Guide | Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

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“Educational design based on diversity.”

Update July 2026

In July 2024, CAST published an updated version of the UDL Guidelines. On this page, the latest guidelines (version 3.0) have been translated and adapted for use in Dutch educational practice, supplemented with practical examples for secondary education.

Universal Design for Learning

Every student learns in their own way. While one student benefits from visual aids, another learns better by doing, listening, or collaborating. Universal Design for Learning, hereinafter UDL, is an educational design framework based on this natural diversity among students. Instead of adapting instruction to individual needs after the fact, it is designed from the outset to enable as many students as possible to participate, learn, and develop.

UDL helps design accessible, inclusive, and flexible learning environments in which differences are not viewed as a challenge, but as a natural starting point. The focus is not on the student’s need for support, but on removing barriers in the learning environment. By offering students various ways to process information, demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and remain engaged in learning, we create an educational experience that is accessible, challenging, and meaningful for a broad group of students.

On this page, you can learn more about the background of UDL, the three design principles, and the associated guidelines. You’ll also find practical examples that show how to apply UDL in educational practice.

The Relevance of UDL

Inclusive education means that students with and without special needs can learn together, participate fully, and have equal opportunities to develop. The educational system is designed to accommodate the diversity of students as much as possible, rather than expecting students to adapt to the educational system.

When working toward accessible and inclusive education, we distinguish between two approaches. Both of these approaches are necessary to reduce barriers for students.

In inclusive design, education, assessment, learning materials, and the physical and digital learning environments are designed from the outset (or during a revision) in such a way that as many students as possible can participate without barriers. Common barriers are identified in advance and, where possible, systematically eliminated. Examples include (digitally) accessible learning materials, clear instructions, multiple ways of presenting information, and multiple opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and skills.

If a student with special needs is unable to participate fully despite the inclusive design, an individual accommodation or provision will still be necessary. This could include, for example, an adapted testing location, the use of assistive technology, or another appropriate solution.

UDL is a design framework that enables education professionals to implement Path 1 in a concrete way. UDL helps ensure that, even during the design or revision of educational programs, the diversity within a student group and potential barriers to learning, participating, and demonstrating knowledge and skills are taken into account.

By implementing UDL, accessibility becomes an integral part of instructional design and revisions, rather than merely a response to an individual student’s need for support. The more inclusively instruction is designed, the less students rely on individual accommodations. However, inclusive design does not replace the right to an effective individual accommodation when it is needed.

Background on UDL

UDL was developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), a U.S. nonprofit organization that has been working to promote accessible and inclusive education since the 1980s.

The founders of UDL drew inspiration from the concept of Universal Design in architecture. This design principle is based on creating buildings and products that can be used by as many people as possible, without the need for individual modifications afterward.

CAST applied this concept to education. Instead of adjusting instruction only when students get stuck, UDL encourages the design of learning environments that accommodate the natural variation among students from the very beginning.

The ultimate goal of UDL is to strengthen students’learner agency. This means that students can act in a purposeful, reflective, resourceful, authentic, strategic, and action-oriented manner to achieve meaningful learning goals.

This calls for learning environments in which students can actively make choices, influence their learning process, work toward learning goals both independently and collaboratively, and draw on their own talents, experiences, and cultural backgrounds.

In addition, UDL takes into account the influence of culture, identity, and potential biases. By reducing learning barriers in the learning environment, more students are given the opportunity to make the most of their talents and reach their full potential.

UDL is based on insights from cognitive neuroscience. Research shows that learning is supported by three interacting brain networks. At the same time, brain research shows that there is no such thing as an “average brain.” Every student possesses a unique combination of prior knowledge, experiences, interests, talents, and learning styles.

UDL accommodates this natural variation by designing learning environments to be flexible from the start.

Each of the three brain networks fulfills its own function within the learning process:

  • The affective network (the “why” of learning) supports motivation, interest, engagement, and emotion regulation. This network plays a major role in determining whether students are willing to put in the effort and persevere, and it forms the basis for the UDL principle of multiple modes of engagement.
  • The recognition network (the “what” of learning) supports the perception, recognition, and understanding of information. It helps students make sense of language, symbols, and concepts , and forms the basis for multiple ways of presenting information (representation).
  • The strategic network (the “how” of learning) supports the planning, implementation, and evaluation of actions. It enables students to apply and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in various ways and forms the basis for multiple modes of action and expression.

