What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
Universal Design for Learning is an educational framework that moves away from the outdated one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Instead, UDL promotes accessibility and flexibility in teaching methods, assessments, and materials so all students’ diverse learning needs are met. The UDL is based on the following 3 key principles:
- Multiple means of engagement: This principle focuses on using different teaching methods to engage students in the classroom environment.
- Multiple Means of Representation: This principle focuses on presenting educational material in multiple formats to accommodate diverse learning styles.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression: This principle focuses on goal setting and giving students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in diverse ways.
I appreciate UDL because it creates a space for all curious minds to learn and become educated regardless of their physical or cognitive ability. It removes barriers by giving everyone an opportunity to showcase their knowledge in ways that align with their learning styles or strengths. A student who struggles with audio learning may thrive when they are given closed captions or transcripts. While another student may prefer to demonstrate their work in interactive formats over essays. I personally learn best by reading and writing, so it’s helpful when closed captioning and transcripts are provided for podcasts or videos. This allows me to engage with the material effectively in the same way an audio learner would.
Applying UDL Principles in Physical and Online Classrooms:
Engagement: Teachers can apply this principle by incorporating individual work, hands-on assignments, and group discussions to encourage active learning.
- For example, a teacher may ask students to share their thoughts with the person next to them in class to gain diverse perspectives.
Representation: teachers can provide content and course material in multiple formats such as verbal, visual and written.
- For example, teachers can use a combination of lecture slides, infographics, and videos with closed captioning in class.
Action and Expression: Teachers can apply this principle by allowing students to choose different ways to demonstrate their knowledge through an assignment.
- For example, instead of requiring everyone to do the same final project a teacher can offer the choice to create visual art, essay, video project, podcast etc.
Engagement: Educators can use interactive discussion boards, breakout rooms, and a mix of live and pre recorded lectures to keep students engaged
- For example, a teacher may use a mix of office hours, pre-recorded lectures, and discussion threads to ask questions, and share thoughts.
Representation: Educators can provide class material through different formats such as audio, visual, and text versions.
- For example, a teacher can use infographics and videos for visual learners. Text-to-speech tools and podcasts for auditory learners. PDFs, research papers, and articles for reading/writing learners.
Action and Expression: Students can submit assignments in various formats: podcasts, PowerPoints, and video reflections. Teachers can also help students set meaningful goals for the semester such as SMART goals.
Teachers can encourage students to set SMART goals in an online document at the start of the semester.
- Specific: goals are clear and defined
- Measurable: goals can be tracked overtime
- Achievable: goals are realistic
- Relevant: goals align with curriculum and students interests
- Time bound: goals are to be achieved by end of semester
- Example of SMART Goal for grade 8 math student: I want to improve my math grade from a C+ to B+, I will do this by completing my homework, attending online office hours when I need help, and studying for an extra 15-30 minutes a day. I will complete this throughout a 12-week period, periodically checking in on my grades with my teacher.
Ensuring Accessibility in Online Settings:
Strategies to to Create Equitable Accessible Digital Classrooms:
As online learning continues to grow and become more common, it is essential to promote accessibility and equity for all students. Whether you are a learner or educator, the following strategies can help improve online accessibility in learning.
Design for easy readability and access: When designing online courses, simple and clear designs are the best way to go. A clean and simple layout with OER can ensure all students, regardless of their technological skills or financial ability, can easily access course material.
- Clear headings and categories help students navigate the course easily.
- Readable Fonts and Text: simple and clear texts ensure all learners can clearly read the website.
- Provide Open Educational Resources: such as free textbooks, journals, and research papers, to ensure all students can access materials.
Provide flexible learning options: by providing course material in multiple formats, educators can ensure all students can engage with content in a way that matches their learning needs.
- Provide multiple formats: offer video, audio recordings, PDFs, textbooks, and lecture slides.
- Include Alt Text for images: for students hard of hearing, providing alt text for images and videos can help them read and understand visual content.
- Use captions and transcripts: to support visual learners and those hard on hearing.
Promote inclusive community culture; to promote accessibility, it’s important to be respectful and to peers and educators so everyone feels they have safe access to online courses.
- Establish clear guidelines: in the course syllabus, include policies against discrimination or harassment.
- Encourage use of respectful language and behaviour: towards peers and instructors.
- Use trigger warnings: when sharing content that some students may find hard to watch.
Utilize student feedback to improve accessibility: Students can be helpful to identify areas that can make online courses more accessible because they have first-person experience in the course.
- Conduct course experience surveys: use tools like Survey Monkey to gain feedback on course accessibility.
- Encourage feedback from students; schedule office hours or discussion forums where students can share their suggestions for improvement.
I think accessibility is crucial to education because I have seen firsthand how much of a difference it makes for learners. Whether it is providing multiple versions of material so so students with disabilities can access material. Or creating flexible assignment options so all students can present their knowledge in alignment with their learning styles. Using these principles allows more people to gain access to education.
Ethical Challenges of EdTech:
As our world becomes increasingly more digital, EdTech continues to develop, changing how we teach and learn online. While EdTech offers many benefits and advantages to learning, it comes with a multitude of ethical challenges. As educators, it is essential to be aware of these issues and promote ways to minimize user risks. Research from Regan and Jesse (2018) identified six key areas of ethical concerns that educators should be aware of and consider when using educational technology in online and physical classrooms.
