Built in, not bolted on
There are two broad ways to make learning materials accessible. One is to produce a standard version and then adjust it for individual people when they ask: a large-print copy here, an audio version there. The other is to design the materials from the start so that most people can use them without any adjustment. The second approach is usually called universal design.
Both are needed in practice. But thinking in terms of universal design changes the starting question from “what do we do for the student who cannot use this?” to “how can this be usable by as many people as possible in the first place?”
Where the idea comes from
The term “universal design” began in architecture, where features such as ramps, wide doorways and automatic doors turned out to help far more people than the wheelchair users they were first intended for: parents with pushchairs, delivery workers, people with temporary injuries. Educators adapted the thinking into a framework often called Universal Design for Learning, which is associated with an organization named CAST.
The framework is usually summarized as three principles, each about offering options:
- Multiple means of engagement: different ways of motivating and sustaining interest.
- Multiple means of representation: different ways of presenting information.
- Multiple means of action and expression: different ways for learners to show what they know.
It is a design framework and not a guarantee. Research on how well it improves learning outcomes is varied, and critics point out that it can be hard to apply in a specific classroom. It remains a widely used and sensible way to think about planning.
What it looks like in practice
Representation is the easiest to see. A single idea can be offered as text, a diagram, a short video and an audio explanation, and learners can pick whichever works best. Each version should carry the same content so that no one misses out.
Action and expression refers to how learners respond. A task asking for a written essay could allow a recorded talk, a labeled diagram or a structured set of notes where writing is not the skill being tested. The key phrase there is “where writing is not the skill being tested”: if writing is the goal, replacing it defeats the purpose. Universal design asks what the learning aim really is, and then removes needless obstacles to demonstrating it.
Engagement covers choices that keep learners interested: a choice of topics for a project, clear goals, manageable steps and feedback that helps rather than discourages. Giving a learner some control also supports their sense of agency, a theme discussed elsewhere as learner agency.
Why open education is a natural partner
Open resources often make the proactive approach easier. When materials are free to reuse and adapt, a course team can assemble multiple formats, and other people can contribute missing ones. A library of shared resources lets designers choose existing high-quality options instead of building everything alone.
Open education also supports the principle that designers should expect variety among learners. A course that publishes its sources in editable form invites later improvement, which suits the idea that universal design is something you keep refining.
That said, openness does not do the job by itself. A free course can still be built on one rigid format. Universal design is a way of working, and it applies to open and closed materials alike.
Universal design versus individual adjustments
Universal design does not replace adjustments. Some learners need things that no general design can provide, such as a sign language interpreter, a specialist piece of equipment, a human reader or extra time. In many places, institutions also have formal duties to make individual adjustments. Universal design aims to reduce how often adjustments are needed and to make them easier, not to abolish them.
A helpful comparison:
| Approach | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Retrofitting for individuals | Tailored to a specific person | Often late, repetitive and singles people out |
| Universal design | Anticipates needs, helps many | Cannot cover every individual need |
Starting small
You do not need to redesign a whole course. A few habits go a long way.
- Write the learning aim of each activity before designing it, so you know what must stay fixed and what can flex.
- Offer important content in at least two forms, such as text plus captioned video.
- Use real headings, clear language and good contrast on every page.
- Allow more than one way to complete a task where the aim permits.
- Ask learners what helped and what did not, and adjust.
If you work on accessible course design as a larger project, these steps become part of a review checklist.
Cautions
Providing options can overwhelm. Ten formats of every item multiply the work and can confuse learners, so choose a sensible small set. Be careful, too, about assumptions: learners do not always know which format suits them best, so let them try. And keep expectations proportionate. Designing for variety widens access, but it cannot guarantee that every learner will succeed.