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Home > Resources > Universal Design in College Instruction > Planning

How should I prepare my materials to be inclusively designed?

Long before you enter the classroom, course design begins by defining the skills and knowledge your students should have by the end of the term. Factors you may consider include the potential diversity of students enrolled and the environment, resources and activities that will assist them in gaining the skills and knowledge you want them to achieve by the end of the term. The creation of inclusive learning environments reduces the need for students to request accommodations. These accommodations are already built into the framework of the class. Thoughtful planning prior to the term is critical for both the instructor and student to fully benefit from utilizing Universal Design instructional practices. This preparatory step has the ability to maximize quality instructional opportunities that support the learning objectives for all students.

There are three main areas related to planning for instruction to consider:

• Syllabus Development
• Online Considerations (i.e., Blackboard)
• Course Material Considerations

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Selected Teaching Effectiveness Program Resources for Inclusive Course Planning

(NOTE: The below links will open in a new browser tab or window)

Universal Design: Environment: provides information about setting up a classroom environment in an inclusive and Universally Designed way.

Before Class: How should I prepare?: addresses preparation considerations before first day of class on the 1st Time Teaching website.

Preparing to Teach: links to various resources that address questions about creating materials, goals, syllabi, lesson plans, and content for a university course.

Students: Know Who They Are: introduces a selection of resources regarding getting to know what type of students you might encounter in a college classroom. Information is provided about student ages, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, learning styles, sexual identity, athletes, and other important facts to consider when creating an inclusive classroom.

Instructor: Know Oneself: addresses the need for instructors to understand and reflect upon the ways in which they teach. The resources available here will help develop a greater awareness of how you teach, the reasons behind why you teach this way, and the impact that your teaching has upon student learning.

What Are Learning Objectives?: offers assistance with development, implementation, and assessment of learning objectives.