Photo by Wix Posted by: Emily DesJardins, M.A., SpED, UDL/AT Consultant, Open Access Last August, we explored how to set up your classroom with UDL in mind, designing the physical environment to proactively reduce barriers and create a welcoming space for every learner. But once the furniture is arranged, the labels are posted, and the calming corner is stocked, there's one more piece of design work that often makes or breaks the year: the invisible architecture of routines, procedures, and...

Photo by Wix Posted by: Emily DesJardins, M.A, UDL/AT Content Lead Since taking on the role of UDL Content Lead with Open Access, Universal Design for Learning has become a framework I engage with deeply every day. I’ve long resonated with UDL ideas, but in this role, I’ve been able to explore specific considerations in detail and understand why they are essential for human learning. Engaging with these concepts professionally has naturally influenced how I think about parenting. Photo by Wix...

Posted by: Emily DesJardins, M.A., SpED, UDL/AT Content Lead, Open Access Photo by Emily DesJardins As I approached the trailhead, two hours after the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) class had begun their weekly Forest Friday adventure, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d ever find them in such a vast stretch of forest. Still, I trusted my instincts and followed the main path. A few minutes in, I reached a fork: three trails, three choices. I paused, unsure, then chose the widest path. Just as...