Universal Design

It can be easy to get lost in the technicalities of accessibility. Don't do that! We will provide specifics about accessibility as we go. But it can be useful to consider accessibility in another way, using the principles of Universal Design.

Principles of Universal Design

Universal design is designing environments (course sites, in our case) that are "accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability or other factors." Other factors include age, technological ability, etc.

To this end, always keep in mind:

• Equitable Use. Particularly providing "the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not."
• Flexibility in Use. Particularly "accommodating a wide range of individual preferences and abilities." Flexibility supports equitable access.
• Simple and Intuitive Use. Particularly "eliminating needless complexity, arranging information in a way that suits its importance, and providing "effective prompting and feedback."

Guidelines for Universal Learning Design

The CAST UDL Guidelines Links to an external site. provide a framework of Guidelines and Checkpoints for designing learning experiences and resources that provide:

1. Multiple means of engagement Links to an external site.
2. Multiple means of representation Links to an external site.
3. Multiple means of action and expression Links to an external site.

We encourage you to spend some time reading through the CAST Guidelines, from which we'd like to highlight some of the most important and achievable.

Engagement

Because each learner is different, there is no single, universal approach to designing for engagement. Creating multiple means for engagement is critical. Unengaging content is essentially inaccessible content!

The Checkpoints for the Engagement Guidelines Links to an external site. include: 

• Optimizing individual choice and autonomy Links to an external site.  (such as assignment choices, tool choices, sequence choices)
• Fostering collaboration and community Links to an external site. (such as discussion, group projects)
• Developing self-assessment and reflection Links to an external site. (such as formative assessment, metacognitive and reflection assignments)

Representation

The Checkpoints for the Representation Guidelines Links to an external site. include:

• Offering alternatives for auditory Links to an external site. and visual Links to an external site. information
• Clarifying language and symbols Links to an external site.
• Highlighting patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships Links to an external site.

Action and Expression

The Checkpoints for the Action and Expressions Guidelines Links to an external site. include:

• Optimizing access to tools and assistive technologies Links to an external site.
• Using multiple media for communication Links to an external site.
• Enhancing capacity for monitoring progress Links to an external site.

More Resources

Read more on the seven UDL Principles and how they apply to course sites and materials Links to an external site..

For some good examples  on how to incorporate universal design into your course explore Ten Steps Toward Universal Design of Online Courses  Links to an external site.