The UDL framework is grounded in a belief in the brilliance of every learner and the importance of setting high expectations. The design of the learning environment must not only support access, but support participation and progress toward challenging learning goals as well. All learners need to be challenged, but not always in the same way. It is important for the learning environment to embed a variety of tools, resources, and supports to promote successful engagement with the learning goal and to ensure learners find challenges that are optimally motivating. Balancing the resources available to meet the challenge is vital, as productive struggle is a key component of an engaging and rigorous learning experience.

• Presume competence and nurture a belief in the capabilities of every learner.
• Offer options with varying modes of complexity or difficulty.
• Offer options for tools and scaffolds that align with the learning goal and promote agency.
• Emphasize process, effort, and progress in meeting standards as alternatives to external evaluation and competition.