Event Information
A WEA Canvas asynchronous course is a type of learning experience in which participants can access and engage with course materials at their own convenience without being required to attend live sessions. This format is designed to provide flexibility for learners with varying schedules or commitments. These courses are self-paced and can be started/completed on your own time.
This eLearning course is based online training modules developed by the IRIS Center. The IRIS Center is a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age twenty-one, through the use of effective evidence-based practices and interventions. The courses include completing the online module, an assessment, and a reflection assignment.
Expectations
- Read/watch all course content.
- Submit all assignments
- Assignments must be graded Complete by the instructor
Friday, July 31st, 2026 is last day to complete course and submit assignments. Once attendance has been verified, the evaluation will be emailed the first week of August.
Waitlist Limit: 0/0
Courses
Universal Design for Learning: Designing Inclusive Systems of Instruction-eLearning (Equity) (3hrs)
Clock Hour
Course Description
This course is designed for educators, instructional leaders, specialists, and school teams committed to building inclusive learning environments where all students experience meaningful access, engagement, and high expectations. Participants will examine Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a proactive framework for reducing barriers in curriculum design rather than retrofitting accommodations after students struggle. Grounded in OSPI priorities around inclusive practices, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and culturally responsive and sustaining education (CCDEI), this course positions UDL as a foundational Tier 1 practice that strengthens outcomes for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and historically marginalized student groups. Through analysis of real-world instructional scenarios, participants will explore how the three UDL principles (multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression) can be intentionally embedded across the four curricular components: goals, instructional materials, instructional methods, and assessments. The course also addresses how instructional design decisions influence student belonging, identity, motivation, and access to rigorous content. Participants will leave equipped to design flexible, data-informed instructional systems that anticipate learner variability, reduce reliance on reactive accommodations, and promote equitable participation and achievement across diverse classrooms.Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Explain the theoretical foundations and three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and articulate how UDL aligns with OSPI inclusive practices, MTSS frameworks, and IDEA’s mandate for access to the general education curriculum.Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Differentiate between retrofitted accommodations and proactively designed UDL practices, identifying how instructional design decisions either remove or reinforce barriers to learning.Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Apply UDL principles to the four curricular components (goals, materials, methods, and assessments), ensuring instructional design promotes flexibility without lowering expectations.Standard 3 – Learning Partnerships, Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Analyze classroom practices through an equity-centered lens, recognizing how race, disability, language, culture, and systemic inequities intersect with curriculum design and influence engagement, representation, and demonstration of learning. Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Design instructional plans that incorporate multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression, while maintaining alignment to grade-level standards and rigorous learning targets. Standard 3 – Learning Partnerships, Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Evaluate the effectiveness of UDL implementation using student data and observation, adjusting instructional design to strengthen participation, belonging, and academic outcomes for all learners. Standard 4 – Leading for Educational Equity
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate UDL within MTSS structures, ensuring Tier 1 instruction reduces unnecessary referrals and supports inclusive placement decisions. Standard 3 – Learning Partnerships