Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom

Tracey E. Hall, PhD, is Senior Research Scientist and Instructional Designer at CAST, the nonprofit education research and development organization that created the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. She conducts research on instructional interventions in reading, writing, literacy in the content areas, and assessment. Her work includes the design and evaluation of instructional approaches and assessment tools using UDL. Her areas of expertise include curriculum-based measurement, teacher professional development, instruction and curriculum design, formative assessments using progress monitoring, and data-based decision making for instruction. Dr. Hall is a frequent presenter and consultant at the national and international education level. She has worked as a special education teacher, consultant, administrator, and university professor.

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Kristin H. Robinson, MPhil, MA, until retiring in 2024, was Senior Instructional Designer and Research Associate at CAST. Her graduate work in American Studies and cultural history helped her understand how structures directly influence the possibilities for success or failure of ideas, efforts, and people. In her work in CAST’s research and development initiatives, Ms. Robinson was particularly interested in using instructional design to acknowledge and empower the diverse priorities among the widest range of learners.

David Gordon, MFA, is Chief Content Officer at CAST and founder of CAST Professional Publishing. He is the former editor of the award-winning Harvard Education Letter and helped to found the Harvard Education Press. Mr. Gordon has worked as an associate editor at Newsweek and as a writing instructor at Emerson College. He is the author or editor of five books about education. He is the recipient of a National Press Club journalism award for his analysis of teacher certification programs and of the Arthur F. Burns Prize from the International Center for Journalists.