Research Evidence

UDL is based upon the most widely replicated finding in educational research: learners are highly variable. In virtually every report of research on instruction or intervention, individual differences are not only evident in the findings; they are prominent. When considered through the UDL framework, these findings are fundamental to understanding and designing effective learning environments and experiences. The research that supports UDL falls into three categories: foundational research of UDL, research on the UDL principles, and research used to develop the UDL guidelines and consideration.

To explore the specific research evidence related to each Consideration, navigate to the individual Consideration’s page and select the Research link in the sidebar. We've also included a list of links to the Research pages used to develop the Guidelines at the end of this page.

Foundational Research on UDL

UDL draws from a variety of research including the fields of neuroscience, the learning sciences, and cognitive psychology. It is deeply rooted in concepts such as the Zone of Proximal Development, scaffolding, mentorship, and modeling, as well as the foundational works of Piaget; Vygotsky; Bruner, Ross, and Wood; and Bloom, who espoused similar principles for understanding individual differences and the pedagogies to best support them.

The current version of the UDL Guidelines, version 3.0, builds upon previous iterations and emphasizes addressing barriers rooted in biases and systems of exclusion. With this version, the foundational research was expanded to draw from literature in disability studies, inclusive education, and asset-based pedagogies. The expansion is grounded in concepts such as disability as a dimension of identity (Baglieri, et al., 2011; Connor, 2008), funds of knowledge (González, et al., 2006), culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), and culturally sustaining pedagogies (Paris & Alim, 2014).

Research on the Three Principles of UDL

The research basis for the general principles of UDL is grounded in modern neuroscience. The three basic principles are built upon the knowledge that our learning brains are composed of three different networks: affective, recognition, and strategic. The UDL Guidelines align these three networks with the three principles: affective to engagement, recognition to representation, and strategic to action and expression. Neuroscience provides a solid foundation for understanding how the learning brain intersects with effective instruction. This alignment is further extended and clarified by the Guidelines and Considerations.

Research Used to Develop the UDL Guidelines

Previous iterations of the UDL Guidelines drew heavily from the fields of cognitive and educational psychology research to develop specific guidelines and considerations to more fully articulate each of the three UDL principles. This literature was primarily quantitative research and focused in K-12 environments. The current version of the UDL Guidelines, version 3.0, builds upon, updates, and expands the previous research base to include a greater diversity of perspectives and research from the areas of sociocultural perspectives on learning, disability studies, and asset-based pedagogies.

Overarching Research for Guidelines 3.0

Explore research that was used to develop overarching themes across UDL Guidelines 3.0.

Research for Structural Updates to Guidelines 3.0

Explore research that was used to develop structural updates for UDL Guidelines 3.0.