History

Historically, CAST approached the problem of expanding learning opportunities for people with disabilities by providing or developing assistive technology for individuals. However, CAST has found that using this approach in isolation places the burden and cost of adaptation on each individual learner and does not address all the barriers that learners with disabilities encounter.

Therefore, over the last several years, CAST has undergone a major shift in its approach: We now believe that the most effective strategy for expanding opportunities for individuals with disabilities is through Universal Design for Learning. The phrase "Universal Design for Learning" refers to the creation of computer software and learning models that are useable by everyone, including individuals of all ages and abilities, whether they are gifted, are typical learners, or have special needs.