Every student brings a unique set of experiences, perspectives, and learning preferences to your online course. Some may have specific learning styles, while others might have disabilities that impact how they engage with the material. As an instructor, it can feel overwhelming to address this diversity. So, how can you design your course to be accessible and engaging for all?
That’s where Universal Design for Learning (UDL) comes in. UDL is a flexible framework that recognizes students don’t all learn the same way. It encourages instructors to create courses that allow students to customize their learning experience based on individual needs and preferences, offering every learner an equal opportunity to succeed. UDL and accessibility are often discussed together, especially when discussing course accessibility and document remediation, yet they do not mean the same thing and are addressed differently.
UDL asks the instructor to think about three different brain “networks” (CAST, 2014):
- Recognition network: Collects information and puts it into meaningful categories
- Strategic network: Plans and performs tasks
- Affective network: Manages motivation and engagement
This post will focus on the Recognition Network and explore how you can design instructional materials that meet diverse learning styles and accessibility needs, making your course more inclusive.
Provide a Variety of Instructional Materials
Think about the different ways you deliver content in your online course. You likely have a go-to method—whether it’s through textbook readings, video lectures, or infographics—that works well for organizing your thoughts and presenting new information. But just as you have preferences, so do your students. Imagine all your course content exists on an accessibility spectrum. At one end, you have content that communicates perfectly with learners. At the other end, you have content that’s entirely inaccessible to some. What’s important to understand is that each piece of content may occupy a different spot on this spectrum for each student.
Well, the good news is that at least some of your course content is likely at or very near to the fully accessible end of the spectrum for many of your students. Unfortunately, there’s also a distinct possibility that you have content in your course that exists at the completely inaccessible end of the spectrum for some learners. For example, if your primary method of teaching is video lectures, students who are deaf or hard of hearing might find that content inaccessible. On the flip side, a dyslexic student may struggle with reading but thrive when information is presented in video format. Most students in your class don’t represent the extremes of the spectrum, but rather fall somewhere in the middle. In addition, sometimes students have physical disabilities or cultural experiences that lead to a preference (rather than a need) for one representation style over another. For example, a dyslexic student can still read, of course, but he or she may prefer to watch a video rather than read a document. So it’s possible that your course content may be accessible, but not ideal.
So how do you go about representing your course content so that it meets the needs and preferences of all of these different learners in your classroom?
To address this, aim for variety in your instructional materials. Let’s say you’re teaching an online history course about key battles in the Revolutionary War. Instead of relying solely on text, you could include a video with animations and a transcript, offer an audio recording for students who prefer to listen, and provide a chart that visually organizes battle details. This way, students can choose the method that best suits their learning style. You might also have a video that uses animations or a chart that organizes key battle statistics. You can use all of these methods to present essentially the same information, but when you present them all together, learners can choose a mode of representation that best suits them. You’ll find that some students have a clear preference for one over the other while other students use a combination of formats. By offering multiple ways to engage with the content, you not only make your course more accessible but also allow students to take ownership of their learning experience.
Encourage Students to Explore Their Learning Preferences
Offering a variety of materials is great, but it’s even more powerful when you encourage students to experiment with the different formats. Present the options clearly, explaining that they can choose what works best for them—or try all of them to see what they prefer. This empowers students to better understand their learning needs, not just in your course but in future learning environments as well.
Identify and Define Discipline-Specific Vocabulary
Another way to make your course more accessible is by paying attention to vocabulary. Think about international students, for example. Even if they’re proficient in English, specialized terms within your subject area might be unfamiliar. Highlight discipline-specific terms in your course materials and link them to resources like online dictionaries that provide definitions and pronunciation. When you give a presentation, make a point to pronounce these terms clearly and explain their meaning. You could also create a glossary specific to your course to help students keep track of key terms.
Highlight Context, Narrative, and Patterns
Students don’t always intuitively understand how individual lessons fit together into a broader narrative. Help them see these connections by reinforcing key ideas and providing context. Most novices tend to learn concepts in isolation from one another, and need help to connect them. Include links and references to earlier lessons to reinforce connections and highlight the narrative arc of your course. For example, at the beginning of each module, include an introduction that:
- Reviews previous topics (activating prior knowledge),
- Previews upcoming lessons and objectives, and
- Motivates students by connecting the content to real-world applications or explaining why it’s important.
If your students are visual learners, consider adding concept maps or diagrams that show how different topics link together. This not only supports their understanding but also helps them see patterns and relationships they might otherwise miss. Whenever you can, point out patterns within your material. For example, if you’re teaching a math class, draw attention to repeated steps or formulas by underlining or boxing them in. These visual cues can help students recognize patterns that make the content easier to grasp. By being intentional about how you present information, you can guide students to make connections and deepen their understanding.
Conclusion
Using Universal Design for Learning principles—like offering a variety of content formats, helping students explore their learning preferences, and making connections between ideas—can ensure that your course works for everyone. It’s true that these practices may require some additional work on your part. But remember, the time that you spend developing these alternative pathways and helpful resources will make your teaching more impactful as you encourage students to discover the best ways they can learn. When your students feel supported and empowered to learn in the way that works best for them, they’re more likely to succeed. And as an instructor, there’s nothing better than seeing all your students thrive!
References
CAST. (2014, November 12). UDL guidelines: Theory & practice. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines_theorypractice
