Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice

by Anne Meyer

"Universal Design for Learning is one of the few big and truly transformative ideas to emerge in education over the past two decades." - Martha L. Minow, Harvard Law School dean and civil-rights advocate***In the 1990s, Anne Meyer, David Rose, and their colleagues at CAST introduced universal design for learning (UDL), a framework to improve teaching and learning based on new insights from the learning sciences and creative uses of digital technologies. UDL has grown into an international reform movement with the aim of improving and optimizing education for all learners. In this book, Meyer and Rose, along with David Gordon, provide the first comprehensive presentation of UDL principles and practices since 2002. Drawing on more than a decade of research and implementation, this book includes contributions from CAST's research and implementation teams as well as from many of their collaborators in schools, universities, and research settings. Universal Design for Theory & Practice Research-based insights on learner differences and how human variability plays out in learning environments What it means for students, educators, and educational systems to develop expertise First-hand accounts and examples of implementation across grades and subjects using the UDL Guidelines "Dig Deeper" segments that enrich the main content Access to dozens of original videos, illustrations, and online features Opportunities to participate in a community of practice***Anne Meyer, Ed.D., and David H. Rose, Ed.D., are co-founders of CAST, where since 1984 they have led innovative, award-winning projects in multimedia curriculum design. They are the primary authors of the universal design for learning (UDL), an educational framework which now influences educational policy and practice throughout the world. Dr. Rose has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for more than 30 years.David Gordon, CAST's communications director, is an education journalist and the editor of several books about education.

Genres: Teaching, Education, Nonfiction, Textbooks

484 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2014

Reviews

[athena levesque · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book for future teachers

I wish it gave more specific examples of how to implement but it was better then expected. Slow to start.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is literally the textbook on UDL, which is helpful, especially for those who have little or no background knowledge of what UDL is. It is often redundant, and quite dry (as most textbooks are), but I did appreciate the embedded videos, commentary, and examples. Unfortunately, several of the resource links from CAST no longer work.
Dr. Katie Novak’s book, UDL Now! is a much more practical guide to implementing UDL into all facets of planning, instruction, assessment, and professional development.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read some segments that I really liked, which is why I wanted to read the book, but the segments may have been the best part.

One potential weakness with the text is that there are all these URLs for videos that don't work. It references dynamic technology and change, so perhaps capturing it in print was not best for it.

[Shiara Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The application of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles supports the design of effective teaching strategies and tools to satisfy learner's diverse needs, giving them alternative routes to succeed, regardless of the barriers they may face.

[Josh reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good explanation of a possible conceptual framework, definitely worth exploring further!

[Mollie Westbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for school, review later!

[Lara Ruark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea and I believe UDL would work in many classrooms. I like all the links to videos and clips that went along with the book.

I gave it 3 stars because most of the book was the theory (which makes sense) but it wasn't until I read more of the practice where I saw everything come together.

I enjoyed the latter part of the book much more than the beginning. Except for the Rubik's Cube part. That was fun.

[Ayn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for teachers and is centered around principles of lesson planning that accommodates a wide variety of students with different leaning disabilities or disabilities in general. UDL is an important approach for teachers because while it's roots may target one or even a handful of students with varying disabilities, in practice it can help all students have a better grasp on content and lessons and provide a vast experience and interaction with the material.

[Victor Delclos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important update on an important education theory of instruction. E-book has glitches in some video links.
Recommended for all teachers. Changes focus on learning issues from problems in the student to barriers in the environment.