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UDL Resources

No-cost resources for designing with Universal Design for Learning

By Beth Stark, M.S.Ed., CPACCEducator and ConsultantInclusive Learning SystemsUDLAccessibility

Start Here

  • Illustration of Beth Stark, your guide on the tour

    Take a Tour

    New to UDL? Six short parts with me as your guide. About 30 minutes, at your own pace.

    Start the tour

  • Aiming for ALL

    Explore Accessibility

    The Aiming for ALL Collection has no-cost accessibility resources for every member of a learning community.

    View the collection

  • Preview of the Designing to the Edges UDL Choice Board: a grid of coloured squares, each with a picture and a label

    Choose & Discover

    The Designing to the Edges UDL Choice Board is a ready-made professional learning board for your next meeting or community of practice gathering. It has nine activities, lettered A to I. Each takes 10 to 20 minutes and links to a page on this site.

    Open the board

Professional learning

Design Your Own UDL Professional Learning Choice Board

Design your own professional learning board of up to 9 squares with the Choice Board Designer. Choose resources and activities on this site, and add up to three links of your own. Print it, save it as a PDF or a Word document, or share it as a link.

Open the Choice Board Designer

Why UDL and What Is UDL?

Read on This Site

Back to the topics

The UDL Guidelines: A Scaffold, Not a Checklist

A Quick Tour of the UDL Guidelines

  • Slide titled 'Three UDL Principles', with three boxes labelled Engagement, Representation, and Action and Expression
    Three UDL Principles

    Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression. The why, what and how of learning.

    SlideDownload slide (PNG)
    APA reference

    Stark, B. (2026). Three UDL principles [Slide]. Inclusive Learning Systems. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/images/slides/udl-slide-1-principles.png

  • Slide titled 'The Nine UDL Guidelines', with the nine guidelines grouped under the three principles
    The Nine UDL Guidelines

    Three guidelines sit under each principle.

    SlideDownload slide (PNG)
    APA reference

    Stark, B. (2026). The nine UDL guidelines [Slide]. Inclusive Learning Systems. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/images/slides/udl-slide-2-guidelines.png

  • Slide titled '36 Considerations', with the words 'Actions we can take to reduce barriers to learning'
    36 Considerations

    Actions we can take to reduce barriers to learning, grouped under each guideline.

    SlideDownload slide (PNG)
    APA reference

    Stark, B. (2026). 36 considerations [Slide]. Inclusive Learning Systems. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/images/slides/udl-slide-3-considerations.png

Explore the UDL Guidelines

Pick a guideline to see its considerations in the UDL Guidelines Explorer, or find a UDL consideration by a word. The Explorer opens in a new tab.

Principle Design Multiple Means of Engagement

Principle Design Multiple Means of Representation

Principle Design Multiple Means of Action & Expression

Source: CAST (2024). CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org. The principle and guideline names are CAST's own words. The UDL Guidelines are © CAST.

Open the UDL Guidelines Explorer

Download Your Own Copy of the UDL Guidelines

These slides are simplified. For the full UDL Guidelines, download CAST’s graphic organizer. It is no-cost and comes in several languages.

Download the UDL Guidelines graphic organizer from CAST

Poster titled 'Prioritizing Access: Creating the Conditions for Learner Agency', showing the three UDL principles and the access considerations

Start with Access

Prioritizing Access: Creating the Conditions for Learner Agency

An abridged poster of the CAST UDL Guidelines 3.0. It focuses on the Access row: Welcoming Interests & Identities, Perception, and Interaction. Access creates the conditions for learner agency.

The slides above show how the full Guidelines are organised.

Poster
Poster of the UDL Access and Aiming for ALL Crosswalk, a table of resources under the three UDL principles

From the Aiming for ALL Collection

The UDL Access and Aiming for ALL Crosswalk

This one-page crosswalk connects the Access row of the UDL Guidelines with accessibility resources for schools and learning organisations. Each resource sits under the UDL principle it supports.

