So, What Is Universal Design for Learning?

Having taken a broad view of UDL at the UDL Tech Toolkit, I visited the CAST website to get more in-depth information about the framework. UDL considers three primary brain networks: recognition networks, strategic networks, and affective networks.

Recognition Networks

Since each student can perceive the same information in very different ways, the teacher should provide choice in the way content is presented. This includes considering different modalities, such as visual vs. auditory, clarifying the language being used, and helping to convert information into useable knowledge.

Strategic Networks

Students should not be limited to a single method when demonstrating that learning has occurred. Various limitations including physical, communicative and those dealing with executive functions can hinder a student when attempting to reveal what they have learned.

Affective Networks

Students have a wide variety of interests. Furthermore, each child reacts uniquely to the way information is presented. The teacher must consider these differences in order to insure that children are engaged learners.