The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework developed by CAST to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. The goal of UDL is learner agency that is purposeful & reflective, resourceful & authentic, strategic & action-oriented.

The UDL Guidelines support educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and more to apply the UDL framework to practice. The guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

For a deeper dive into Universal Design for Learning, find additional resources in the CAST Professional Publishing catalog, or explore our online courses and professional development opportunities for preK-12 environments, Postsecondary, and Workforce and CTE.

Introducing UDL Guidelines 3.0

The UDL Guidelines are a living, dynamic tool that is continuously developed based on new research and feedback from practitioners. After launching our most recent effort to update the UDL Guidelines in 2020, on July 30th, 2024 we are thrilled to release UDL Guidelines 3.0!

This new iteration of the UDL Guidelines responds to a strong call from the field—both practitioners and researchers alike—to address critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of exclusion. This new update aims to respond to this call and to work toward fulfilling the promise of the Guidelines as a tool to guide the design of learning environments that more fully honor and value every learner.