assuming what students know and do not know about the assignment. This is particularly true when it comes to articulating your expectations. When writing and/or explaining the assignment be explicit especially if this is the first assignment of the semester or it is different than previous assignments. One way of communicating your expectations to students is through rubrics and checklists. Additionally, you can offer models or examples of what quality work looks like.

Providing clear, meaningful feedback on student work that is instructive, timely, and understandable will inform students on their progress as well as how to improve. The Center for Transformative Teaching has curated a variety of resources that relate to grading and providing feedback.

Leveraging Canvas

Whether you teach face-to-face, in a lab, online, or a combination, Canvas can support your implementation of UDL.

Provide Multiple Means of Representation

One barrier to learning can be addressed by providing access to course materials via Canvas.

Post your accessible course materials, specifically, those that are malleable, in Canvas such as hand-outs, articles, etc. This allows students the opportunity to customize their learning experience to fit their needs and abilities. For example, students can interact with a digital version of your handout in many ways that can benefit them. They can change the font to a dyslexic-friendly font to make reading manageable, take notes within the document, highlight the text, review it using a screen reader, or on a mobile device.
Provide supplemental/alternative learning materials in Canvas. This can be done to help remediate students who come into the class requiring some review. Also, it can be helpful for when you lecture on a topic in class, consider providing another means of representation such as a video, podcast, and/or short article that reinforces what you discussed in class.
Use Canvas to support vocabulary building and increase background knowledge. You can hyperlink to additional resources in your Canvas Pages as well as other digital resources you create so that students wanting to dig deeper into the material can follow a link to do so. This also benefits students requiring more background information; they can follow a link to information that will decrease their knowledge gap.

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

Students vary in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivated to learn. While no one approach is optimal for all, you can use Canvas to support engagement.

Foster collaboration and communication in ways that happen inside and outside of class. Consider using a Canvas discussion forum, Yellowdig, or other interactions to connect students to you and to each other.
Some students are less likely and/or struggle to engage in the classroom or online in synchronous environments but have something to say and add to the learning environment. Include an alternative way for students to engage in discussion related to the topics by including a forum or assignment that students post before or after class.
Learners differ in what they find engaging. Use Canvas to offer various ways and types of content to ignite interest and attention.
Motivating learners and helping them persist can be challenging. Use the Canvas features to track students' engagement in the course materials, message those who might need additional support, and post due dates, feedback, scores, etc. regularly to help students self-regulate.

Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Providing options for the way students express their learning can benefit the diverse learners we have in class.

Post assignment information in Canvas. This allows you to clearly articulate the assignment instructions, grading information, and other helpful guidance so that students can refer to it at any time when completing their work. Canvas also allows you to build your rubric/scoring criteria directly into the assignment so students can see how they will be scored and can review their feedback when it's available.
By using a rubric with specific criteria for assessing student work, you can offer a variety of ways students complete the assignment. For example, students can complete the assignment by preparing and submitting a video presentation, writing a paper, etc. The submissions can be scored using the same criteria, but the learning can be conveyed differently.

Data from Canvas

Data provided by Canvas can help support students and instruction throughout the semester. If you are new to using Canvas analytics, review this New Analytics Canvas guide to learn more.

UDL encourages instructors to consider that Canvas data reflect measurements of the learning environment and not just the student's abilities. For example, if a student scores a 70% on a quiz, consider that this is how the student expresses their knowledge in this one assessment format and that perhaps the student would have been more successful expressing their learning in a different format. Additionally, perhaps the score was a reflection of the learning environment. For instance, perhaps the student only received the information audibly only via an in-class lecture and could have benefited from a recorded version of the lecture to rereview or a text-based alternative to read. Other environmental factors could have been at play; if the learning resources were inaccessible to the student (e.g., scanned PDF article), the student's ability to review the material was limited.
Monitor students' engagement in the course and materials with the click-based data to see what topics/resources are reviewed more often. Is this a pinch-point for students that needs to be addressed? Are students gravitating toward certain types of learning resources like videos versus readings?
Learn about when students access the course and the materials to inform future design decisions. For example, are students inactive when it comes to discussion forums? This could be a consideration for course (re)design.
Connect with students using the Canvas "Message Students Who" feature. Students who have missed assignments can be easily messaged. Students who perform well on assignments can also benefit from instructor communication.

Connecting with Instructor Support

There are several units on campus available to provide instructors with support relating to course design and planning. Available support includes one-on-one consultation to brainstorm ideas relating to teaching and learning, assistance locating digital content, technical support, and/or accommodations services. Visit the Instructor Support page for a list of departments, resources, and contact information.

References

Nelson, L. L. (2014). Design and deliver: Planning and teaching using universal design for learning. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing. p. 136.
UDL on Campus - Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. (n.d.). Getting Started. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/udl_gettingstarted
UDL on Campus - Universal for Learning in Higher Eduation. (n.d.). UDL Syllabus. Retrieved May 5, 2021 from http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/planning_syllabus
Universal Design for Learning. (n.d.). UDL Teaching Resources. Retrieved May 13, 2021 from http://accessproject.colostate.edu/udl/

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