The U.S. Department of Education's 2010 National Education Technology Plan promotes "personalized learning," where instruction is tailored to individual students' learning needs, preferences, and interests. This approach assumes that all students in a diverse classroom share the same learning goals but may need different methods to achieve them.

It is important to define two similar and often confused parts of the framework, individualization and differentiation. According to Robert Glaser's 1970s Individually Prescribed Instruction framework, individualization focuses on adjusting instruction time. This allows for students to progress at their own pace. This method helps students to master material in steps which allow them to skip topics they have already mastered and focus on challenging areas that need more time to master. Differentiation is an adjustment of instruction centered around presentation, by using different teaching methods and assignments to align with students' strengths and preferences. An example of this is when an introverted student is encouraged to write an essay on a historical topic while a more outgoing student could deliver an oral presentation on the same subject. Since these definitions are not universally accepted in the education field, there is much confusion about how differentiated instruction should be implemented and evaluated.

In a video by Edutopia, the importance of understanding students' unique learning profiles is showcased. It states that effective differentiated instruction requires more than just modifying assignments. It involves creating a classroom environment where all students can access content in ways that make sense to them and foster engagement and understanding. By combining individualized pacing with varied instructional strategies, teachers can better support diverse learners and focus on a more inclusive, effective approach to education.