The Aiming for ALL Collection has no-cost accessibility resources for every member of a learning community.

Download the crosswalk A4 PDF, 1 page Download the crosswalk US Letter PDF, 1 page Open the crosswalk in the Aiming for ALL Collection

APA reference

Stark, B. (2026e). The UDL Access and Aiming for ALL crosswalk [PDF]. https://bethstark.org/aiming-for-all/pdf/udl-access-aiming-for-all-crosswalk.pdf

The UDL Gears, from Dr. Loui Lord Nelson

Dr. Loui Lord Nelson has created a collection of innovative resources to support us in deepening our understanding of UDL. Her UDL Gears show that the UDL Guidelines are one of four parts that turn together.

To find out more about the books and resources Loui has created, visit her site, The UDL Approach.

Slide titled The UDL Gears, with a quote from Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D.: The UDL Gears were designed to clarify the recognized mindset, skills, and practices to fully apply the UDL framework. Four gears sit inside an outline of a brain: Skills, Practices, UDL Guidelines and Mindsets.

The UDL Gears

The UDL Gears are four gears that turn together. UDL works best when all four move at once. If part of one gear is missing, the others cannot turn as smoothly, and UDL is not as successful (Nelson, 2025).

  • Mindset
  • Skills
  • Practices
  • UDL Guidelines

The UDL Guidelines gear is the CAST UDL Guidelines (CAST, 2024).

Open the UDL GearsRead why the Gears were created

APA references

CAST (2024). CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org

Nelson, L. L. (n.d.-b). Why the UDL Gears were created and how to use them. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears/why/

Nelson, L. L. (2025, August 27). The UDL Gears. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears

Images: The UDL Gears graphic © 2025 Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D., licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The quote on the slide is from Nelson (n.d.-b).

Bias and Identity, from the UDL Essentials LiveBinder

Screenshot of the UDL Essentials LiveBinder, showing its table of contents

LiveBinder · With Dr. Loui Lord Nelson

UDL Essentials LiveBinder

Essential information about Universal Design for Learning for all educators and school leaders.

Opens in a new tab
APA reference

Stark, B., & Nelson, L. L. (2025). UDL essentials [LiveBinder]. LiveBinders. https://www.livebinders.com/b/3652562

UDL Guidelines 3.0

Addressing Bias and Designing for Identity

Two pieces from the UDL Essentials LiveBinder. Each summarises a CAST webinar on the UDL Guidelines 3.0, with questions to ask about your own design.

Webinar summaries · With Dr. Loui Lord Nelson

Back to the topics

Design with UDL: Goals and Barriers

Design with LUDIA = AI + UDL

LUDIA is a no-cost, multilingual AI thought partner for educators and learning leaders. Jérémie Rostan and I co-created it, as two educators.

Image with the words 'Have We Met? I'm LUDIA', the AI-powered Universal Design for Learning thought partner, and the LUDIA character

Meet LUDIA

Think through UDL with LUDIA for your own class, school and learners. No account is needed.

Web app · With Jérémie Rostan

Open LUDIA

APA reference

Stark, B., & Rostan, J. (2026). LUDIA [Web app]. https://askludia.com/en

Cover of the Learn About UDL with LUDIA book: two speech bubbles and a question mark

Learn About UDL with LUDIA

New to UDL? Questions educators often ask, and how to explore them with LUDIA. A short guide you can read online.

Book Creator · Short link: bit.ly/3Y4bhUj

Read Learn About UDL with LUDIA

APA reference

LUDIA. (n.d.). Learn about UDL with LUDIA [E-book]. Book Creator. https://read.bookcreator.com/4iqm3fqjI4RzLVdgxlFM2Wpl4Ei1/7de54sjiTs2X06pAmm7EMA

Start with Goals

Every UDL design has four elements: goals, assessment, methods and materials. Begin with the goal.

Slide titled 'Universal Design for Learning: Four Design Elements', showing goals, assessment, methods and materials
The Four Design Elements

Goals, assessment, methods and materials: what each one is, what UDL asks of it, and questions to ask about your own design.

