A case study of Universal Design for Learning applied in the college classroom

As the landscape of education and the demographics of the postsecondary classroom continue to evolve, so too must the teaching practices at our nation\u27s institutions of higher education. This study follows an instructor who has evolved to incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) techniques into her classroom, even though prior to participation in this research study, she had not heard of UDL. UDL is a flexible framework used to design curricula that enable all learners to acquire knowledge, skills, and motivation to learn. This qualitative, descriptive case study addressed how and to what extent UDL techniques are being implemented in the college classroom and what student\u27s perceptions of how these UDL techniques affect their learning. Data were collected over the course of a semester via field-based observations, semi-structured interviews, a survey, and a review of course materials. The case study participants included 38 students and an assistant professor at an institution of higher education in West Virginia. Results indicated that the instructor was implementing many UDL techniques in her classroom and that the majority of students both acknowledged and positively received these techniques. The data gathered during this study also revealed that the implementation of UDL in the college classroom is more than mere theory; the application of the UDL framework and principles are practical. Neuroscience suggests that no two students learn the same way or experience the same event with identical observations; responses are as unique as our fingerprints or DNA. As educators, our instruction must meet the needs of unique and diverse learners. UDL assists instructors to meet a diversity of needs through a single curriculum design. Research studies indicate that UDL is best practice teaching