Welcome
Welcome to the learning module on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework. This module is part of Ohio’s BRICK professional learning series, designed to support intervention specialists, educators, and school leaders as they deepen their instructional knowledge and strengthen their capacity to meet the needs of every learner in PreK–12 classrooms.
Time estimate: 3.5-4 hours
Welcome
Whether you are a special education teacher, general educator, administrator, related service provider, paraprofessional, or someone working alongside students and teachers, we want to begin by saying thank you. Your commitment to improving instruction and access for all students, especially those who require specialized support, is both deeply valued and necessary. This module was created with your role in mind and acknowledges the critical part you play in helping all students grow, thrive, and reach high expectations.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a framework for understanding the how of learning design. It offers a roadmap that helps you plan flexible and responsive instruction. UDL is not a new program or a list of accommodations. Instead, it is a way of thinking and planning that equips you to proactively reduce barriers and build learning environments that are inclusive by design. In this module, we will explore the UDL principles and guidelines that help shape curriculum, instruction, and assessment for learner variability. These same tools can also guide co-planning, support IEP development, and strengthen your collaboration with general education partners.
We also understand that your time is limited, and the work of meeting the needs of all learners can sometimes feel overwhelming. You may find this module affirms much of what you’re already doing or you may find that some of the concepts are new, unfamiliar, or even push your thinking. However you come to this learning, we are glad you’re here. Your willingness to explore and engage with this content is an investment in your students and your practice.
As you move through the module, we encourage you to reflect on how the UDL framework can shape your daily decision-making from how you present information to how you support engagement and expression. If at any point you have questions or ideas, or if you’d like to offer feedback, we welcome your input (please see the contact information below). Together, we can build learning experiences that reflect the diversity, dignity, and potential of every student we serve.
Prerequisite
There are no prerequisites for this module.
Learning Objectives
Describe the foundational concepts of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, including its three core principles and nine guidelines, and explain how UDL supports proactive and flexible planning for learner variability in PreK–12 classrooms.
Identify practical strategies and instructional examples aligned with each UDL principle and guideline, with a focus on designing lessons and learning environments that reduce barriers and promote access, engagement, and success for all students, especially those with disabilities.
Apply UDL-aligned considerations to instructional planning, including co-planning with general education teachers and adapting instruction in special education or resource settings, in order to create inclusive and flexible learning experiences that address students' diverse strengths and needs, particularly in the area of Math and Science Instruction.
Driving Questions
How can UDL help me plan lessons that work for all of my students, especially those who learn and show what they know in different ways?
What are some simple changes I can make to remove common learning barriers my students face, like reading difficulties, attention challenges, or anxiety?
How can I use the UDL framework to co-plan or team up with general education teachers so our Math and/or Science instruction works better for everyone?
What’s one way I can start using UDL in my classroom now, like offering choices, using visuals, or building in student support, to help more learners succeed?
Policies and Navigating the Course
The BRICK (Building Robust Intervention Specialist Content Knowledge) project’s primary goal is to enhance the content knowledge and teaching practices of Ohio educators with a particular emphasis on educators whose primary role is to teach and support students with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. Increased content knowledge in evidence-based math practices will support intervention specialists and other educators (general education teachers, paraprofessionals, school-based tutors, instructional specialists) in making such content more accessible for students with disabilities and learning challenges. BRICK online learning modules aim to develop educators’ content knowledge as well as content-specific pedagogical knowledge, particularly in the use of UDL 3.0, to support student learning. The project focuses on supporting educators to use explicit, systematic instruction, emphasizes the connections between achievement in literacy and achievement in math, offers a virtual community of practice for educators, and provides family materials that students and their family members can use to talk about math content at home.
Throughout each course, you will see a Course Outline with a green ribbon and the title of the course at the top right corner of the page. The outline displays every section of the course. Click any section to jump right to it.
As you go through the course, you will have the opportunity to click the Mark Complete box at the end of each section. When you do this, the sections you have completed will be crossed off in your outline, and you will be taken to the next section of the course.
Your progress will automatically be saved within the learning management system, and you can view your course progress through the progress bar located near the top of most sections.
Exiting and Resuming a Module
Know that your progress will automatically be saved within the learning management system. If you exit the website, once you log back in you can easily access your courses by clicking on the My Dashboard tab under the My ALL Ohio menu at the top of every page.
Note Feature within the Modules
Throughout each module, you will notice some Reflection boxes that provide various prompts. Each reflection will be in a grey box with an image of a pen/lightbulb. A built in feature of each module is the ability to take notes and save them for your future use. This feature can be used within any part of the module, but is especially helpful for the reflection activities.
To access the note feature, simply click on the purple Take Notes button fixed in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. When you click on this button, a Take Notes box will appear. This box can be moved anywhere on the screen. Within the box, there is a SAVE button as well as a Print Button.
The easiest way to print all the notes you take from the entire module is to click View All Notes. When you click View All Notes, you will be taken to a page like the one below.
Click the boxes of the Notes you would like to print, and then click Download Selected. All your notes will be downloaded into one document separated by headers.
ALL Ohio’s comprehensive learning modules are relevant to any educator working to support students’ literacy development. In each module, you will find in-depth narrative text, linked resources, realistic scenarios, reflection activities, and embedded audio and videos.
Each module is self-paced. The approximate time for completion of the module is listed in the Welcome text box on the home page of the module.
Certificates
Professional Development Certificates
are available for each comprehensive learning module. To earn a Professional Development Certificate, you must obtain a passing score of 85% or more on the module post-test. Please note that you are only allowed up to two attempts to obtain a passing score to earn your certificate.Badges
When completing professional development modules within All Ohio, you can earn badges based on your engagement in and mastery of content within each comprehensive learning module. You earn
Achievement Badges when you demonstrate proficiency with module content (i.e., obtaining a score of at least 85%), whereas Engagement Badges are awarded based on your level of participation on the site. Your earned Certificates and Badges will be displayed on your “All Ohio Dashboard.”
High standards of honesty and integrity are expected when completing professional development within this learning management system. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in the completion of activities and/or claiming credit for work not done or done by others. Any violation of these expectations can result in removal from this learning management system.
If you have any issues with accessing the content or functionality of this course, please email: allohioprojectteam@uc.edu
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Please contact Rachel Evans, Research Associate, Systems Development & Improvement Center, CECH, UC, evans2rm@ucmail.uc.edu
Helpful Resources Related to this Module
Module Resource Guide
An outline of the module’s main content and supporting resources. It includes this module in printable form.
Welcome and Navigation
Step-by-step guide to assist you in navigating the professional learning modules.