These insights form the basis for the three design principles of UDL.

UDL principles and guidelines.

UDL is based on the premise that there is no single “best” way to present course material, to help students demonstrate what they know and can do, or to foster engagement in learning. By consciously incorporating multiple options into instructional design, a learning environment is created that accommodates student diversity without requiring individualized adjustments for each student.

Based on the three brain networks, CAST developed three design principles that guide the design of learning activities, learning materials, and learning environments:

  • Design multiple ways to foster engagement (the “why” of learning). This principle aligns with affective networks and supports motivation, autonomy, and perseverance.
  • Design multiple ways to present information in an inclusive manner (the “what” of learning). This principle aligns with recognition networks and helps students recognize, understand, and process information.
  • Design multiple avenues for action and expression (the “how” of learning). This principle aligns with strategic networks and offers students various opportunities to practice, develop skills, and demonstrate what they have learned.

The principles and guidelines have been deliberately formulated as design options. They are not fixed rules or a checklist that must be fully completed. UDL is a dynamic design framework that encourages continuous reassessment of which design choices—given the learning objectives, the educational context, and student diversity—contribute to reducing barriers to learning.

The learning objectives always serve as the guiding principle. Not every guideline or suggestion needs to be applied in every educational activity. Which design choices are appropriate depends on what students need to learn, the context in which they are learning, and the needs of the student group.

The guidelines are intended as a resource for both instructors and students. Depending on the learning objective and context, teachers, students, or both can use the guidelines together to make decisions about the design and implementation of the learning process. Collaboration, co-design, and shared responsibility are central to this process.

The three design principles have been elaborated into nine guidelines. Each guideline contains several suggestions (considerations) that demonstrate how the principles can be applied in practice. Below, the principles, guidelines, and suggestions are explained and illustrated with real-world examples.

Students differ in what motivates them, how they engage with learning, and how they cope with challenges. While one student may draw energy from collaboration, another may need clear structure or personal relevance. The affective network plays an important role in this. This network supports motivation, interest, engagement, and emotion regulation, and forms the basis for the first UDL principle.

Designing learning environments in which students feel seen, safe, and valued creates more opportunities for active learning. This principle helps students develop a sense of ownership over their learning process and strengthens theirlearner agency.

Guideline: Design ways to embrace diverse interests and identities

Every student brings their own unique combination of interests, experiences, talents, culture, language, and identity to the educational setting. This diversity influences how students feel connected to their education, what motivates them, and how they participate in the learning process. When students feel seen, valued, and welcome, they are more likely to actively participate, take on challenges, and take responsibility for their own learning.

Suggestions:

  • Optimize opportunities for choice and autonomy.
  • Optimize materials and activities so that they are relevant, valuable, and authentic.
  • Encourage fun and play.
  • Create a culture where prejudice, threats, and distractions have no place.

Practical examples:

  • Offer students various ways to prepare for a test, such as a knowledge clip, an interactive study group, and an in-depth reading passage. Students can choose the format that best suits their learning style.
  • During a project, have students choose a real-world case study that aligns with their program of study, work experience, or personal interests, while all students work toward the same learning outcomes.
  • Throughout a course, make a point of acknowledging the milestones students have achieved. Encourage students to share their successes and reflect on their progress, so that their growth becomes evident.
  • At the start of a course, work together to establish guidelines for respectful communication, collaboration, and how to handle differences in perspectives and opinions.

Guideline: Develop strategies to encourage commitment and perseverance

Learning requires dedication and perseverance. Students are more likely to persevere when they understand why they are learning something, receive appropriate support, and feel like they are part of a learning community. By consciously designing structure, collaboration, and targeted feedback, you help students stay motivated and tackle challenges.

