Current & Past Projects
CAST investigates solutions to the most critical questions across preK–12, Higher Ed, and workforce, including questions related to equity, access, and outcomes. Building on an award-winning history, we co-design transformative solutions, improvement strategies, implementation systems and practices, and tools for learning.
Current Projects
EdTech Coalition: Establishing Quality Indicators
In June 2024, CAST partnered with six leading edtech organizations to establish a set of common quality indicators for edtech products and services, validated by qualified experts, that products have met these indicators.
Mitsubishi: Enhancing Accessibility of Career Guidance Digital Platforms for Students with Modified Curricula
With funding provided by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, CAST is refining a web-based ePortfolio and simulated work-based learning experiences to broaden the participation of persons with disabilities in biomanufacturing.
KERNELSFOLIO: A customized eportfolio to build social-emotional learning for elementary schoolers
In collaboration with the EASEL Lab (Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning), CAST is developing a customized eportfolio to support after-school educators in implementing a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum.
Universally Designed ePortfolio as Tool to Co-Design Inclusive Mindsets & Behaviors Framework with Global Special Olympics Community
CAST is collaborating with the Harvard Graduate School of Education's EASEL Lab and Special Olympics to implement the Inclusive Mindsets and Behaviors framework in Unified Champion School programs.
Exploring the Intersections of UDL and Support for Multilingual Learners
Using job-embedded professional learning CAST and SEAL are examining the connections between the UDL Guidelines and the SEAL approach.
Improving Michigan’s Postsecondary Career & Technical Education
We're improving career and technical education across the state of Michigan by developing a shared professional development vision and a common student-centered language focused on inclusion and the UDL framework.
Circle Up: Integrating Academic, Social & Emotional Learning
We're co-designing a training program that uses the UDL framework to weave together academic, social, and emotional learning strategies and best practices.
CCIL 2.0: Inclusive Learning Beyond the Classroom
Through a three tiered service model of universal, targeted and intensive supports, the California Coalition for Inclusive Learning (CCIL 2.0) provides innovative professional learning focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to increase educator capacity to provide ALL students access to meaningful, relevant, and rigorous grade level instruction in inclusive classroom environments.
Additive Manufacturing Career Guidance for All
Together with America Makes, CAST is working with educators and industry partners to create a free digital resource to attract individuals to career pathways in the additive manufacturing industry.
Equitable Access to CTE in Massachusetts
Find out how we're bringing UDL to Career & Technical Education educators across the state of Massachusetts.
Biofabrication Career Guidance for CTE & Community College Students
We're broadening the participation of underrepresented populations in biofabrication and biomanufacturing using our Biofab Explorer and Eportfolio tools.
Take Flight: Using Drones to Get Rural Middle School Girls Interested in STEM Careers
We're changing the conversation around who belongs in STEM learning and STEM careers.
REVISE Center: A Collaborative Effort to Advance Equity in Informal STEM Education
We're helping to create more accessible and universally-designed tools for the NSF AISL Resource Center.
MNTfolio: Customizing e-Portfolios for Undergraduate Research
Our e-portfolio is helping develop research skills in undergraduate micro nano technology researchers.
Reimagining Online Training: Using UDL to Support Adult Basic Education Teachers
We're supporting educators in effectively teaching and supporting neurodiverse adult learners interested in pursuing postsecondary programs.
FNLDC: Literacy Development in Northern California
We're building teacher capacity for literacy instruction across disciplines through Universal Design for Learning.
MARCS: Facilitating Math Learning with Adaptive Reading Supports
Learn how we're supporting math learning through customized and adaptive reading supports and scaffolds.
CIDDL: A Digital Network for Innovative Practices in Education
We're helping preservice education faculty in using edtech for more inclusive instruction.
OASIS: Empowering Science Teachers with Research-based Coaching
We're designing sustainable, enhanced professional development for our universally designed digital science notebook.
IEP Improvement Project: Empowering Massachusetts Schools to Improve Service to Students
Family engagement in the IEP process is essential. Learn more about our professional learning work in Massachusetts to ensure a more equitable IEP process.
Project COOL: A Scalable UDL Coaching Model
We're building a new model for instructional coaches, including new systems, resources, and microcredentials to impact student learning.
Corgi 2020: Scaling Models for the Classrooms of Tomorrow
Corgi graphic organizers are great on their own, but we're making them even better with a suite of professional learning resources to support their use in the classroom.
AEM Center: National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning
Accessible materials are an essential component in UDL implementation. Learn how the AEM Center can help ramp up your accessible materials systems and practices.
CITES: Framing the Future of Learning with Technology
We're framing the future of learning and technology by bringing together educational technology, information technology, and assistive technology.
NH UDL: New Hampshire UDL Innovation Network
We're supporting New Hampshire educators in building and sustaining a state-wide model for UDL implementation.
UDL Credentials & Certifications for Educators & Product Developers
We're leading a UDL field-building initiative around credentials and certifications for educators and product developers.
