Learn About LUDIA
LUDIA was first introduced in August 2023 by Beth Stark and Jérémie Rostan on the Poe platform. In August 2026, a newly designed LUDIA was launched as a no-cost public good, rebuilt from the ground up on a platform of its own.
What LUDIA is
LUDIA is a multilingual AI thought partner that connects educators, instructional designers, and learning leaders with the Universal Design for Learning framework. Describe a barrier a learner is meeting, and LUDIA works with you on the design of the learning experience rather than on the learner, pointing to the CAST UDL Guidelines as it goes.
What that means in practice
- No cost, with no catch. No subscriptions, no premium tier, no paywalls, no trial.
- Ad-free. No advertisements, no sponsored content, no commercial referrals.
- Private by architecture. LUDIA is designed to know UDL, not the user. No account, no profile, no chat content stored on our servers. You own your exchanges, can download them, and can upload one again later to carry on.
- Designed for accessibility. Built and tested to WCAG 2.2 Level AA. An independent audit is planned and a conformance report is in preparation.
- Design-first. Every response redirects towards identifying and reducing barriers in the design of learning experiences and environments, not in the learner.
- Multilingual. LUDIA answers in 13 languages. English is the authored language; the others are machine-translated and may contain errors.
Two things LUDIA is not. It is not a revenue-generating product, and it is not for sale. It has not yet been studied for its effect on learning. That evidence has to come from independent research, and we are working towards it.
Design and Evidence Statement
LUDIA read against four 2026 guides from UNICEF, the European Commission, the EdTech Quality Collaborative, and the European EdTech Alliance. It is not a claim that LUDIA measures up. It sets out what we have designed, what we have not, and what we intend to count as evidence, so the next version can be measured against this one. Version 1.0, August 2026. 39 pages.
Two editions of the same document. The PDF is tagged to PDF/UA-1 for screen readers and print. The HTML edition is a single self-contained file that needs no network connection once saved.
The HTML has its stylesheet and the LUDIA mark inlined, so it can sit anywhere and works offline once saved.
The CAST Anne Meyer UDL Design Award
In 2025, LUDIA's creators, Beth Stark and Jérémie Rostan, received CAST's Anne Meyer UDL Design Award, which recognizes exceptional Universal Design for Learning design and implementation. The award was presented at UDL-CON: International in Washington, D.C. About the CAST UDL Awards, opens in a new tab
Read excerpts
Excerpts from the acceptance speech at UDL-CON: International, Washington, D.C., 2025. Passages have been omitted and the omissions are marked with an ellipsis. Nothing has been reworded.
Many of you may be wondering, now just what is this “LUDIA”? That is fair! We want to take a moment to explain the “what is” and the “why” of LUDIA. We designed LUDIA to be a thought partner for learning leaders around the world, to increase access to AI technology, and more importantly to the UDL mindsets and practices AI can help implement.
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LUDIA is not a revenue generating product, we are not a start-up, and “no” we are not hoping LUDIA will someday be bought out. LUDIA was created for educators, by educators.
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The name LUDIA is, of course, a remix of the acronym AI and UDL. It is also a play on “ludum”, the Latin word for play and learning.
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When you connect with LUDIA, you will receive informed guidance about how to reduce barriers and center agency in the design of learning experiences and environments. LUDIA can be accessed at no-cost … LUDIA is NOT perfect, cutting-edge or state-of-the-art, but it is incredibly effective as a UDL thought partner. LUDIA is also designed to create connections to critical pedagogies that, alongside the UDL framework, expand our ability to reduce barriers and create the conditions for authentic agency, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to provide reliable guidance and to generate time saving resources.
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In 2025, we have learned so much. We now understand that we cannot rely solely on vulnerable NGOs, EdTech corporations, and certainly not governments, to provide opportunities and resources for educators around the world as we work to implement UDL. But we have each other!
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We want to thank you again for this award. We do not see it as a recognition of an achievement, but rather as a validation of our commitment, and encouragement to keep reducing barriers to access, and we will keep designing, until learning has no limits.
How to cite LUDIA
Cite LUDIA as a tool, not as a source. LUDIA does not retain exchanges. Nothing is stored and no response can be retrieved later. Individual LUDIA outputs are not citable. Reference LUDIA itself:
Stark, B., & Rostan, J. (2026). LUDIA [AI-powered UDL thought partner]. https://askludia.com
If you wish to reproduce something LUDIA generated, include the prompt and the response in your text or an appendix, noting that it is your own record of a session.