Suggestions:

  • Clarify the meaning and the “why” behind learning objectives.
  • Optimize challenges and support.
  • Promote collaboration, interdependence, and shared learning.
  • Foster a sense of connection and community.
  • Provide action-oriented feedback.

Practical examples:

  • During lectures and seminars, regularly refer to the learning objectives and explain how each activity contributes to achieving them.
  • Offer in-depth assignments to students who are progressing through the material more quickly, while providing other students with additional explanations, examples, or practice opportunities when they need them.
  • Encourage the use of online discussion forums, study groups, or community channels where students can support one another and share experiences outside of class hours.
  • Have students give each other feedback along the way based on clear criteria or a rubric. This way, students learn not only from the feedback they receive, but also from evaluating the work of others.

Guideline: Designing Strategies for Emotion Regulation

Learning is also an emotional process. Emotions do not hinder learning; rather, they are an integral part of it. A learning environment can help students recognize their emotions, cope with challenges, and reflect on their own learning process.

Suggestions:

  • Help them recognize their own expectations, beliefs, and motivations.
  • Support the development of self-awareness and awareness of others.
  • Encourage individual and group reflection.
  • Increase empathy and restorative action.

Practical examples:

  • Have students periodically provide brief feedback, in a way that works for them, on how they perceive their progress, how confident they are in achieving the learning objectives, and what support they may need.
  • After a group assignment, have students reflect not only on the final result, but also on their collaboration. What strengths did each group member bring to the table? How were their differences put to good use? What did they learn from one another?
  • After a project is completed, organize a “lessons learned” session in which students share their experiences, challenges, and successes. Focus on what the group as a whole has learned and how these insights can be applied to the next assignment.
  • Start a session with a brief check-in during which students can share how they’re feeling or what they need to be able to learn effectively.

Students differ in the way they perceive, understand, and make sense of information. While one student may prefer to learn from text, another may understand information better through images, sound, hands-on experiences, or interaction. Therefore, there is no single “best” way to present course material. By presenting course material in various ways and tailoring it to students’ diverse prior knowledge, experiences, and perspectives, more students are given the opportunity to understand, make sense of, and apply new knowledge.

Guideline: Design options for different modes of perception

Learning begins with access to information. When information is difficult to perceive, hard to access, or not easily recognizable, unnecessary barriers to learning arise. Accessibility, therefore, goes beyond simply providing readable text or a subtitled video. It also requires learning content in which students can see themselves reflected and are exposed to different perspectives, experiences, and identities.

Suggestions:

  • Support the ability to customize how information is displayed.
  • Make sure that the same information can be absorbed through different senses.
  • Express a diversity of perspectives and identities in an authentic way.

Practical examples:

  • Provide course materials in a format that allows students to adjust the font size, line spacing, font type, and contrast themselves. Avoid scanned PDFs in which text cannot be selected or searched.
  • Provide transcripts or short summaries for knowledge clips and instructional videos. Also, make sure students can adjust the playback speed and easily pause or rewind the videos so they can process the information in a way and at a pace that suits their learning needs.
  • Provide important information in various formats, such as text, images, diagrams, audio explanations, or a short video. Make this information available whenever and wherever possible, so that students can access it whenever they need to.
  • Ensure that case studies, examples, images, videos, and illustrations provide a realistic picture of the diversity in society and professional practice. Avoid stereotypical or one-sided representations.

Guideline: Design Approaches for Language and Symbols

Words, symbols, and numbers do not have the same meaning for every student. Language background, culture, prior knowledge, and previous learning experiences influence how students understand information. By explaining key concepts and symbols in different ways, the course material becomes more accessible to a wide range of students.

Suggestions:

  • Explain words, symbols, and language structures.
  • Supports the decoding of text, mathematical notation, and symbols.
  • Promote understanding and respect for different languages and dialects.
  • Recognize and prevent bias in the use of language and symbols, and take linguistic diversity into account.
  • Illustrate information using various media.

Practical examples:

  • Develop a glossary that explains important technical terms, abbreviations, and symbols.
  • For statistical or mathematical notations, immediately provide a worked example in which the formula is applied in a recognizable context.
  • Use literature, case studies, and examples from different countries, cultures, and language regions to highlight different perspectives.
  • Review course materials, presentations, and assignments for language that may contain stereotypical or exclusionary assumptions, and opt for inclusive phrasing whenever possible.
  • Use infographics, concept maps, timelines, or process diagrams to illustrate the relationships between concepts.

