Does UDL Exist in the Wild: Initial Study Based on Observations of Videos of Instruction

Abstract

Due to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) being written into law in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; 2015) it has been on the rise in K-12 education. Therefore, there is a need for consensus on what UDL is, and is not, in order to quash misconceptions. The rationale for a common understanding is grounded in the consistent misunderstanding that UDL practices are “just part of teaching”, a phrase that individuals within the UDL community have to hear and correct on a regular basis. In this study, the researcher observed videos of instruction showing everyday educators in a variety of educational settings who were utilizing a plethora of educational practices to see, if any, the level of their UDL implementation. The purpose of the proposed study is to analyze whether UDL-aligned practices exist in videos of instruction of everyday business-as-usual (BAU) classroom environments to guide the broader education field on critical areas for future research and practice. This analysis was necessary to assist the UDL community in providing the support for the notion that UDL is not “just part of teaching,” rather UDL is only being implemented when teachers are proactively and intentionally planning for barriers within the learning environment and student variability.