Universal Design

Universally designed teaching practices and strategies, coupled with technology infused curricula, can help all students, particularly those with disabilities, meet the Maine Learning Results and the requirements of the federal "No Child Left Behind Act."

Universal design addresses the needs of all learners through flexible, usable, and accessible learning tools; collaborative and interactive learning opportunities; and learner-centered instruction, curriculum, and assessment. By implementing the UD framework, the need to retrofit the curriculum or make accommodations for individual learners is minimized.

In the universal design framework, technology:

Allows physical access to electronic and information technology;

Facilitates the social construction of knowledge; and

Provides multiple means of assessment of and for learning