The purpose of this article is to examine Universal Design (UD) applied to instruction as a means of promoting educational access to higher education, not only for students with disabilities but also for a broad range of diverse learners now very much a part of the fabric of higher education. A brief overview of UD is provided. Seminal literature on effective teaching is identified, and principles of UD are interfaced with recommendations for effective teaching practices. The resulting Principles of Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) are proposed as a framework for guiding faculty thinking about inclusive teaching practices with diverse college learners. Finally, an ongoing process for validating the Principles of UDI is described. (Contains 4 tables and 3 notes.)