2. Creating High Quality Environments Using UDL

Take a look at these stairs. Notice that there are many different ways to go up and down them. There are ramps, for people using wheelchairs, pulling suitcases, or pushing strollers. There are also handrails, for those who appreciate or need stability as they go up and down.

With this design, everyone, regardless of how they move, can access the building using the primary entrance. This is a fantastic example of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL.

Universal design for learning (UDL) is all about removing barriers and supporting access for all people in a range of activities.

If you have ever used a crosswalk that had both a visual sign telling you to walk or stop, and an audible beeping to convey when the walk sign was about to change to a red hand, or even a recording that says “stop” or “walk,” you experienced another example of UDL. People who have low vision or are blind can tell when it is safe to cross the street and when it is not safe to do so.

There are so many examples of UDL in our environment! Door handles like this are much easier to open for everyone than round knobs. A remote like this one is much easier for everyone to use than a remote with more, potentially complicated buttons. And a picnic table like this allows people using a wheelchair or stroller to roll up and join others at the table.

Look around your environment now—do you see anything that seems like it was designed to remove barriers and promote access?

This video is all about how we can use Universal Design for Learning to minimize barriers and create access for everyone. We’ll look at an example of Isabella, a 4-year-old preschooler with Down Syndrome, and how her teachers use Universal Design for Learning to help her participate during circle time and recess.

Let’s get started!

First of all, UDL is not just for learners with disabilities! When activities and environments are designed with UDL, more people can fully participate.

Let’s look at some examples of UDL in action. Isabella is a 4-year-old child with Down Syndrome, has recently enrolled in a part-time neighborhood preschool program. She walks to preschool with her parents and grandmother, who are always happy to see the ramp leading into school. This makes it so much easier to access the building when they’re pushing Isabella’s baby sister in her stroller, and for Isabella, who is much more confident on a ramp than on stairs.

Isabella’s teachers use UDL across the preschool program, as well. After talking with her family, the teachers make some changes to their classroom to ensure that Isabella can participate with her friends across all activities. Because of her disability, Isabella isn’t always understood by people outside her family and uses augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, devices to communicate. She also has some difficulty waiting for her turn and sitting still during group times. But she loves singing, princesses, and is very excited to make new friends, and cannot wait to start school!

Her teachers start by examining the circle time routine. Usually, children sit on a purple rug, sing a ‘good morning song’ together where each child is individually greeted, and talk about the weather. The teachers put out small carpet squares to show children exactly where they need to sit and keep their bodies. This helps everyone understand the expectations and maintain a nice distance from their peers.

They know that Isabella has communication support needs and will sometimes use visuals when others cannot understand her. Teachers make pictures for certain parts of the song and laminate photos of each child attached to popsicle sticks for children to hold up when it’s their turn to be greeted. This helps everyone participate, even children who aren’t comfortable singing, children who speak languages other than English, and children like Isabella, who might not be able to say or sing all the words.

When the class talks about the weather, with one child acting as the “weather reporter” each day, the teachers laminate photos of different kinds of weather and provide options for children to do this alone or with a buddy. Rather than just using words to tell the class what the weather is like outside that day, children can point to the image of rain, snow, clouds, and so on, or do that task with a friend.

By using UDL to plan the circle time activities, everyone in the class can actively participate more independently! The teachers notice that children have an easier time participating when sitting on carpet squares rather than the larger carpet and spend less time touching their friends. Everyone loves getting to hold up their picture as they are greeted, and this helps Isabella learn all of her friends’ names, too.

And the weather routine has been a huge success, with many children choosing to do this with a buddy and using the laminated pictures in addition to announcing the sunny skies or rainy clouds to their friends. The teachers are delighted to see more social interaction between children, and Isabella is learning and participating along with everyone else.

We can easily use UDL at recess too! When teachers notice that Isabella and a few other children wander around the playground or stay very close to teachers, observing other kids rather than joining them in play, they make a plan. Thinking about UDL, they identify that Isabella isn’t able to access the play structure without assistance and can’t pedal any of the classroom trikes by herself. These things are barriers for her! She ends up spending time dumping sand out of buckets alone and watching her peers play.

Teachers decide to eliminate barriers and add more activities for everyone. So, they add some large, soft balls for children to throw and catch, and a small basketball hoop. To help everyone access the play structure, they cover a large crate with an old yoga mat and move it so children can easily climb up. While Isabella seems to enjoy playing in the sandbox, they think about adding more materials to help her play in new ways.

They remember that Isabella’s parents shared how much she loved princesses, so they gather some princess figurines and molds to make sand castles and add these to the sandbox. They add a trike without pedals so everyone can ride, regardless of their ability to pedal. Finally, they take pictures of all the playground activities and make a visual choice board to help Isabella and other children choose what they would like to do outside.

So, how do you use UDL to improve your program’s activities and environment? Take small steps and consider how UDL can eliminate barriers for some children. Start with one routine or activity, like Isabella’s teachers did. Remember, you might have one or two children in mind when thinking about how to add UDL, but this approach will benefit many children!

Now, think about your program and an activity or routine that could be made more inclusive with UDL…how could you provide different ways for children to participate, show their learning, or understand specific things? Could you add visuals, like Isabella’s teachers did with their choice board? Or, modify the way children can respond, such as using trikes with and without pedals? Or, provide options for reporting on the weather without words? Maybe you are thinking about using different ways children can access things, such as adding a new way they can climb up on the play structure. Including children’s interests is another easy way to promote engagement, too, just as Isabella’s teachers added princess figurines to help her play in the sandbox in a new way.

Universal design for learning is all about creating environments and activities that are accessible, inclusive, and engaging for everyone. This proactive approach helps ensure that all children can participate in meaningful ways in all parts of the day.

How could you use UDL in your program?