Applying UDL Principles in the Literature Classroom

The academic community has acknowledged Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a valid framework, but resources for English instructors are sparse. In this paper I explore some of the major questions and pitfalls that an English instructor might encounter in the process of implementing UDL into lower-level college courses. These questions include how to devise a universal reading list, how to present texts in a universal manner, and how to mitigate the need for classroom accommodations. Using Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as an example text, I argue that reading lists should be guided by class rosters instead of arbitrary notions of diversity, that students can derive valuable experiences from any given text, that universal design should replace the accommodations model whenever possible, and that UDL must distinguish between unnecessary barriers and valuable learning experiences.