In a few short years, Universal Design revolutionized access to public spaces with a simple message: Consider the needs of all potential users from the beginning. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promises another revolution—this time in the development of educational curricula and materials that include potent supports for access and learning from the start, rendering them effective for a far wider range of students than traditional materials. This article traces the development of UDL from its origins in the field of architecture and CAST Inc.'s early work, and then it describes a project that developed both a model digital U.S. history textbook incorporating UDL features and publisher guidelines that facilitate the creation of digital textbooks to support the access and learning needs of the broadest possible range of users, including students with disabilities.
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