LUDIA is released under the LUDIA licence. Read the LUDIA licence The Design and Evidence Statement below is a separate work under a different licence.
How to cite the Design and Evidence Statement
LUDIA: A Design and Evidence Statement
Beth Stark & Jérémie Rostan · 2026
EdArXiv preprint · Not peer reviewed
Stark, B., & Rostan, J. (2026). LUDIA: A design and evidence statement (Version 1.0). EdArXiv. https://doi.org/10.35542/osf.io/3nmgp_v1
Available as a tagged, accessible PDF and as a web page. Both are the same version 1.0 and either may be cited.
The statement is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–ShareAlike 4.0 International). It may be shared, translated, quoted and built on for non-commercial purposes, provided the authors are credited, changes are indicated, and anything built from it carries the same licence. No permission is needed to translate it. If you make a translation, mark it as a translation and say which version it came from. LUDIA the tool is released separately under its own licence.
Research, Articles, and Podcasts
A collection of research, articles, media, and podcasts about LUDIA, kept up to date as new coverage appears.
| Author, Writer, or Host | Linked Titles | Summary | Shortened Links | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa, Celina (EvolvED 2024) | LUDIA – Exploring UDL with AI, opens in a new tab | Walks educators through getting started with LUDIA, showing how a free, multilingual chatbot can act like a UDL expert on call and guide planning through a simple Tell, Tinker, and Tweak cycle. | bit.ly/43IJoDq, opens in a new tab | Costa, C. (2024). Ludia – Exploring UDL with AI. In EvolvED 2024. eCampusOntario Pressbooks. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/evolved2024/chapter/ludia-exploring-udl-with-ai/ |
| Evmenova, Anya S., Jered Borup & Joan Kang Shin | Harnessing the Power of Generative AI to Support ALL Learners, opens in a new tab | Reports on a teacher institute exploring how generative AI can help apply UDL for every learner, including multilingual students. It maps the territory that purpose-built UDL tools like LUDIA are designed to serve. | bit.ly/4uI0ZGw, opens in a new tab | Evmenova, A. S., Borup, J., & Shin, J. K. (2024). Harnessing the power of generative AI to support all learners. TechTrends, 68, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-024-00966-x |
| Goldman, Samantha | AI and UDL in Special Education Teacher Preparation, opens in a new tab | Frames LUDIA as the wise teacher down the hall: a slow-drip source of contextual UDL coaching that grows an educator's skill as an inclusive designer, and sets it apart from generic chatbots. | bit.ly/4aJBWLZ, opens in a new tab | Goldman, S. (2024, August 12). AI and UDL in special education teacher preparation. Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning. https://ciddl.org/ai-and-udl-in-special-education-teacher-preparation/ |
| Goldman, Samantha R., Adam Carreon & Sean J. Smith | Exploring the Integration of Artificial Intelligence into Special Education Teacher Preparation through the TPACK Framework, opens in a new tab | A peer-reviewed study that shows pre-service teachers planning a lesson with LUDIA, using it to weave UDL guidelines and individual student profiles into the design. LUDIA appears in two figures as a worked example. | bit.ly/4aaLTls, opens in a new tab | Goldman, S. R., Carreon, A., & Smith, S. J. (2024). Exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into special education teacher preparation through the TPACK framework. Journal of Special Education Preparation, 4(2), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.33043/6zx26bb2 |
| HP Futures | Hewlett Packard Futures Report 2024: Closing the Global Educational Gap, opens in a new tab | A global report on closing education gaps and preparing schools for the future. It speaks to the same goal LUDIA was built for: widening access to inclusive, no-cost learning design. | bit.ly/4es8PxJ, opens in a new tab | HP Futures. (2024). Hewlett Packard futures report 2024: Closing the global educational gap. HP. https://hpfutures.com/hp-futures-report-2024/ |
