Universal Design For Learning Essay

Universal Design (UD) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have been gaining new ground when institutions and faculty are designing spaces and courses to be the most accessible to all students. UD focuses on reducing physical barriers (Hamraie, 2016). UDL focuses more on the course design to various means of representation the material, student expression of learning, and student engagements in the material (Beck Wells, 2022; Bedrossian, 2018; Black et al., 2015). Studies have shown that UD and UDL improve learning for all students and can reduce the time commitment of getting accommodations (Bedrossian, 2018; Grillo, 2022). Is Universal Design (for Learning) (UD/L) sufficient for the success of higher education students, especially disabled

UDL considers the learning needs of students when planning curriculum, which removes discriminatory practices as educators consider various learning styles, language differences, neurodivergence (diagnosed or not), and other students that would benefit from varying strategies (Beck Wells, 2022). Mitigating barriers before they become problematic can help students focus on the material instead of the barriers. For disabled students, they would not need to worry about if the space is physically accessible or if the material presentation will allow for understanding.

As UDL eliminates beforehand, it can address systemic barriers within the curriculum such as the standardized goals, methods of teaching, assessment of learning, and learning materials (Bradshaw, 2020). Educators can create a curriculum that all students can access while still achieving learning requirements (Bradshaw, 2020). Early planning of curriculum allows educators to consider their students and create a plan that will result in success and learning for all. Students that would have needed accommodations before UD/L would not need them as those accommodations would be incorporated into the class

Formal requirements for equality are not guaranteed to create change and give access in the ways needed (Hamraie, 2016). Designing a course without knowing the students and their specific needs, there may still be gaps in having the best success of student learning. UD has changed meaning from the initial concepts of creating spaces for those with disabilities and assumes that higher education is in a post-disability era where being disabled or the disability identity does not matter (Hamraie, 2016). Educators should learn about disabilities and how disabled students learn to better plan courses following the UD/L principles. Without understanding disability, educators cannot teach disabled students