The Universal Design of
Early Education
Moving Forward for All Children
by Michael Conn-Powers, Alice Frazeur Cross, Elizabeth Krider Traub, and Lois
Hutter-Pishgahi
A French television commercial shows typically abled people trying to function and participate in a world
designed for people with disabilities. Speaking persons approach receptionists, who respond only in
sign language; walkers slip down wet inclines navigated by people in wheelchairs; a sighted individual looks
for books in a library but finds them all printed in Braille. Graphic images communicate a strong
message: the world is harder when it is not conceived with your abilities in mind.
THIS COMMERCIAL REFLECTS a French utility company's commitment to recognizing the
diverse needs of its employees and customers—"May the world be made for you. Access for
everyone" (EDF Group 2005). Images like this spur thoughtful reflection. How well have we
conceived early education programs to support and respond to all young children? Do they
welcome and include every child? Are activity areas and materials physically accessible to
each child? Do all families have opportunities to be involved in their children's education? Is
every child engaged and learning? Answering yes to these questions has become more
challenging as the population of children in the United States has become increasingly diverse
in ability levels, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and economic status (West, Denton, &
Germino-Hausken 2000).
Reaching all children
Specially designed programs, including Head Start, early childhood special education, Title III programs
for English-language learners, and Title I compensatory education, identify successful
strategies for educating children who may struggle to learn because of health or other medical
needs, emotional or behavioral problems, and/or disabilities. Children facing language barriers
or growing up in poverty may have additional learning challenges. But the goal for educators
is to design early education programs that meet the needs of all learners within a common
setting and begin to move away from specialized programs. Moreover, as educators we need to
accomplish this goal while also focusing on standards and program accountability.
A framework for supporting all young learners is universal design. The universal design of
early learning "suggests that instead of creating a curriculum and then adapting it to meet the
needs of individual children in the program, it is better to start off with an instructional design
which provides learners with a variety of ways to access and process information and
demonstrate what they have learned" (Blagojevic, Twomey, & Labas 2002). This framework
calls for early educators to value from the beginning the importance of planning learning
environments and activities for a diverse population—creating universally designed settings in
which all children and their families can participate and learn.
A design idea from architecture
Universal design principles were first introduced in the field of architecture to address the
economic, functional, and aesthetic challenges associated with designing physical spaces for
all people, including individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities. Originators defined
the principle of universal design as the "design of products and environments to be usable to
the greatest extent possible by people of all ages and abilities" without the need for adaptation
or specialized design (Story, Mueller, & Mace 1998, 2).
The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University (1997) collaborated with
a national consortium of universal design researchers and practitioners to develop seven core
design principles—equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive, perceptible
information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and
use—for guiding the planning of buildings, physical spaces, and materials. The influence of
these design principles is evident throughout our communities: curb cuts and entrance ramps,
elevators with voice announcements, and automatic doors at store entrances.
At first these design applications may seem solely intended for people with disabilities. But
developers of the universal design framework recognized that usability would increase as
special needs features began to serve all. People who use wheelchairs benefit from curb cuts
and ramps, but so do bicycle riders, parents pushing strollers, and travelers pulling wheeled
luggage. Elevators that announce floor numbers assist individuals with impaired sight along
with shorter people who may not be able to see the light indicators when the elevator is
crowded with riders. Doors that open automatically aid those not strong enough to open them
as well as individuals whose arms hold packages or young children.
Universal design in education
The work of the Center for Universal Design inspired educators and authors working in the
fields of special education and assistive technology. Many groups (including the National
Center on Accessing the General Curriculum, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the
Center for Applied Special Technology) are applying universal design principles to the design
of general education. The result is "the design of instructional materials and activities that
allows the learning goals to be achievable by individuals with wide differences in their
abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, engage,
and remember" (Orkwis & McLane 1998, 9).
Understanding of the principles and their role in education continues to evolve. Mason,
Orkwis, and Scott (2005) apply the same seven principles put forth by the Center for Universal
Design to illustrate their use in learning and curriculum design (see "Educational Applications
of the Seven Principles of Universal Design for Learning").
