Differentiation Doesn’t Mean More Work: How to Make It Actually Manageable
Written by: Dr. Jen Spencer
In the last article in this series, What No One Told You About Special Education (But You’re Expected to Know), we explored the realities general education teachers face when supporting students with diverse learning needs. A major focus of that discussion was clarifying the roles and responsibilities of general education teachers so they can provide meaningful support for the implementation of services with fidelity throughout the school year. In this installment, we are focusing on one of the most practical ways to make inclusion more manageable through Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Think of UDL as doing the heavy lifting upfront. When your classroom already offers multiple ways to access content, stay engaged, and show understanding, the accommodations on an IEP or 504 are no longer a separate to-do list, they are largely already woven into how you teach every day.
A helpful way to think about UDL is the difference between an “education casserole” and an “education buffet.” Ramazan Dicle illustrates this point beautifully here. In a casserole model, every student receives the same instruction in the same format and is expected to learn the same way. If students struggle, accommodations are often added afterward. In a buffet model, Universal Design for Learning, flexibility is built into instruction from the beginning.
Created by CAST, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is based on extensive research and years of implementation. It aims to develop successful and inclusive learning experiences for learners of all levels, abilities, and backgrounds. This flexibility is organized around three core principles that address the why, what, and how of learning.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (why): how students are motivated, whether they feel a sense of belonging, and whether the learning feels relevant and meaningful to who they are.
- Multiple Means of Representation (what): how information is presented so all students can perceive and understand it, whether through text, audio, visuals, or hands-on materials.
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression (how): the different ways students can demonstrate what they know, rather than being limited to a single format like a written test or essay.
These three principles show up in both instructional design and the learning environment itself. A classroom with predictable routines posted visually, flexible seating, and anchor charts that stay on the wall all semester is practicing UDL just as much as a teacher who offers three ways to respond to a reading. UDL is not a checklist or a prescription; UDL is a way of designing learning so that barriers are reduced from the start, and every student has a genuine opportunity to engage, understand, and show what they can do.
Instructional design means students have multiple ways to access information, participate, and demonstrate understanding, all while working toward the same learning target.
Environmental supports mean the classroom itself is set up to reduce barriers, whether that is predictable routines posted visually, flexible seating that allows for movement, manipulatives available at a center, noise-reducing options for students who are easily overstimulated, or anchor charts that stay on the wall so students can reference them independently.
Together, these elements create a classroom where more students can engage, focus, and learn, without waiting to struggle first.
So what does this actually look like across grade levels?
Elementary: Learning to Retell a Story
In a traditional 2nd grade reading lesson, a teacher reads a story aloud and then asks every student to write a paragraph retelling it. Students who struggle with writing, processing, or attention may fall behind before the lesson even gets going. With UDL, the teacher still holds every student to the same target, retelling a story with a beginning, middle, and end, but builds in choices and environmental supports from the start. A visual story structure anchor chart stays posted on the wall for students to reference independently. Flexible seating options, like a carpet space or a wobble chair, give students who need movement a way to stay regulated during the lesson. For the retelling itself, students might draw a three-panel sequence, record themselves on a tablet, use picture-based sentence starters, or write independently. The result is that more students can show what they actually understood about the story, and the teacher spends less time managing frustration and more time assessing real comprehension.
Middle School: Studying the American Revolution
A typical 7th grade social studies unit might rely heavily on a textbook chapter followed by a written response. Students who struggle with reading fluency or executive functioning often disengage before they reach the content itself. A UDL approach keeps the learning target, understanding the causes and key events of the American Revolution, but removes barriers in both the environment and the instruction. The classroom has a designated quiet work zone and a collaborative work zone so students can self-select the setting where they focus best. A word wall with key vocabulary stays visible throughout the unit. For accessing the content, students might choose an audio version of the text, a short documentary clip, a timeline graphic organizer, or the textbook reading. For demonstrating understanding, students could write, create an annotated timeline, or record a voice memo. Students arrive at the discussion with something to contribute, and classroom conversations become richer because more students are actually prepared.
High School: Analyzing an Argument
In a 10th grade English class, a common task is reading an opinion piece and writing a literary analysis identifying the author’s claim, evidence, and reasoning. Students with language processing differences, English language learners, or students who struggle with abstract thinking can hit a wall before they’ve had a chance to engage with the actual skill. A UDL approach addresses this at the environmental level, too. A permanently posted rhetorical analysis framework on the wall gives students a reference point throughout the unit, not just during this one assignment. Students have access to a structured annotation guide and the option to work in a low-distraction area of the room during independent work time. For the task itself, the teacher offers two or three opinion pieces at varying complexity levels on the same topic and allows students to outline their analysis verbally before writing. The expectation, identifying how an author builds an argument, stays the same for everyone. The outcome is that students who would have previously submitted incomplete or off-target work are better able to demonstrate genuine analytical thinking, and teachers get a clearer picture of what students can actually do.
“Instructional design means students have multiple ways to access information, participate, and demonstrate understanding, all while working toward the same learning target.”
UDL does not replace the supports outlined in their IEP or 504. Students must be receiving the accommodations, modifications, and specially designed instruction outlined in their support document.
In the next, and final, installment of this series, we will explore how to intentionally build a support system with your special education team in an article titled, You’re Not Doing This Alone: How to Actually Partner with Special Education Teachers.
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