Planning for Student Variability

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) embodies a set of principles for developing accessible curricula and inclusive classroom learning environments. It is a flexible framework that can be adapted to the individual needs and predilections of a diverse set of learners, including students with disabilities. UDL can reduce the need for individual accommodations for disabled students, but its goal is to enhance learning for all students. Research and practical applications have demonstrated that designing curricula that are intended to provide greater access to learners who are in the margins also benefits many other learners. The objective of UDL is to develop expert learners throughout a curriculum by providing multiple means for learning, engagement, and demonstration at each level of instruction. The core music theory and musicianship curriculum taught at most colleges and universities will benefit from the guidelines established for UDL, and these are adaptable to various forms of curricular content. This article provides an overview of the history of UDL and its guidelines, and then proposes strategies for their implementation that are specific to music theory and musicianship pedagogy at the planning phase of course design, including assessment. The discussion engages learning typologies as a means for addressing learner variability throughout the course design.