Universal design and its applications in educational environments

Universal design (UD), a concept from the field of architecture, is increasingly evident in discussions of approaches to enhance educational access for students with disabilities. Several emerging models of educational applications of UD-Universal Design for Learning, Universal Design for Instruction, and Universal Instructional Design-are discussed, with a call to the field for a collaborative approach to examine the efficacy of applications of UD to educational environments. Several critical areas for a research agenda are articulated, with caveats that the promise of UD for enhancing access not be undermined because of premature promotion of the concept before its validity is thoroughly examined.