Jillian S. Berlinski and Meredith Daniels

The pilot "Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Lab Classroom" will employ teaching concepts designed to reach and teach all students in a manner that works for them. Berlinski and Daniels agree that if lessons are designed with the notion of reaching all students, there will not be a need for adaptations and modifications after the fact. "Universal Design for Learning" does that. This research-based framework for developing curricula includes: educational goals, methods, materials and assessments that allow students to gain skills and enthusiasm for learning. This is done by providing support for learning and reducing barriers to the curriculum. An example of this is providing text in a digital format. This allows for many learners to access the text. Students with dyslexia, English as a Second Language (ESL) and vision impairments could have the text read to them. Students with comprehension difficulties could have "thinking prompts" imbedded in the text to stop while they are reading. This upfront planning enhances learning for many. At Riverside School, Berlinski and Daniels will start with a fifth grade class of 25 and begin to spread the concept to the remaining fifth graders.