article
Using the Universal Design for
Learning Framework to Plan for
All Students in the Classroom:
Representation and Visual Support
Just as in architecture and urban planning,
education has developed a framework
to help educators plan for all students to
engage with and demonstrate learning.
The framework is called Universal Design
for Learning (UDL; CAST.org) and is based
upon the principle that if you design curric-
ulum to meet the needs of special learners
in the room, all students will benefit. The
framework covers multiple means of three
22 the elementary STEM journal September 2020
basic principles of learning: engagement,
representation, and action and expression.
In other words, teachers should be provid-
ing students multiple ways to stay engaged,
and multiple ways to present the material
and for students to demonstrate what they
have learned. Within each principle there
is increasing depth of understanding: from
basic access, to building, then internaliz-
ing a concept. In this article we discuss
by Alicia Mrachka
multiple means of representation for those
teaching in science, technology, engineer-
ing, and math (STEM) classes, especially to
create access to the curriculum.
STEM subjects in some ways are a natural
fit for UDL principles. Since STEM subjects
are often more hands-on than English
and Language Arts, students who might
struggle with learning only from written
content have an opportunity to engage with then “peer review.” As
different materials. By providing some basic you complete each
additions to regular written text and vocal step you remove the
directions, you can help students (including picture or erase it. This
those identified with a disability and those is particularly helpful
who struggle) to not only fully access the for those with Autism
material, but also begin to build on their Spectrum Disorder
knowledge and problem-solving capacity. (ASD; Knight & Sartini,
Many of these recommendations you are 2015).
already incorporating in your lessons. The
idea behind this article is to help you think Sometimes enlarging
intentionally about how you are presenting print or providing a stronger contrast be- visual or hearing impairment (Council for
material in your lessons for all learners. tween print and background can help those Exceptional Children, 2017). When learn-
with visual impairment see the directions or ing a more complex skill, like solving word
Visual support is considered an evi- text better. Black print on yellow back- problems in math, think of multiple ways to
dence-based practice in special education ground is stronger than on white. Highlight- present the information. Having the printed
for all disability categories (Council for ing relevant or critical information can make word problem, but also providing graphs,
Exceptional Children, 2017; Knight & Sartini, it easier for learners to pull out important formulas, and other visual supports pictori-
2015). Some simple additions you can concepts (Council for Exceptional Chil- ally is helpful, especially when the students
provide are pictorial or graphic explanation dren, 2017). Be careful of fancier fonts and are first learning a concept (CAST.org,
of written and spoken directions. A great placing print on top of a picture. This can 2020). Graphic organizers help students
example could be for an experiment to cal- be difficult for many learners to discern the organize the information as you present
culate the velocity of different items rolling letters and words and detracts from your it or they find it (Council for Exceptional
down a ramp. In addition to any written purpose of reading for understanding or to Children, 2017). This is a critical component
directions and your vocal directions, you follow directions. of representation for students with ADHD
can include a comic strip-type explanation to help organize their content in a manage-
of what they should do step by step. Possi- Combining both written and spoken able way.
bly you would include a simple drawing of directions helps clarify for all students
the first object (a ball) at the starting point what is expected
on top of the ramp. Then you would show a of them. Including
picture of the timer set at 0:00. Next would visual models and Visual comic instructions.
be a picture of a hand letting go of the ball demonstrating the
and the timer in the corner press “start.” procedure first are
accommodations
The pictures would continue to illustrate the that are already often
steps of the process. Think of instructions a part of your teach-
you get for assembling furniture from IKEA; ing. Making an effort
they provide written instruction and pic- to include those
tures! The graphic could be on paper or the two- or three-dimen-
computer. This concept can be enlarged to sional visual models
include a visual schedule of the class activi- or demonstrations
ties that day. Instead of just telling students: for all activities
“We will be working on fractions today,” can make a big
provide a visual schedule (this could even difference to those
be drawn on the white board or smart- with many different
board) with specific activities broken down. disabilities, including
For the class on fractions you might include intellectual disability
as the first picture “review,” then “new (ID), ASD, learning
concepts,” then “independent practice,” disability (LD), and

September 2020 the elementary STEM journal 23

article
Another recommendation here is to include
digital versions of written materials, spoken
directions, or models for those who learn
best from screen technology (Vanderbilt
University, 2020). Many students with ASD
find learning from a screen preferable and
easier than learning from a live person.
Providing a demonstration on video can
be a powerful way to keep all students
engaged and comprehending the mate-
rial. Creating three-dimensional models
on a computer is a great alternative to a
concrete model, especially if you can give
simultaneous access to the model for all
students in the class with their tablets or
computers. Another important use of digital
media is to include speech to text option
for those with hearing impairment or text
to speech for those with visual impairment
(Vanderbilt University, 2020). Often those
without hearing or visual impairment will
also find this valuable and easier to read
than printed text. You can create graphs or
other visuals on the computer or tablet to
add information to text. Giving the students
individual access to these items on a com-
puter or tablet versus only as a group on a
24 the elementary STEM journal September 2020
smartboard is helpful to those with vision
impairment, ADHD, ID, and ASD.
Something to think about is how you
connect all the materials to the content,
including the visual supports (Council for
Exceptional Children, 2017). Be explicit in
identifying that the comic strip of direc-
tions is the same as the written directions.
Remind the students to read the written
directions with you so they benefit from
visual and auditory information together.
If you are providing a video model of your
concept, make the connection to what they
are learning or doing explicit both before
and after the video.
Employing some of these recommen-
dations for every lesson will offer your
students easier access to the content of
your class. Although some may require a
little extra time and effort before the lesson
is taught, the payoff arrives in increased
student access and engagement, hopefully
culminating in increased student under-
standing.
references
CAST. (2020). Universal design for learning
guidelines. Retrieved from www.cast.
org/our-work/about-udl.html#.Xu0Ec-
mhJE2w
Council for Exceptional Children. (2017).
High leverage practices in special
education. TEACHING Exception-
al Children, 49(5), 355-360. Doi:
10.1177/0040059917713206.
Knight, V. F. & Sartini, E. (2015). A compre-
hensive literature review of compre-
hension strategies in core content
areas for students with Autism Spec-
trum Disorder. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders 45, 1213-1229.
Doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2280-x.
Vanderbilt University. (2020). Universal
design for learning module. Retrieved
from Iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/mod-
ule/udl/#content
Alicia Mrachka
is is an Assistant
Professor at Bowling
Green State Universi-
ty in Early Childhood
Special Education
with a specialization
in Behavior and
Autism Spectrum Disorders. Her research
interests center on preparing educators
in evidence-based practice, especially
those working in inclusive classrooms. She
currently teaches in the Inclusive Early
Childhood teacher preparation program and
coordinates the Applied Behavior Analysis
Master’s program. She can be contacted at
mrachka@bgsu.edu.
This is a refereed article.
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