“The difference between knowledge and skill is practice.” — Holly Marie Simmers
Designing inclusive curriculum solutions for neurodivergent students of color requires far more than selecting the right textbook or implementing a prepackaged program. It demands intentional planning, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to instructional practices that remove barriers before learning begins. When educational leaders and practitioners integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), they create learning environments where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
This blog post explores how UDL and CRP work together to support equitable learning and what steps instructional leaders can take to build accessible and culturally relevant curriculum solutions.
Traditional curriculum design often reflects a standardized model of learning that unintentionally excludes the needs, identities, and strengths of neurodivergent students of color. An inclusive curriculum reframes learning by placing students—not materials—at the center of the instructional process.
For students with varied cognitive profiles, cultural backgrounds, and lived experiences, inclusive curriculum design ensures that learning experiences remain accessible, rigorous, and deeply meaningful.
Inclusive design ultimately bridges the gap between knowledge and skill—transforming passive learning into active, engaging practice that promotes mastery.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework grounded in cognitive and learning sciences research. According to a 2024 article published in Educational Research: Theory and Practice, UDL is based on the principle that “barriers reside in the environment—not the learner.” This perspective shifts responsibility away from student deficits and toward proactive instructional design that anticipates diverse learner needs (Westerlin & Folske-Starlin, 2024).
Effective UDL implementation includes three core principles:
Present content in various formats—visuals, manipulatives, audio, video, and multimodal examples—to support comprehension for all learners.
Allow students to demonstrate understanding in different ways, such as oral explanations, drawings, digital models, hands-on demonstrations, or written solutions.
Increase motivation through choice, relevant examples, flexible pacing, and opportunities for collaboration.
For neurodivergent students of color, these practices eliminate unnecessary cognitive barriers and support identity-affirming learning experiences.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), grounded in the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings, is essential for making curriculum meaningful to students of color. In her foundational paper, Ladson-Billings (1995) argues that academically rigorous classrooms must also support cultural competence and sociopolitical awareness.
CRP rests on three interrelated pillars:
All students—especially those historically marginalized—must have access to high expectations, rigorous content, and meaningful learning opportunities.
Educators validate and incorporate students’ cultural backgrounds, experiences, and community knowledge into lessons, examples, and discussions.
Students develop the ability to question inequities, analyze social systems, and reflect on how education connects to their lives and communities.
When CRP is applied within curriculum design, students experience instruction that is both intellectually challenging and culturally affirming.
While UDL ensures accessibility and flexibility, CRP ensures relevance and belonging. Together, these frameworks create deeply inclusive learning environments by:
An inclusive curriculum solution grounded in both UDL and CRP not only strengthens academic outcomes, but also nurtures confidence, identity, and empowerment for neurodivergent students of color.
To build inclusive curriculum solutions aligned with UDL and CRP, instructional leaders should:
Review Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 plans, multilingual learner profiles, gifted plans, and behavioral or safety plans. Understand students’ strengths, interests, preferred learning modalities, and goals.
Anticipate where students might struggle and plan alternatives—manipulatives, visuals, interactive models, or culturally relevant examples—to support understanding.
Provide multiple pathways for students to demonstrate mastery, ensuring expectations remain rigorous yet accessible.
Use contexts, materials, and representations that reflect students’ cultural experiences in authentic—not stereotypical—ways.
Help students examine community issues, societal structures, and real-world connections related to academic content.
Like artists preparing for a performance, educators must rehearse and refine lessons to ensure they honor the backgrounds and needs of the learners in front of them.
Inclusive curriculum design is not an endpoint—it is an ongoing practice requiring reflection, collaboration, and cultural humility. When schools integrate UDL and CRP into their planning processes, they create environments where neurodivergent students of color experience access, affirmation, and academic success.
Realized Curriculum Solutions partners with educational organizations to transform curriculum into an equitable, culturally responsive, and accessible learning experience for every student.
If you’re an educational leader committed to strengthening inclusive curriculum design and improving outcomes for neurodivergent students of color, we invite you to connect with us.
👉 Schedule a free discovery call with our Founder & CEO, Leroy Smith:
https://meetings.hubspot.com/leroy-smith
Together, we can build curriculum solutions that elevate equity, access, and excellence.