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# # #
The work of Rose and Meyer at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) furthers
educators' understanding. The CAST (n.d.) Web site states that the universal design for
learning framework promotes access to learning through
- multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring
information and knowledge,
- multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what
they know, and
- multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate
challenges, and increase motivation.
Much of the current literature on universal design for learning has focused on elementary and
secondary education. However, these approaches to universal design open doors to increased
educational possibilities for children of all ages.
# # #
What Is Universal Design of Early Learning?
It is designing early education settings so all children, as equal and valued
members of the program, may access and engage in all learning opportunities, learn
from a common curriculum according to their individual strengths and abilities,
and demonstrate their learning in multiple ways.
# # #
Moving the idea to early education
The principles of universal design for learning are clearly applicable to early childhood
education. They can guide professionals in designing programs in which all children and their
families have full and equitable access to learning and social opportunities. One premise is
that "UDL [universal design for learning] shifts old assumptions about teaching and learning
in four fundamental ways" (CAST 2003). CAST suggests that
- children with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than
constituting a separate category;
- teachers adjust for learner differences for all children, not just those with
disabilities;
- curriculum materials should be varied and diverse, including digital and online
resources, not merely a single resource; and
- rather than following a set curriculum, teachers allow for flexibility to accommodate
learner differences.
A universal design approach for learning follows principles of good practice in early
education:
- recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to education simply will not work;
- understanding the need to design curricula to meet the needs of diverse classroom
populations;
- declaring that all children who attend early education programs will be
successful in their development and learning.
A universal design framework parallels what early educators plan for from the start in
thinking about the physical, social-emotional, health, and teaching dimensions of their
environments to assure that every child
- feels welcomed as a full and equal member;
- accesses and engages in all learning opportunities;
- learns according to his or her individual strengths and interests; and
- demonstrates his or her learning in ways that reflect the individual's strengths.
Principles guiding the universal design of early education
How can universal design in early learning help early childhood professionals to further
assure that all children learn? As support, we offer the following framework for the universal
design of effective early education programs.
The physical environment enables all children to have access and equitable
opportunities for full participation in all program activities. This includes structures,
permanent and movable equipment and furnishings, storage, and materials.
Health and safety components promote wellness and minimize risks and
hazards for all children. All children, regardless of health status or conditions, have ongoing
access to learning without interruptions due to illness and injury.
The social-emotional environment offers all children equitable access to and
full membership in the social-emotional life of the group, and it supports their social-
emotional development.
The teaching environment gives all children equitable access to learning
opportunities through information and activities in multiple formats and multiple means for
engagement, expression, and learning. This includes the curriculum, teaching practices,
materials, and activities.
Individual assessment and program evaluation practices provide
multiple approaches to finding out what children know and can do in order to equitably
assess individual learning, development, and educational progress.
Family involvement practices support the equitable access and engagement of all
families in the full range of experiences. This includes ongoing communication, learning opportunities,
and program involvement activities.
This framework strives to promote flexible settings and activities that respond to young
children's diverse strengths and needs. Programs offer children multiple avenues for receiving
information, multiple ways for engaging in activities, and multiple means for demonstrating
what they know. The program incorporates the universal design of the physical, social-
emotional, and teaching environment before children step into the setting, and it balances the
needs of all children in delivering education for the whole class.
Universal design in action
To consider what universal design of early education activities might look like, teachers may
start with a general classroom routine such as class meeting time. The following questions can
help teachers reflect on how to implement universal design principles. (See examples of
practice in "Applications of Universal Design Principles to Class Meetings.")
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# # #
Physical environment
- How can the space be arranged to accommodate everyone?
- How will children be seated to accommodate different motor abilities and activity levels so that
everyone can move about or attend as needed?
- What materials are needed to allow for the range of motor abilities?
Health and safety practices
- How should the physical space be arranged to ensure that all children can safely move around?
