Just as a historic building may contain physical barriers that prevent some people from fully accessing the space, courses can contain unintended barriers that make it more difficult for students to achieve their learning goals. Students with disabilities, neurodivergent students, multilingual learners, and students who have had difficult experiences with formal education may encounter obstacles when navigating course materials, activities, and assignments. Rather than addressing these barriers only after an individual student experiences difficulty, UDL provides a framework for designing courses that are accessible to as many learners as possible from the outset. As with elevators and curb cuts, which also benefit people carrying packages, pushing strollers, or experiencing temporary injuries, the benefits of accessible course design extend beyond students who have formal accommodations. UDL can help create a richer, more flexible, and more welcoming learning environment for everyone.

During this workshop, we will introduce the principles of UDL and provide concrete examples and strategies for incorporating them into your courses. We will highlight ways to make digital course content accessible to a wider range of learners and introduce upcoming workshops that will provide additional opportunities to engage with digital accessibility. Participants will also receive resources and options for continued learning after the introductory session.