Our Mission
We all learn differently aims to empower educators, designers, and developers with the tools and knowledge to create more inclusive and accessible online learning environments. Education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities, learning styles, or backgrounds. By integrating the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and user experience (UX) design, we strive to make this a reality.
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based educational framework that guides the development of flexible learning environments to accommodate individual learning differences. By anticipating the needs of diverse learners, UDL aims to create instructional materials and activities that are accessible and effective for all students.
The Core Principles of UDL:
- Multiple Means of Engagement: This principle emphasises the need to provide various ways to engage and motivate learners. By offering choices and fostering interest, educators can help sustain effort and persistence in learning.
- Multiple Means of Representation: Students differ in how they perceive and comprehend information. This principle focuses on presenting information in diverse formats—such as text, audio, video, and interactive media—to ensure all students can access the content.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Students also differ in how they navigate a learning environment and express what they know. This principle encourages offering various ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge, such as through writing, speaking, or creating multimedia projects.
Why UDL Matters: UDL is crucial for creating inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of all students. By incorporating UDL principles, educators can design lessons that are flexible, personalised, and accessible, helping every student to succeed.
The UX Design Institute's 7 Design Principles
Creating accessible and inclusive educational experiences also requires a strong foundation in user experience (UX) design. The UX Design Institute has developed 7 key principles that guide the creation of user-friendly digital environments, particularly in the context of online education.
The 7 Principles:
- User-centricity: Prioritize learners by understanding their needs, challenges, and goals. This could involve creating surveys or focus groups to gather input on what students find most beneficial in their learning experiences.
- Consistency: Apply a uniform design language throughout your materials. This means using consistent fonts, colors, icons, and instructional strategies. This helps reduce cognitive load and allows learners to focus on content rather than navigation.
- Hierarchy: Present information in a structured manner that aligns with learning objectives. Use headings, bullet points, and visuals to differentiate between main ideas and supporting details. For example, starting with foundational concepts before moving on to complex topics can make learning more effective.
- Context: Design for the environment in which learning will occur. This means considering whether learners are using mobile devices, tablets, or desktops and optimizing content for each. Additionally, consider different learning contexts, such as individual study versus group activities, and design materials that are adaptable to both.
- User Control: Empower learners by allowing them to navigate content at their own pace. Implement features such as progress tracking, bookmarking, and the ability to skip or review sections. For instance, video content should have pause, rewind, and fast-forward options.
- Accessibility: Ensure all materials are usable by everyone, including those with disabilities. This can involve adding alt text to images, providing transcripts for videos, and ensuring that all interactive elements are keyboard navigable. Utilize tools like screen reader compatibility checks to test accessibility.
- Usability: Create materials that are easy to navigate and interact with. This involves clear labeling, intuitive design, and straightforward instructions. Test your materials with actual users to identify any usability issues and iteratively improve the design based on their feedback.
- Error Prevention and Recovery: Designing interfaces that minimise the likelihood of errors—and providing clear, easy ways to recover when errors do occur—ensures a smoother and less frustrating user experience.
Connecting to UDL: The 7 design principles align closely with the UDL framework, as both prioritise creating flexible, accessible, and user-centered learning environments. By integrating these principles, we can design online education experiences that are not only inclusive but also deeply engaging and effective.
Why UDL and UX Matter Together
UDL and UX design principles complement each other perfectly. While UDL provides the framework for creating inclusive content that meets diverse learning needs, UX design ensures that the delivery of that content is intuitive, engaging, and accessible. Together, they create a powerful synergy that can transform online education, making it more equitable and effective for all learners.
Explore Further
For more information on UDL, visit CAST. To learn more about UX design principles, check out the UX Design Institute.