SlideDownload slide (PNG)Download slide (PDF)
APA reference

Stark, B. (2026). Four design elements [Slide]. Inclusive Learning Systems. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/images/slides/udl-four-design-elements.png

Poster titled 'Flexible Verbs for Crafting Goals', with verbs in three columns
Flexible Verbs for Crafting Goals

Flexible verbs for writing learning goals that leave room for more than one way to show learning, and inflexible verbs to avoid in goals.

Poster

Adapted with permission from Dr. Patti Kelly Ralabate, author of Your UDL Lesson Planner (2016).

The Four Design Elements slide comes from a larger collection of professional learning resources. The full collection is available to schools and learning organisations that work with me. To ask about it, email me.

The Barrier Is in the Design, Not in the Learner

Barriers live in our designs, so we can reduce them. Start with the card sort. Then bring a professional learning routine to your next meeting.

Back to the topics

UDL Resource Collections

Collections of UDL approaches, tools, stories and examples. Each one opens on its own website.

Listen and Learn with Dr. Loui Lord Nelson

Learn from instructional leaders who are implementing UDL by listening to the UDL in 15 Minutes podcast.

To find out more about the books and resources Loui has created, visit her site, The UDL Approach.

UDL in 15 min podcast logo

Listen: UDL in 15 Minutes

Loui talks with educators and leaders around the world about how they use UDL. The table of episodes lists more than 140 episodes by grade or year level and role. Find one close to your own work (Nelson, n.d.-a).

Start with the special episode on The UDL Gears. It has video, audio description and transcripts (Hudelson, n.d.).

Browse the table of episodesListen to the UDL Gears episode

APA references

Hudelson, D. (Host). (n.d.). Special edition – The UDL Gears [Audio podcast episode]. In UDL in 15 minutes. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/podcasts/special-edition-the-udl-gears/

Nelson, L. L. (n.d.-b). UDL in 15 minutes table of episodes. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/podcasts/udl-in-15-minutes-table-of-episodes/

UDL in 15 Minutes logo © Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D.

Screenshot of the UDL Connections Spring/Summer newsletter

Newsletter · By the Ohio UDL Collaborative

Subscribe to UDL Connections

UDL Connections is a quarterly newsletter from members of the Ohio UDL Collaborative. Each issue looks at one UDL practice, links it to the UDL Guidelines and Considerations, and shares how schools use it.

Subscribe to UDL Connections Read the latest issue

APA reference

Ohio UDL Collaborative. (2026). UDL Connections: Spring/summer [Newsletter]. Smore. https://app.smore.com/n/7whg5

  • Screenshot of the Universally Designed website, with the Foundations and Frameworks section and four circle icons
    Universally Designed

    Design principles and approaches for school teachers from the early years to the end of secondary school (K-12), teacher educators and postsecondary educators.

    Website · By Universally DesignedOpens in a new tab
    APA reference

    Universally Designed. (n.d.). Universally Designed. https://universallydesigned.education/

  • Screenshot of the UDL Resource FlipKit page, with ovals for Engagement, Representation, and Action and Expression
    UDL Resource Flipkit

    Teaching approaches and tools organised by the UDL principles.

    Website · By Placer County SELPAOpens in a new tab
    APA reference

    Placer County SELPA. (2023). UDL resource flipkit. Open Access 2.0. https://www.openaccess-ca.org/udl-resource-flipkit

  • Screenshot of the RELAY GSE Universal Design for Learning Strategy Database home page
    Universal Design for Learning Strategy Database

    Ideas for bringing UDL into classroom instruction and design.

    Website · By Relay Graduate School of EducationOpens in a new tab
    APA reference

    Shimada, J. (2026, October 8). Universal Design for Learning strategy database: Home. Relay Graduate School of Education. https://relay.libguides.com/udl-strategy-database/home

Back to the topics

Take a Break

Google Slides

Take a Break! UDL Choiceboard

A choice board of short breaks, like a five-minute timer, mindful breathing or sounds of the world. Choose the break that works for you.