Guideline: Designing Opportunities for Knowledge Construction

Students build knowledge based on their own prior knowledge, experiences, and frames of reference. Therefore, there is no single, fixed path to understanding. A learning environment that allows for different ways of making sense of information helps students connect new knowledge to what they already know and apply that knowledge in a variety of contexts.

Suggestions:

  • Link prior knowledge to new material.
  • Highlight and explore patterns, key characteristics, overarching ideas, and connections.
  • Encourage different ways in which knowledge can be acquired and given meaning.
  • Optimize learners’ ability to apply what they have learned in new contexts.

Practical examples:

  • Start a lesson with a short question, statement, or quiz that helps students activate their prior knowledge before introducing new material.
  • Show students not only what a concept is, but also what it does not include. This helps them better recognize the characteristics of a concept.
  • Have students explore an issue using various sources of information, such as scientific literature, practical experience, professional guidelines, and personal accounts. Discuss the insights each source provides.
  • Use a portfolio in which students collect examples throughout their program of situations in which they have applied knowledge from various courses in new contexts.

Students differ not only in how they learn, but also in how they act, communicate, and demonstrate what they know and can do. While one student may enjoy writing, another may prefer an oral explanation, a visual presentation, or a practical demonstration. Students also differ in the strategies they use to set goals, organize their learning process, and tackle challenges.

By designing multiple avenues for action and expression, students are given the opportunity to develop skills, demonstrate their knowledge, and take increasingly independent control of their learning process.

Guideline: Designing Opportunities for Interaction

Students differ in the ways they participate in learning activities and use learning environments. For some students, a classroom discussion comes naturally, while others thrive better during an online activity, a written assignment, or a small-group discussion. The accessibility of digital and physical learning environments also plays an important role here. By enabling different ways of participating and responding, more students are given the opportunity to actively participate in the learning process.

Suggestions:

  • Vary your approach and adapt to the different ways learners may respond, navigate, and move.
  • Optimize access to accessible materials, assistive technologies, and resources.

Practical examples:

  • If students feel uncomfortable speaking off the cuff in a large group, have them prepare a contribution in advance, submit a written response, or participate in an online discussion.
  • Use tools such as Mentimeter, Wooclap, or Kahoot to encourage students to actively participate in a session without requiring everyone to respond verbally.
  • Combine individual assignments, pair work, group assignments, and class discussions so that students can participate in a variety of ways.
  • Whenever possible, offer students the option to complete an assignment on campus or online, provided it aligns with the learning objectives.
  • Ensure that your Word documents, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentations are accessible and work well with screen readers, text-to-speech software, and other assistive technologies.

Guideline: Design options for different modes of expression and communication

There is no single best way for students to demonstrate what they have learned. Depending on the learning objective, an oral presentation, a written report, an infographic, a video, or a podcast can all be appropriate ways to demonstrate knowledge and skills. By offering students, whenever possible, a variety of ways to express themselves and communicate, unnecessary barriers to learning are reduced without compromising the quality of education.

Suggestions:

  • Use multiple types of media for communication.
  • Provide a variety of tools for design, composition, and creativity.
  • Build skills with gradual support for practice and implementation.
  • Recognize and prevent biases related to different forms of expression and communication.

Practical examples:

  • Where appropriate for the learning objectives, allow students to choose between an oral presentation, a poster presentation, an infographic, a video, a podcast, or a written report.
  • Have students first develop a sketch, storyboard, prototype, or concept version before they deliver a final product.
  • Build up the assignments gradually. Start with simple practice exercises, then move on to guided hands-on assignments, and finish with a complex, independent assignment.
  • Plan formative practice sessions in which students can try out new skills before they are assessed summatively.
  • In your assessment criteria, distinguish between content and form. For example, if the learning objective is critical thinking, assess the quality of the argumentation and not, inadvertently, speaking skills or the form of the presentation.
  • When designing assignments and tests, ask yourself whether the chosen format is necessary to demonstrate the learning objective. If the format is not part of the learning objective, offer students different ways to demonstrate their knowledge and skills whenever possible.