1.Information Privacy: A key concern in EdTech is how student data is collected and what it is used for.
What educators can do:
- Be transparent about how students data is collected.
- Obtain consent from students/parents before using EdTech tools.
- Be mindful of what tools you are using and the privacy measures used.
2.Anonymity: Students should have the right to remain anonymous in their online learning environments if they choose.
What educators can do:
- Choose tools that allow students to opt out of tracking.
- Be transparent if data is collected anonymously.
3.Surveillance and Tracking: Many EdTech tools track students’ activities such as how long it took them to finish a quiz or answer a question online. They then can use this data to predict future behvaiours.
What educators can do:
- Educators should be transparent about how this data is used and get consent before shaping their educational experiences.
- Regularly review EdTech tools to ensure they align with ethical and privacy standards.
4.Autonomy: The use of big data can interfere with student autonomy by nudging students towards specific products or educational pathways. For example, a student’s data may be used to market them towards a career in the trades by promoting salaries and short educational certificates when their real passion lies in social justice or creative writing.
What educators can do:
- Educators should be cautious of algorithms they use to ensure student autonomy is maintained.
- Encourage students to explore their different interests.
5.Discrimination: Algorithms are not neutral; information collected by algorithms can categorize students into different groups based on race or gender and create inequalities in learning. Online algorithms can profit from perpetuating stigmas, stereotypes, and cultural divides..
What can educators do:
- It is essential educators check the tools they use to ensure it doesn’t favour one group over another.
- Choose tools that prioritize inclusivity and equity.
6.Ownership of information: When EdTech tools are used in online classrooms, they collect data. It’s important that educators specify who owns their information before students use the technology.
What educators can do:
- Be transparent with students about who owns their information: the school, the tech company, or you?
- Advocate for EdTech that gives students ownership over their own information.
Ethical Considerations in Digital Interactions:
Participants in online learning environments have a responsibility to ensure they are contributing to a respectful and inclusive environment. Students should behave the same way they would in classrooms with a physically present instructor. According to Hotchin (2025), the following principles are ethical considerations to be aware of in digital spaces.
Respect and kindness
- Be kind and respectful to peers and educators as you would in an in person class.
- Bullying and harassment are not allowed in online courses or digital spaces.
Privacy online:
- Participants should be cautious of the information they share online, as it can affect future job and educational opportunities.
- Learners should be aware that anything said on the internet is permanent.
Academic honesty:
- Learners must avoid plagiarism and cite their resources to avoid academic violations.
Inclusion:
- Digital classrooms should be inclusive and welcoming to all participants regardless of race, gender, physical ability, or learning differences.
Applying UDL and Accessibility Principles:
As a student I have experienced many different learning environments that utilized UDL principles effectively and those that did not. I recently took an in-person course, where the professor did a great job of applying multiple means of engagement. He used class time well by lecturing for half the time and providing the rest of the class to have group discussion and think and share pair activities. He also gave an option to work individually for those who prefer independent learning. This promoted engagement throughout the class while also catering to diverse learning styles.
This same professor did a minimal job of providing multiple means of representation that could have been improved. He provided his lecture slides and video recordings of class online; however, closed captioning and transcripts of the videos were often off-timing or not provided at all. This made it harder for me as a reading/writing learner to comprehend lecture content without accurate close-captioning. I had another experience with an online professor where they often lacked multiple means of representation. They would provide online resources for us to read and take notes on, but many times they would not be OER and required you to pay for them or spend time trying to find the resource on another website. To improve these professors should provide consistent, accurate closed captioning, alt text to image, and easy-to- access/free open educational resources.
I recently took an in-person class that focused on motivation and well being. The professor did an amazing job of utilizing multiple means of action/expression, by allowing us to pick how we want to present our knowledge. There were three assignments throughout the semester, and students had the choice to write an essay, create a visual art project, produce a film, or create a podcast. This promoted accessibility and UDL principles by allowing students to demonstrate their understanding in a way that catered to their learning style/preference. It also steered away from the one-size-fits all approach by not requiring all students to complete the same final exam or essay.
References
CAST. (n.d.-b). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. UDL Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
Bell, S. (n.d.). SMART goals: How to make your goals achievable. Mind Tools. https://www.mindtools.com/a4wo118/smart-goals
Ifill, E. (2024). 5 ways to improve online learning accessibility for students with disabilities. Talance.https://talance.com/resource/accessibility-for-online-learning/
Ringland, K. (2025). 10 essential tips for accessibility and inclusion in online communities. https://www.kateringland.com/10-essential-tips-for-accessibility-and-inclusion-in-online-communities/
Regan, P. M., & Jesse, J. (2018). Ethical challenges of edtech, big data and personalized learning: Twenty-first century student sorting and tracking. Ethics and Information Technology, 21(3), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-018-9492-2
EDCI 339 (A01) Module 3 – University of Victoria – EdTech
EDCI 339 (A01) Module 1 – University of Victoria – EdTech
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A teacher’s guide
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) – Digital Accessibility Toolkit
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