| Magowan, Matt | Moving All Learners Forward: Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Physical Education, opens in a new tab | Looks at moving every learner forward in physical education through UDL, the kind of barrier-reducing planning a thought partner like LUDIA is meant to support. | bit.ly/4vlJjBN, opens in a new tab | Magowan, M. (2024). Moving all learners forward: Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in physical education. EARCOS Triannual Journal, 38–40. https://www.earcos.org/et_journal.php |
| Next Frontier Inclusion | NFI & ISLES on GenAI and Neurodiversity, opens in a new tab | A joint NFI and ISLES stance on using generative AI with neurodivergent learners, balancing hope and caution. It warns that generic chatbots can invite cognitive offloading, which is exactly the gap a UDL-grounded tool like LUDIA aims to close. | bit.ly/4vg8KV5, opens in a new tab | Next Frontier Inclusion. (2025, February 16). NFI & ISLES on GenAI and neurodiversity (C. Warner-Dobrowski & K. Pelletier, Eds.). https://nextfrontierinclusion.org/nfi-isles-on-genai-and-neurodiversity/ |
| Author, Writer, or Host | Linked Titles | Summary | Shortened Links | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammerlund, Thomas | LUDIA, opens in a new tab | A short video introduction to LUDIA, giving educators a quick look at what the chatbot is and how it supports inclusive, UDL-based design. | bit.ly/4uIL2Qc, opens in a new tab | Hammerlund, T. (2024, September 3). LUDIA [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ4nJaPTiBY |
| Martin, Shanna (Tech Tools for Teachers) | LUDIA – A UDL Superhero, opens in a new tab | A teacher's enthusiastic walk-through of why LUDIA works: it is expert-approved, easy to use, speaks the language of the UDL guidelines, names the barriers in a lesson, and offers fresh options when you need to dig deeper. | bit.ly/4vWu81w, opens in a new tab | Martin, S. (2024, September 8). LUDIA – A UDL superhero [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsz1-fBrDfs |
| MCIU Learns | Meet LUDIA, AI-Powered UDL Partner, opens in a new tab | A brief explainer that presents LUDIA as an AI-powered UDL partner and points educators to where it lives and how to begin. | bit.ly/4ek7eva, opens in a new tab | MCIU Learns. (2024, March 8). Meet LUDIA, AI-powered UDL partner [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wHnABu0jag |
| Novak, Katie | AI for UDL: A Review of the AI Tool LUDIA, opens in a new tab | Katie Novak tries LUDIA on real teaching challenges and comes away with flexible, ready-to-use classroom routines, calling it a time-saving planning partner. | bit.ly/43LRPOd, opens in a new tab | Novak, K. (2023, October 17). AI for UDL: A review of the AI tool LUDIA. Novak Education. https://www.novakeducation.com/blog/ai-for-udl-a-review-of-the-ai-tool-ludia |
| Open Access California | LUDIA: AI for UDL, opens in a new tab | A resource spotlight that presents LUDIA as a tool for building inclusive, engaging classrooms, with personalized, context-specific strategies for reducing barriers and links to the LiveBinder, demo video, and LUDIA Library. | bit.ly/4vS3c2X, opens in a new tab | Open Access California. (n.d.). LUDIA: AI for UDL. https://www.openaccess-ca.org/ludia |
| Peters, Mackenzie | Utilizing AI to Help Design Accessible Instruction & Content, opens in a new tab | A practical guide to using AI, including LUDIA, to design more accessible instruction and content. | bit.ly/3QyeASL, opens in a new tab | Peters, M. (2024). Utilizing AI to help design accessible instruction & content [PDF]. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/evdhlopmgcpihuca1vlek/Utilizing-AI-to-Help-Design-Accessible-Instruction-Content.pdf?rlkey=ymhr4aazykbebt5ck2by61hch&st=rmwbz51f&dl=0 |
| Rostan, Jérémie, & Beth Stark | Meet LUDIA, Your AI-Powered UDL Partner, opens in a new tab | Introduces LUDIA as UDL without limits: an always-available way to think through and reduce barriers, built on the idea that the barrier lives in the design, not the learner. | bit.ly/4vieCNv, opens in a new tab | Rostan, J., & Stark, B. (2023, September). Meet LUDIA, your AI-powered UDL partner. The International Educator. https://www.tieonline.com/article/3575/meet-ludia-your-ai-powered-udl-partner |
| Tannenbaum, Debbie | UDL and AI: Tips for Teachers, opens in a new tab | Shows an elementary tech coach using LUDIA in everyday planning. You hand it your lesson and goals, and it keeps an ongoing, UDL-informed exchange going as you build the unit. | edut.to/43KIshF, opens in a new tab | Tannenbaum, D. (2025, October 27). UDL and AI: Tips for teachers. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/udl-ai-tips-teachers/ |
