A Conceptual Framework for Building UDL in a Special Education Distance Education Course

Online graduate programs have been increasing in number and attendance over the past decade. Ensuring that the quality of teacher preparation programs is maintained in an online learning environment is essential. After reviewing the pedagogies of both special education and online learning, it was determined that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was the best framework for developing a new graduate online course in a distance learning program. The goal is to highlight a model for designing an online course within a special education teacher distance education program and embed UDL principles within the project. This research adds to the body of literature on distance education and the potential for future research is discussed.

The Journal of Educators Online