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Building usable knowledge is not a passive process of receiving information but an active one. Learners build understanding by connecting ideas, questioning, organizing, and applying new concepts. Barriers can arise when instruction assumes…

Emotions are part of the human experience and central to learning. Learners vary in how they recognize, regulate, and express emotions, as well as how they empathize with others. When emotional capacity is treated as part of the “implicit c…

No single medium of expression works for all learners or all communication tasks. A format that supports one student may create barriers for another. In many educational contexts, text is emphasized as the “rigorous” mode, while other forms…

Learners vary widely in how they make sense of language and symbolic representations. A term, graph, or image that clarifies a concept for one student can confuse or even exclude another. When information is delivered in only one form—wheth…

Learning is a long-term process that requires ongoing effort and determination. Learners vary in how they sustain motivation, and these sources of persistence can shift across contexts. Barriers may arise when goals are unclear, tasks are m…

Learners engage more deeply when their unique interests and identities—including race, culture, gender, language, disability, and other intersecting dimensions—are acknowledged and valued. A learning environment that affirms dignity and bel…

Executive Function is one of the three scaffolds for learner supports introduced in the UDL Guidelines 3.0. Executive function focuses on strengthening learners’ ability to plan, organize, and manage their learning. Executive function inclu…

Support is one of the three scaffolds for learner supports introduced in the UDL Guidelines 3.0. Support focuses on helping learners stay engaged and build understanding over time. Support includes sustaining effort and persistence (Guideli…

Access is one of the three scaffolds for learner supports introduced in the UDL Guidelines 3.0. Access focuses on reducing entry barriers so that all learners can participate fully in learning. Access includes welcoming learners’ interests …

Environments are the digital, physical, and social spaces where learning and collaboration take place. Small adjustments in these spaces can reduce barriers, increase access, and strengthen belonging. For an introduction to the three dimens…

Materials are the content, formats, and tools that learners interact with as they engage in learning. Thoughtful choices in materials can reduce barriers, improve access, and support diverse ways of knowing and doing. For an introduction to…

This page introduces three approaches to applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in course design. You can read through start to finish, or jump to the sections most relevant to your goals. Each approach includes practical examples and…