- Is the flooring safe for all children to move about and be seated?
- Do the planned activities accommodate all individual energy levels and health
conditions?
Social-emotional environment
- What strategies will ensure that all children are included, eliminating any barriers that
might segregate or stigmatize a child?
- How will I communicate necessary rules and expectations for behavior so that all
children can understand?
- How can I support children in interacting with, learning from, and helping one
another?
Teaching environment
- What goals do I have for the activity so that all children are engaged and learning?
- What different ways do I need to present information so that everyone understands
and is engaged?
- What kinds of support or encouragement will be needed to engage and ensure
learning among all children?
Individual assessment and program evaluation
- What are some different ways to assess what all children are learning from the activity?
- What are some different ways children can demonstrate their engagement and learning?
Family involvement
- What information will I share with families about this activity, and what forms of communication will I use?
- What reading levels and languages should I keep in mind?
- What opportunities for involvement can I provide that accommodate varied work demands and time
constraints?
Conclusion
The population of children in U.S. communities will continue to grow more diverse, not less. Thus, the
challenges of educating a diverse population will not diminish. The universal design of early education is an
appropriate framework for addressing these challenges. Without a doubt, high-quality early education benefits
children (Peisner-Feinberg et al. 1999). Our work now is to conceive early education programs that engage and
support learning for all children.
References
Blagojevic, B., D. Twomey, & L. Labas. 2002. Universal design for learning: From the start. Orono, ME: University of Maine.
Online: www.ccids.umaine.edu/facts/facts6/udl.htm.
CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). N.d. Publications. Online: www.cast.org/publications/index.html.
CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). 2003. Summary of universal design for learning concepts. Online:
http://4.17.143.133/udl/index.cfm?=7.
Center for Universal Design. 1997. About UD: Universal design principles. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University. Online:
www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/about_ud/udprinciples.htm.
EDF Group. 2005. EDF TV film: Diversités. EDF: Supporting the disabled. Online: www.edf.com/22025i/Homefr/Multi-
media.html.
Mason, C., R. Orkwis, & R. Scott. 2005. Instructional theories supporting universal design for learning—Teaching to individual
learners. In Universal design for learning: A guide for teachers and education professionals, eds. Council for Exceptional Children
and Merrill Education, 23. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Orkwis, R., & K. McLane. 1998. A curriculum every student can use: Design principles for student access. ERIC/OSEP Topical
Brief. ERIC ED 423654.
Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., M.R. Burchinal, R.M. Clifford, M.L. Culkin, C. Howes, S.L. Kagan, N. Yazejian, P. Byler, J. Rustici, & J.
Zelazo. 1999. The children of the Cost, Quality, and Outcomes Study go to school: Technical report. Online:
www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/CQO-tr.pdf.
Story, M.F., J.L. Mueller, & R.L. Mace. 1998. Introduction. In The universal design file: Designing for people of all ages and
abilities. Online: www. ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/pubs_pdocs/udffile/intro.pdf.
West, J., K. Denton, & E. Germino-Hausken. 2000. America's kindergartners. NCES 2000-070. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Online: nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/2000070.pdf.
Michael Conn-Powers, PhD, is director of the Early Childhood Center, Indiana Institute on Disability and
Community, at Indiana University in Bloomington. He has worked on local and state projects to support the
creation of early care and education programs that work for all children and their families.
Alice Frazeur Cross, EdD, is a research associate in the Early Childhood Center. She has been a teacher,
program coordinator, and center director in small and large early childhood settings, a teacher educator, and a
participant in system development projects.
Elizabeth Krider Traub, MS, is a research associate in the Early Childhood Center and focuses her research,
writing, and training efforts on infants, toddlers, and their families, exploring the challenges of welcoming and
including them in community programs.
Lois Hutter-Pishgahi, MS, is a research associate in the Early Childhood Center and is involved in writing,
research, and the development of numerous materials related to supporting inclusive environments for young
children.
Copyright © 2006 by the National Association for the Education
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