| Teacher Playground | LUDIA: Supporting the Implementation of UDL, opens in a new tab | Invites a teacher community to try LUDIA, a specialized chatbot for making lessons more accessible, with strategies for common learning challenges and examples to drop into course design. | bit.ly/4vesngd, opens in a new tab | Teacher Playground. (2024, July 2). LUDIA: Supporting the implementation of UDL. http://www.teacherplayground.com/2024/07/ludia-supporting-implementation-of-udl.html |
| Author, Writer, or Host | Linked Titles | Summary | Shortened Links | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, Corene; Pokorny, Elizabeth; & Organ, Danielle | QSI InclusiveEd Podcast: “Guest Beth Stark”, opens in a new tab | A conversation about inclusive education where LUDIA comes up as a practical way for schools to put UDL and AI to work for every learner. | bit.ly/4vjofeT, opens in a new tab | Anderson, C., Pokorny, E., & Organ, D. (Hosts). (n.d.). Guest Beth Stark [Audio podcast episode]. In QSI InclusiveEd podcast. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/inclusivedpodcast/episodes/Guest-Beth-Stark-e2hqgka |
| Barry, Erin K., & Gluckman, Jesse | OPL Podcast (MCIU), S5 E8: “UDL + AI = LUDIA”, opens in a new tab | Built around a simple equation, UDL plus AI equals LUDIA, this episode introduces the chatbot and how it helps teachers plan through a UDL lens. | bit.ly/4vWmzYI, opens in a new tab | Barry, E. K., & Gluckman, J. (Hosts). (n.d.). UDL + AI = LUDIA (No. 8) [Audio podcast episode]. In The MCIULearns podcast. Buzzsprout. https://www.buzzsprout.com/763649/episodes/14865879 |
| Boll, Lori | SENIA Happy Hour Podcast, Ep. 85: “Introducing LUDIA – a Free App to Support UDL”, opens in a new tab | Makes the case for LUDIA as a free resource that supports Universal Design for Learning, and talks through how educators can use it to reduce barriers. | bit.ly/4eRgBCM, opens in a new tab | Boll, L. (Host). (2024, February 8). Introducing LUDIA – a free app to support Universal Design for Learning (No. 85) [Audio podcast episode]. In SENIA Happy Hour. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/47NLc9pkbs2ZgbQhnJjqM6 |
| Friedman, Tricia | Shifting Schools Podcast, Ep. 327: “How Can Educators Leverage AI for UDL?”, opens in a new tab | Tackles the question of how educators can actually leverage AI for UDL, with LUDIA offered as a concrete AI thought partner for inclusive design. | bit.ly/4fTsOrJ, opens in a new tab | Friedman, T. (Host). (n.d.). How can educators leverage AI for UDL? (No. 327) [Audio podcast episode]. In Shifting Schools. https://pod.shiftingschools.com/epsode/episode-327-how-can-educators-leverage-ai-for-udl/ |
| Lord Nelson, Loui | UDL in 15 Minutes, Ep. 108: “Beth Stark and Jérémie Rostan”, opens in a new tab | A fifteen-minute introduction to LUDIA and the thinking behind it, made for busy educators who want a fast way in. | bit.ly/4fTtqh1, opens in a new tab | Lord Nelson, L. (Host). (2023, October 25). Beth Stark and Jérémie Rostan introduce us to LUDIA (No. 108) [Audio podcast episode]. In UDL in 15 minutes. The UDL Approach. https://theudlapproach.com/podcasts/episode-108-beth-stark-and-jeremie-rostan/ |
| Martiello, Ronald | Math, Universally Speaking, S2 E16: “Designing for Every Learner: UDL and AI with Beth Stark”, opens in a new tab | A wide-ranging chat about UDL and international education that includes LUDIA as a UDL thought partner. It reframes a struggle as a design problem rather than a deficit in the learner. | bit.ly/4oEiUfJ, opens in a new tab | Martiello, R. (Host). (2025, October 28). Designing for every learner: Universal Design for Learning and AI with Beth Stark (Season 2, No. 16) [Audio podcast episode]. In Math, universally speaking. https://mathuniversallyspeaking.com/2025/10/28/designing-for-every-learner-universal-design-for-learning-and-ai-with-beth-stark/ |
| Wahl, Olivia | Schoolutions Podcast, S3 E31: “Your AI-Powered UDL Thought Partner: LUDIA”, opens in a new tab | Spotlights LUDIA as an AI-powered UDL thought partner and shows how it fits into planning for inclusive classrooms. | bit.ly/4gsYYu7, opens in a new tab | Wahl, O. (Host). (2024, April 14). Your AI-powered UDL thought partner: LUDIA (Season 3, Episode 31) [Video podcast episode]. In Schoolutions. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OeqUFYUbvw |