Recently Updated! Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines 3.0
July 2024 Update Embraces Identities and Addresses Critical Barriers to Learning
Jill Giacomini | Division for Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy Sep 24, 2024On July 30, 2024, the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) released important updates to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines. The new UDL Guidelines 3.0, which resulted from an effort launched in 2020, are an expanded version that intentionally includes the experiences and perspectives of practitioners and scholars who may not have been represented in previous versions of the guidelines. You can learn more about the process that was followed to create the updated guidelines by visiting the CAST website.
What’s New in the UDL Guidelines 3.0?
The UDL Guidelines are organized according to the three principles of UDL: engagement, representation, and action and expression. The new UDL Guidelines 3.0 add an emphasis on specific themes within each of these principles.
- Engagement: This principle now emphasizes the importance of affirming learners’ identities, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting joy and empathy in the learning process.
- Representation: There is a greater focus on authentically representing diverse identities and perspectives, challenging biases in how information is presented, and valuing multiple ways of knowing and interpreting knowledge.
- Action and Expression: The new guidelines call for honoring diverse forms of communication and expression, especially those that have been historically marginalized, to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments.
Additional, overarching expansions also include:
- Intersections with Other Asset-Based Approaches
The updated guidelines make clear the connections between UDL and other teaching approaches that center learners' cultural and linguistic practices, emphasizing how these methods and theoretical frameworks can be used in a complementary way. - Emphasis on Identity as a Learner Variability
A key update is the recognition of learners' multiple and intersecting identities as a critical aspect of how they engage with learning. While previous versions of UDL focused on how learners engage, perceive, and express knowledge (the “why”), the new guidelines add a dimension by also considering the "who" of learning. - Addressing Bias as a Barrier to Learning
The updated guidelines acknowledge that individual, institutional, and systemic biases can serve as significant barriers to equitable learning. - Promoting Interdependence and Collective Learning
The new version of the UDL guidelines emphasizes the value of collective learning and interdependence, encouraging environments where collaboration and shared knowledge-building are central to the learning process. - Shift to Learner-Centered Language
A notable change is the move from educator-centered to learner-centered language. This update encourages a more flexible approach to applying UDL principles, where both educators and learners can co-create and adapt the learning environment based on shared goals and needs.
How Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn more about UDL and how to apply the UDL Guidelines in your own teaching, please join TIPS for Universal Design for Learning: A Useful Framework for Accessible and Inclusive Education, a conversation with Senior Instructional Designer Lia Schraeder. Register by selecting the date below!
Additional Resources
- UDL Guidelines (CAST)
- For a side-by-side comparison of what changes were made in the most recent guidelines please explore: "Changes from Guidelines 2.2 to Guidelines 3.0