Introduction > Overall Principles > Design Step 1

Universal Design Online Manual

Step 1: Ensure the Presence of Universal Design in RFPs

All students must have the opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of the content standards. Therefore, to satisfy state and federal requirements for universal design, vendors should design state tests that allow the maximum number of students possible (and students with diverse characteristics) to take the same assessments without threat to the validity and comparability of the scores.

To this end, vendors must demonstrate how they will develop "universally designed assessments." Such assessments are designed from the beginning to allow participation of the widest range of students and result in valid inferences about the performance of all students, including students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and students with other special needs.

Next: Universal Design Step 2