Principle of Representation - Guideline 1 - Criterion 1

Universal Design for Learning

Principle of Representation - Guideline 1 - Criterion 1

When developing a course using the first principle of Universal Design for Learning, there are three specific guidelines to assist us.  The first, Perception in many ways overlaps with creating accessible content.

Criterion 1 of this guideline advocates that we provide options to customize the display of information.

Digital material offers great benefits over printed material in that it is not fixed.  Accessible material allows for customization.  You may notice that browsers allow for the resizing of text.  The ePub format is a superior option to PDFs if one has a reader, because it allows for customization of font, color and contrast. Unfortunately you require certain mobile devices for ePubs, and the ubiquity of PDF readers makes this a useful format.  By providing malleable content options in digital format that is accessible, you will be increasing the clarity and salience of information for a wide range of learners. Some of the things to consider displaying information so that the following features are not fixed:

• The size of the text, images, graphs, or other visual content
• The contrast
• Emphasis is strictly based on color (to accommodate color blindness)
• The volume or speed of the presentation (a pause feature is helpful)

By following these suggestions, your course will assist students communicating and expressing their knowledge, as well as being in line the Principle of Representation in the Theory of Universal Design for Learning.