UDL as the crossroads

Donna Palley, SPED Coordinator for Concord, NH schools states the following, "The concepts of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the intersection where all our initiatives, integrated units, multi-sensory teaching, multiple intelligences, differentiated instruction, use of computers in schools, performance-based assessment, and others come together."  I think she stated this idea very well as we continue to face ever increasing standards and learners with widely diverse backgrounds.  Within the walls of the classroom, we are dealing with a global mix and and ever widening gap in student preparation.  Teachers are clamoring for an idea or teaching tool that will help them address all those things at once and UDL may be the answer.  The framework for UDL is such that a teacher is reminded at every step to consider how every student will be reached and how they will ensure that students are supported where they need to be supported. 

With the availability of so much technology today, incorporating it into a UDL is less painful than one might expect.  As long as the infrastructure is in place, moving our teaching into the 21st century can be accomplished and hopefully all students find success along the way.


Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/