Enhancing Implementation with Reporting
CAST advances the field by offering effective reporting criteria to accurately document UDL-based components in educational settings, guiding the design of inclusive practices and interventions.
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Simple, essential, and non-evaluative
Created by a Universal Design for Learning and Research Network (UDL-IRN) Committee Workgroup to address pressing issues for implementation, the UDL Reporting Criteria develop fuller and more robust reporting on the application of UDL.
Researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders recognized the importance of reporting their approach to designing and implementing UDL-based practices with clarity, consistency, and detail. This necessity resonates with recommendations from influential studies by thought-leaders Min Wook Ok, Kavita Rao, Brian R. Bryant, and Dennis McDougall.
The three guiding tenets for the criteria are:
- Simple: Evaluation is limited to three main categories with 2-3 criteria within each section.
- Essential: The criteria focus on essential aspects that can/should be present when making a UDL claim. This allows researchers and practitioners to apply the UDL framework in varied and flexible ways relevant to their application.
- Non-evaluative: They mark if an element is present or not to provide a snapshot of the basics. Reviewers can add notes to capture additional information, such as quality or use.
CAST’s UDL reporting criteria
The Reporting Criteria checklist comprises three areas of focus, each containing 2-3 criteria, to recognize the implementation of Universal Design for Learning.
Learner Variability and Environment
UDL offers comprehensive guidance for accommodating diverse learners and creating inclusive learning environments. These criteria check for descriptions of learner differences and their environment.
Proactive and Intentional Design
UDL highlights the importance of purposefully designing curricula and instructional settings from the start. These criteria look for descriptions that reflect an intentional implementation of UDL throughout the design process.
Implementation and Outcomes
In this area, the UDL Reporting Criteria recognize when the implementation, results, and implications of UDL-aligned practices are tied back to the utilized UDL elements.
Interested in diving deeper into CAST’s reporting criteria?
Get your copy of the detailed UDL reporting criteria to ensure clear, consistent, and detailed documentation of the UDL implementation process.