UDL and Assessment: Formative and Summative

Assessment is one of the most challenging areas for UDL implementation, particularly in the Irish context where high-stakes examinations play a dominant role. UDL principles can be applied to both formative and summative assessment in ways that maintain rigour while reducing unnecessary barriers. Formative assessment strategies aligned with UDL include exit tickets with multiple response options, peer and self-assessment using clear rubrics, portfolio collections, and reflective journals. Summative assessment can be made more UDL-aligned by offering choice in the format of final products, providing detailed rubrics in advance, and designing assessments that require genuine application of knowledge rather than mere recall.