UDL and Intellectual Disability: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?

Area of Science:

• Education
• Special Education
• Instructional Design

Background:

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional design framework.
• UDL has the potential to support the inclusion of students with intellectual disability (ID) in general education settings.
• This article reviews research on UDL for students with ID in PreK-12 settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of existing research on UDL application for students with ID.
• To identify key research questions for future studies on UDL implementation for students with ID.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of research studies on UDL application for students with ID in PreK-12 settings.
• Analysis of interventions and outcomes associated with UDL implementation.
• Examination of UDL use in self-contained and general educational settings.

Main Results:

• UDL is being applied to various instructional activities for students with ID.
• Interventions include adapted stories and inclusive general education curricula.
• Outcomes examined include student interaction, perceptions, and knowledge gains.

Conclusions:

• Current research demonstrates UDL's application in diverse educational contexts for students with ID.
• Future research should focus on applying UDL guidelines to curriculum development and evidence-based practices.
• Further investigation is needed to support schoolwide UDL initiatives for inclusive education of students with ID.