Guideline: Designing Options for Developing Strategies

Goal-oriented learning requires more than just subject-specific knowledge. Throughout their studies, students also develop skills to set goals, plan their learning process, organize information, monitor their progress, and adjust their approach. Not every student possesses these skills naturally. By consciously providing support in this area, you help students learn more independently and strategically.

Suggestions:

  • Set meaningful goals.
  • Help prepare for and anticipate challenges.
  • Support the organization of information and resources.
  • Enhance your ability to monitor your own progress.
  • Identify and prevent circumstances and practices that lead to exclusion.

Practical examples:

  • Ask students to set personal learning goals and to reflect on them regularly throughout the course. Discuss whether these goals are still appropriate and give students the opportunity to adjust them based on new insights.
  • Before starting a project, ask students to create a plan of action in which they describe the steps they will take, the schedule they will follow, and any potential challenges they anticipate.
  • Provide checklists that allow students to verify that they have completed all parts of an assignment before submitting it.
  • Compile the most important articles, videos, websites, and other learning materials in one central location. Indicate which sources are required and which are intended for further study.
  • Use rubrics not only for final assessment, but also during practice sessions and feedback meetings. This allows students to track their own progress and make adjustments in a timely manner.
  • Regularly assess whether teaching methods, assessment formats, or participation methods unintentionally exclude students. If a particular method is not part of the learning objective, offer multiple ways—where possible—for students to participate or demonstrate what they know and can do.

Source

CAST. (2024). CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines, Version 3.0. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org
CAST published the first version of the UDL Guidelines in 2008 and has continuously refined them since then based on scientific research, practical experience, and feedback from the education sector. UDL Guidelines 3.0 was released in July 2024.

The Dutch translation and practical adaptation of the CAST UDL Guidelines 3.0 were developed by ECIO and the InnovationLab at NHL Stenden. The practical examples supplement the original CAST guidelines and are intended to support the implementation of UDL in Dutch post-secondary education.

Downloads

Use the resources below as inspiration or a reference when designing accessible and inclusive education.

A concise overview of the UDL principles, guidelines, and practical building blocks.

Download the UDL flyer here

A visual overview of the three UDL principles, the nine guidelines, and the suggestions.
Please note: This poster was developed in 2023 and is based on an earlier version of the UDL guidelines. As a result, some terms and phrasing differ from the current guidelines. The content is still useful.

Download the UDL poster here

An inspiring poster that uses a restaurant metaphor to illustrate how to implement UDL within an educational institution. The poster offers practical guidance for teachers, teaching teams, and organizations to work step by step toward accessible and inclusive education.

Download the implementation poster here

Moving Forward with UDL

After reading the principles and guidelines, would you like to get started with UDL on your own? Below, you’ll find practical tools, inspiration, and in-depth information.

INclics

You can use the tool to assess your own teaching against the design principles and guidelines of UDL. The program generates a graphical representation that shows you how inclusive and accessible your teaching is. In addition, you can use the tool to find inspiration through the extensive set of practical tips and examples provided for each guideline.

Check out INclics here

UDL game

Would you like to experience the barriers students may face in education? With the UDL game, you step into students’ shoes and work together to explore how small design choices can contribute to more accessible and inclusive education. The game helps teachers, educational teams, policymakers, and counselors recognize invisible barriers and offers starting points for making structural improvements to education.

View and download the UDL game here

UDL Workbook

A practical workbook that helps you design a component of your instruction to be more inclusive, step by step.

Coming soon

UDL Guide

A downloadable guide containing background information, design principles, guidelines, suggestions, and practical examples for implementing UDL.

Coming soon

Knowledge base

Looking for more inspiration? In the ECIO knowledge base, you’ll find real-world examples, best practices, experiences from pilot projects, and practical educational approaches related to UDL. Get inspired by examples from post-secondary education and discover how other institutions are putting UDL into practice.

View the knowledge base here