How are the Guidelines organized and how should they be used?
The UDL Guidelines are organized according to the three main principles of UDL that address representation, expression, and engagement. For each of these areas, specific “Checkpoints” for options are highlighted, followed by examples of practical suggestions.
Like UDL itself, these Guidelines are flexible and should be mixed and matched into the curriculum as appropriate. The UDL Guidelines are not meant to be a “prescription” but a set of strategies that can be employed to overcome the barriers inherent in most existing curricula. They may serve as the basis for building in the options and the flexibility that are necessary to maximize learning opportunities for all students. Educators may find that they are already incorporating many of these guidelines into their practice.
The Guidelines presented here are a first draft; they are an outline or précis of what will eventually emerge. While the UDL Guidelines will eventually address the whole curriculum in depth, this first effort focuses most heavily on two curricular components: instructional methods and materials. Admittedly, instructional goals and assessment do not receive adequate consideration in this initial edition but will be in later versions.
These Guidelines are labeled Version1.0 because we expect that as others contribute suggestions, we will be able to revise and vastly improve them in future “editions.” Our intention is to collect and synthesize comments from the field, weigh it against the latest research evidence, and, in consultation with an editorial advisory board, make appropriate changes, additions, and updates to the UDL Guidelines on a regular basis. This is just a beginning but, we hope, a promising one for improving opportunities for all individuals to become expert learners.
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Filed under: Introduction
