The Academic Commons

We encourage all Jefferson educators to create learning communities that are accessible, relevant, and inclusive.

Learners have differing needs, modality preferences, and abilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the process of improving and developing learning experiences that support all learners. The UDL framework uses scientific insights into how humans learn to design and deliver learning experiences that decrease barriers and create more equitable learning environments.

Our Instructional Design team can help you:

• Create inclusive learning experiences
• Diversify course content
• Compose learning activities and assignments that foster a sense of belonging for all learners
• Review course documents for accessibility and inclusivity improvements
• Utilize Ally, the accessibility checker within Canvas, and interpret accessibility analytics

In addition to meeting with our team, you can use Jefferson tools to get started with UDL or consult the Additional Resources below.

Resources from Thomas Jefferson University

• A Guided Tour of Ally (a self-paced learning module)
• An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (a self-paced learning module)
• Resources to Improve Accessibility (a self-paced learning module)
• Academic Commons' Educational Technologies

Additional Resources

• Inclusive Teaching Strategies (Website | University of Washington's Center for Teaching & Learning)
• Inclusive Teaching Practices Toolkit (Video & PDF| American Council on Education)
• CAST (Formerly the Center for Applied Special Technology)