Opens in a new tab
APA reference

Stark, B. (2022). Take a break! UDL choiceboard [Google Slides]. https://bit.ly/TakeABreakBoard

Slide titled 'Take a Break!' with six break options, each with a picture and a QR code
Show the six breaks as a list

The same six breaks as the slide, as a list. Each link opens another website in a new tab. Some of these websites play sound, and some work best with a mouse or touch screen.

References

APA 7 references for the resources on this page. Pictures on the cards for other sites are screenshots of each site's public page, taken on 11 October 2026. The LUDIA pictures are LUDIA's own.

CAST (2024). CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org

CAST. (n.d.-a). Downloads. CAST UDL Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/downloads/

CAST. (n.d.-b). Research evidence. CAST UDL Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/research-evidence/

EarthCam. (n.d.). EarthCam: Webcam network. https://www.earthcam.com/

Hudelson, D. (Host). (n.d.). Special edition – The UDL Gears [Audio podcast episode]. In UDL in 15 minutes. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/podcasts/special-edition-the-udl-gears/

Mindful breathing: Stop breathe and think [Video]. (n.d.). VideoLink. https://video.link/w/-CeI7CPNzS4

Nelson, L. L. (n.d.-b). UDL in 15 minutes table of episodes. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/podcasts/udl-in-15-minutes-table-of-episodes/

Nelson, L. L. (n.d.-b). Why the UDL Gears were created and how to use them. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears/why/

Nelson, L. L. (2021). Design and deliver: Planning and teaching using Universal Design for Learning (2nd ed.). Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Nelson, L. L. (2025, August 27). The UDL Gears. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/theudlgears

Ohio UDL Collaborative. (2026). UDL Connections: Spring/summer [Newsletter]. Smore. https://app.smore.com/n/7whg5

PHCuber. (2017, December 19). 5 minute radial timer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGFV1P7OL6E

Placer County SELPA. (2023). UDL resource flipkit. Open Access 2.0. https://www.openaccess-ca.org/udl-resource-flipkit

Radio Garden. (n.d.). Radio Garden. https://radio.garden/

Shimada, J. (2026, October 8). Universal Design for Learning strategy database: Home. Relay Graduate School of Education. https://relay.libguides.com/udl-strategy-database/home

Stark, B. (2022). Take a break! UDL choiceboard [Google Slides]. https://bit.ly/TakeABreakBoard

Stark, B. (2026a). The Aiming for ALL Collection (Version 2026.10) [Open educational resource]. https://bethstark.org/aiming-for-all/

Stark, B. (2026b). The barrier is in the design: A sample. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/barrier-in-the-design.html

Stark, B. (2026c). Flexible verbs for crafting goals. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/flexible-verbs.html

Stark, B. (2026d). Prioritizing access: Creating the conditions for learner agency. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/udl-access.html

Stark, B. (2026e). The UDL Access and Aiming for ALL crosswalk [PDF]. https://bethstark.org/aiming-for-all/pdf/udl-access-aiming-for-all-crosswalk.pdf

Stark, B. (2026f). What we’re really talking about when we’re talking about Universal Design for Learning. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/talking-about-udl.html

Stark, B. (2026g). Who is Martha Skidmore? Why there is no average learner. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/martha-skidmore.html

Stark, B. (2026h). Why UDL? The goal of UDL is learner agency. UDL Resources. https://bethstark.org/udl-resources/why-udl.html

Stark, B., & Nelson, L. L. (2025). UDL essentials [LiveBinder]. LiveBinders. https://www.livebinders.com/b/3652562

Stark, B., & Rostan, J. (2026). LUDIA [Web app]. https://askludia.com/en

Thisissand. (n.d.). Thisissand. https://thisissand.com/

Universally Designed. (n.d.). Universally Designed. https://universallydesigned.education/

WindowSwap. (n.d.). WindowSwap: The calmest place on the internet. https://www.window-swap.com/

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