Past Projects
Our past work influences our current work in meaningful ways. Resources developed during the course of a project provide insight into the way we work, and are often publicly available to the field of education and learning.
Showcasing UDL Implementation Success with BCSC
CAST proudly highlights a leader in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation—Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC).
Developing a UDL Micro-Credential for CTE Educators: One District’s Approach
The materials and resources are all designed to help CTE educators understand how they can use UDL to help learners sustain their effort and persistence.
Outdoor Recreation: Connecting Rural Youth with STEM Careers
Learn more about our work with rural youth exploring connections with outdoor recreation and STEM careers.
CCIL: Inclusive Literacy for California Students
We're working with California educators to design and deliver more inclusive literacy instruction.
MindPrint SBIR: Addressing Learner Variability in Secondary Mathematics Instruction
Learn how we're equipping educators with data to address student variability across cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills
Multi-Gen STEM Makerspaces Will Boost School, Career Prospects
We're developing and researching a sustainable model for multigenerational making and learning that can support a STEM career trajectory.
CISL: Creating Digital Tools to Empower Students
Together we will transform the digital learning landscape so that everyone has a chance to engage in and succeed in digital learning.
Choose Love & UDL: Bringing Social Emotional Learning into New Hampshire Prisons
We're helping to make the Choose Love™ curriculum more flexible and barrier-free for learners in the NH corrections system.
MD Virtual Learning: Expanding Opportunities in Online & Blended Learning
We're helping design and deliver new online teaching and learning products that are engaging and fully accessible for Maryland's online learners.
AccessATE: Accessibility for Community College Technician Education
Supporting community and technical colleges in developing and maintaining accessible materials and practices.
Corgi-2: Enhancing Middle School STEM Learning
We took what’s already great about graphic organizers and made them more flexible and accessible.
TIES Center: Meaningful Inclusion for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Supporting the development of systems that not only include more students with cognitive disabilities, but meet each learner's needs in meaningful ways.
Writer's Workbench: The Keys to Writing Smarter
As an extension of our Writer's Key tool, we're building a professional learning ecosystem to support more effective writing instruction.
CTEfolio: Supporting Hands-on Learning in a Remote Environment
Bringing our e-portfolio work into CTE programs so students can show what they know in new ways.
Learning Outside the Box: Co-Developing a CTE Pathway in Outdoor Recreation
Learn how CAST is helping build stronger career pathways for New Hampshire students in outdoor recreation.
Supporting CTE Teaching in Remote & Hybrid Learning Environments
We're partnering with CTE programs in NH to support hands-on teaching in remote and hybrid environments
UDL Video Club: Building Teacher Capacity to Reach All Learners
Educators in New Hampshire's remote North Country are working with CAST on a Virtual UDL Video Club to share and explore ways of enhancing their practice.
CEE-STEM: Exploring STEM Careers with Opportunity Youth
Our STEMfolio tool leverages mobile technologies and competency-based progress monitoring to help youth develop STEM interests and skills.
I-SMART: Formative & Summative Science Assessment of Struggling Students
Ensuring science assessments are truly inclusive of all learners, including those with significant cognitive disabilities.
SNUDLE: Student Efficacy Trial
Our UDL science notebook was used in classrooms across the United States, supporting 4th grade students' science learning.
SNUDLE: Scaling an Inclusive Solution to Sensemaking in Science
Helping teachers use science notebooks to support student science knowledge, motivation for science, and sensemaking.
A UDL Perspective on Assessment
Learn more about our interactive professional learning on UDL and assessments through interactive video modules.
IMTfolio: Opening Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways to People with Disabilities
We're building a portable e-portfolio to help document young people's prior learning in competencies relevant to future apprenticeships.
ARMI: Career Exploration Pathways into Advanced Manufacturing for Diverse Learners
We're building a more inclusive talent pool for futuristic fields as robotics, biofabrication, and hybrid electronics.
Designing for Productive Struggle in Informal Science Learning
How do we design informal science learning challenges that are exhilarating, challenging, intensive, and fruitful?
RAISE: Science Education for Incarcerated Youth
Universally designed science content for incarcerated youth to broaden career horizons.
Putting Students in the EdTech Design Seat
What would it look like if next generation learning technologies were designed by students, not just for them?
CET-Udio: Closing the Literacy Gap
Our digital literacy environment was developed with UDL supports and scaffolds for struggling readers.
COLSD: Making Online Learning Accessible & Effective
Does online learning work for students with disabilities?
Inquiry Primed: Making Science More Inviting & Effective
What is stereotype threat and how can educators mitigate its effects?
Understanding the Effects of Stigmas and Stereotypes for Students with Learning Disabilities
Download the Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire-Learning Disabilities (SCQ-LD) developed as part of this work.
Project OPEN: Providing UDL Resources for Postsecondary Learning
Whether your postsecondary learning is in-person or online, UDL on Campus has resources and tips for course and assignment development and delivery.
Writer's Key: Online Tool Supports Middle School Writers
Composing informational and argumentative text can be a challenge. Writer's Key is up to the task.