Universal Design Engineering

Many teachers, administrators, professors, content developers, and publishers espouse a personal commitment to the principles of universal design for learning, yet, there is little evidence that they can design interventions that enhance accessibility or meaningful engagement in learning. In this paper the authors argue that the field can readily be advanced through the application of engineering models. A universal design engineering model known as Design for More Types will be introduced, including a taxonomy of specific design interventions that can be implemented to enhance the accessibility and usability of educational materials. Nine case studies will be presented to assist developers, researchers, and practitioners in operationalizing universal design concepts into active ingredients that can be carefully defined, measured, and evaluated.