Universal Design for Learning: Designing Learning Experiences That Engage and Challenge All Students

CAEP standards for the accreditation of educators are designed to improve the quality and effectiveness of new instructional practitioners, as well as the evidence base used to assess those qualities in the classroom.

• Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge

The DEC Recommended Practices are designed to help improve the learning outcomes of young children (birth through age five) who have, or who are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities. Please note that because the IRIS Center has not yet developed resources aligned with DEC Topic 8: Transition, that topic is not currently listed on this page.

Environment

• E1. Practitioners provide services and supports in natural and inclusive environments during daily routines and activities to promote the child’s access to and participation in learning experiences.
• E2. Practitioners consider Universal Design for Learning principles to create accessible environments.
• E3. Practitioners work with the family and other adults to modify and adapt the physical, social, and temporal environments to promote each child’s access to and participation in learning experiences.
• E4. Practitioners work with families and other adults to identify each child’s needs for assistive technology to promote access to and participation in learning experiences.
• E5. Practitioners work with families and other adults to acquire or create appropriate assistive technology to promote each child’s access to and participation in learning experiences.
• E6. Practitioners create environments that provide opportunities for movement and regular physical activity to maintain or improve fitness, wellness, and development across domains.

Instruction

• INS1. Practitioners, with the family, identify each child’s strengths, preferences, and interests to engage the child in active learning.
• INS2. Practitioners, with the family, identify skills to target for instruction that help a child become adaptive, competent, socially connected, and engaged and that promote learning in natural and inclusive environments.
• INS3. Practitioners gather and use data to inform decisions about individualized instruction.
• INS4. Practitioners plan for and provide the level of support, accommodations, and adaptations needed for the child to access, participate, and learn within and across activities and routines.
• INS5. Practitioners embed instruction within and across routines, activities, and environments to provide contextually relevant learning opportunities.
• INS6. Practitioners use systematic instructional strategies with fidelity to teach skills and to promote child engagement and learning.
• INS7. Practitioners use explicit feedback and consequences to increase child engagement, play, and skills.
• INS8. Practitioners use peer-mediated intervention to teach skills and to promote child engagement and learning.
• INS9. Practitioners use functional assessment and related prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies across environments to prevent and address challenging behavior.
• INS10. Practitioners implement the frequency, intensity, and duration of instruction needed to address the child’s phase and pace of learning or the level of support needed by the family to achieve the child’s outcomes or goals.
• INS11. Practitioners provide instructional support for young children with disabilities who are dual language learners to assist them in learning English and in continuing to develop skills through the use of their home language.
• INS12. Practitioners use and adapt specific instructional strategies that are effective for dual language learners when teaching English to children with disabilities.
• INS13. Practitioners use coaching or consultation strategies with primary caregivers or other adults to facilitate positive adult-child interactions and instruction intentionally designed to promote child learning and development.

InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards are designed to help teachers of all grade levels and content areas to prepare their students either for college or for employment following graduation.

• Standard 2: Learning Differences
• Standard 5: Application of Content
• Standard 6: Assessment
• Standard 7: Planning for Instruction
• Standard 8: Instructional Strategies