Critical Issues in Universal Design for Learning

Despite the fact that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been written into all major educational laws in the United States over the past two decades, there is no evidence that schools are prepared to implement this paradigm. Given the unrestrained advocacy by the major organizations promoting UDL, there has been limited attention to the difficulties of converting UDL principles into meaningful instructional design and classroom practices. The purpose of this book is to critically examine the existing research and implementation gaps associated with UDL and to move the profession beyond the simplistic introductions to UDL that have misdirected attention away from fundamental questions. Readers will explore the potential of UDL and the significant challenges that must be confronted by policymakers, administrators, parents, teachers, publishers, instructional designers, researchers, as well as teacher educators, and resolved, if the potential of UDL is to be realized.