UDL Principle #3: Action & Expression

Principle: Provide Multiple Means of Action & Expression

Learners differ in the ways that they can navigate a learning environment and express what they know. For example, individuals with significant movement impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy), those who struggle with strategic and organizational abilities (executive function disorders), those who have language barriers, and so forth approach learning tasks very differently. Some may be able to express themselves well in written text but not speech, and vice versa. It should also be recognized that action and expression require a great deal of strategy, practice, and organization, and this is another area in which learners can differ. In reality, there is not one means of action and expression that will be optimal for all learners; providing options for action and expression is essential.

Action & Expression Guidelines

What Does This Look Like in the Classroom?

Providing multiple means of action & expression in the classroom means providing options for physical action, expression & communication, and executive function. But what does this look like in the classroom?

Slideshow: Expression with Ed Tech

This slideshow provides some examples of educational technology tools taught in ETC Level 2 and how they might be used to address the Expression checkpoints. Please note that neither the list of tools nor the list of checkpoints is comprehensive.

Click here for a larger view of the slideshow. Links to an external site.