Applying Universal Design for Learning Principles

The Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, is an educational research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals.  CAST's Universal Design for Learning Principals help educators create more inclusive lesson plans.  It is very easy to unintentionally create barriers for student learning in your classroom, but organized reflection using UDL principles is a great way to identify ways to improve teaching and learning.

Below is the Educator Checklist of UDL Guidelines that I completed using my "Creating Story Problems" lesson plan.  The checklist highlights several ways that the lesson plan falls short, especially in the areas of goal-setting, student self-regulation, personal reflection on reaching goals, student choices for the presentation of their work,  and teacher modeling of transfer of knowledge.  I have provided links to both my original and improved lesson plans.

Link to my original "Creating Story Problems" lesson plan

Link to my improved "Creating Story Problems" lesson plan