Universal Design (UD) is a conceptual framework for designing and developing inclusive environments. It stems from an attitude, not a prescriptive set of procedures. Universal Design reframes the concept of accessibility from special features for a few to good design for Everyone.
Universal Design for Learning UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.(http://www.cast.org/udl/index.html)
The 3 main parts of UDL:Universal Design for Learning advocates creating lessons and classroom materials that are flexible enough to accommodate different learning styles. This is accomplished by providing flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies that help teachers differentiate instruction to meet these varied needs. It does this by providing options for:
- Presenting information and content in different ways (the "what" of learning)
- Differentiating the ways that students can express what they know (the "how" of learning)
- Stimulating interest and motivation for learning (the "why" of learning)