Universal Design for Learning What is it, and why should I care?

Universal

 

Design

 

for

 

Learning

What

 

is

 

it,

 

and

 

why

 

should

 

I

 

care?

Kathy Howery University of Alberta LDAA November 2011

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

• Diversity and diverse learners describes the wide 

range of abilities, interests, backgrounds, languages, 

cultures and religions reflected in Alberta’s 

classrooms today. 

• Diversity has become one of the defining features of 

Alberta’s schools.

Alberta Education (2009) Setting the Direction Framework

The

 

Illusory

 

Average

 

Student

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Inclusive

 

Education

• “The new challenge of inclusion is to create schools in which our day-to-day efforts no longer assume that a

particular text, activity, or teaching mode will “work” to support any particular students’ learning”

Ableism

• An ableist society is said to be one that treats non-disabled individuals as the standard of ‘normal living’, which results in public and private places and services, education, and social work that are built to serve 'standard' people, thereby inherently excluding those with various disabilities.

Wikipedia 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY Ableism in Education (Hehir, 2008) Applied to schooling and child development…  the devaluation of disability results in societal  attitudes that uncritically assert that: • It is better for a child to walk than roll • Read print than read braille • Spell independently than use a spell checker • Hang out with with non‐disabled children  rather than only with other disable children. 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

What

 

is

 

Disability?

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

What

 

makes

 

someone

 

Handicapped?

While for the individual, the impairment has a permanent aspect, disability would depend from the activity the  individual wishes to uptake. The  handicap aspect is the disadvantage he  encounters in relations with other  individuals, so called 'able' people. 

Handicap = a Mismatch between learner needs 

and education offered

Handicap is artifact of lack of appropriate  relationship between the learner and the  learning environment or education delivery.

Jutta Treviranus

What about in the Educational Environment?

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

There can be many kinds of Barriers that can disable our functioning or “handicap” us.

UDL

 ‐

What

 

is

 

it?

• Let’s review and consider

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

What

 

is

 

UDL?

• UDL is a much-touted approach to providing appropriate and accessible education to all students, including those with disabilities, in the context of the demands of the 21st Century

Universal

 

Design

• Extension of architectural concept of Universal Design

• Designing for the divergent needs of special  populations increases usability for everyone.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Universal

 

Design

 

for

 

Learning

Extends this idea to the classroom: • Access to the building

• Access to the learning

The

 

Promise

 

of

 

UDL…

When new technologies move beyond their 

initial stage of development, innovations in 

curriculum design, teaching strategies and 

policies will be driven by the needs of 

students “_{at the margins}”_{, those for whom} 

present technologies are least effective‐most 

prominently, students with disabilities. The beneficiaries of these innovations will be 

ALL students.

Rose & Meyer, 2000

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

UDL

 

definition

“_{the proactive design of curricula (including} 

learning goals, instructional methods and 

materials, and assessments) that are 

accessible and usable by all students with 

little or no need for additional 

accommodations and are compatible with 

Will UDL replace assistive technology?

No. 

Assistive technologies will always have a 

role in the education of some learners. 

Children with physical disabilities need 

properly designed wheelchairs, adaptive 

switches to control devices, or speech 

synthesizers.  23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

UDL

 

Principles

Three principles that enable every student to  access and participate in all facets of learning: 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

UDL    Universal Design for Learning calls for ...

* Multiple means of representation, to give  learners various ways of acquiring 

information and knowledge,

* Multiple means of action and expression,  to provide learners alternatives for  demonstrating what they know, * Multiple means of engagement, to tap  into learners' interests, offer appropriate  challenges, and increase motivation. 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY Universal Design for Learning Each student, regardless of disability,  difference, or diversity, needs access to  the curriculum that is

meaningful and that  allows the student to  use his or her strengths.

Curriculum?

• How do you define curriculum? 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY Resources Programs of Study Assessment Instruction The Curriculum 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Disabled

 

Curriculum

•

The

 

traditional,

 

one

‐

size

‐

fits

‐

all

 

curriculum

 

is

 

proving

 

to

 

be

 

an

 

entirely

 

inadequate

 

solution

 

for

 

problems

 

that

 

plague

 

our

 

schools

 

in

 

this

 

era

 

of

 

standards

‐

based

 

reform.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Universal

 

Design

 

for

 

Learning

• UDL provides a blueprint (framework) for  creating flexible goals, methods, materials,  and assessments that accommodate learner  differences.

UDL

 ‐

What

 

do

 

we

 

mean?

• UDL assumes a continuum of learning 

differences in the classroom

• UDL relies on curriculum being presented in  a flexible, engaging and challenging manner. • UDL maintains high expectations for all 

students.

• UDL is inclusive by design.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

• To many people the term seems to imply  that UDL is a quest for a single, one size‐fits‐

all, solution that will work for everyone.In fact, the very opposite is true. 

• The essence of UDL is flexibility and the 

inclusion of alternatives to adapt to the 

myriad variations in learner needs, styles, 

and preferences.

Key

 

Concepts

 

in

 

UDL

• Leveraging Diversity • Clearly understood Goals • Teaming • Flexibility • Proactive Approach • Change the Environment not the Learner 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Leveraging

 

Diversity

Change

 

comes

 

from

 

the

 

Margins

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

What (Assistive)

Technology do YOU use?

What (Assistive)

Technology do YOU use?

• Specialized Technologies – we All use today!

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

The

 

Future

 

is

 

in

 

the

 

Margins

When new technologies move beyond their initial stage 

of development, innovations in curriculum design, 

teaching strategies and policies will be driven by the 

needs of students “at the margins”, those for whom 

present technologies are least effective‐most 

prominently, students with disabilities.

The beneficiaries of these innovations will be ALL 

students.

Clearly

 

Defined

 

Goals

• Goals are designed to be accessible to all

learners

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Clearly

 

defined

 

goals…

If teachers and students

don’t understand the goal of the lesson is it is just like putting nothing into the GPS and driving around…

Compensation

 

vs.

 

Remediation

Assistive technology theorists (Cook & Hussey,  2002; King 1999) suggest we have a critical  decision to make: remediate or compensate.  Edyburn (2006) 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

The

 

bias

 

toward

 

“

Naked

 

Independence

”

• Education places a premium on knowledge that is

contained in one’s head

• The AT world termed this form of bias ‘naked independence’, as it exults the performance of able- bodied individuals and devalues the performance of others who must rely on external devices or tools.

What

 

if

 

…

 

Failure

 

is

 

Not

 

an

 

Option

•Scaffolding vs. Augmentation •Cheating? 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Compensation

 

vs.

 

Remediation

Accommodations are  appropriate in addition to  or after specialized reading instruction is  provided, not instead of. King‐Sears & Bowman‐Kruhm (2010) 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Clear

 

Accessible

 

Goals

Goals are communicated in ways that are  understandable by every student in the  classroom, and can be expressed by them.

Michigan Integrated Technology Supports UDL Critical Elements

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Examples from the  Program of Studies Grade 10 English Language Arts

General Outcome 2 ‐Comprehend literature 

and other texts in oral, print, visual and 

multimedia forms, and respond personally, 

critically and creatively

Separating the Goal from the Means:

Goals/Objectives that LIMIT Access: Instead of …

Goals/Objectives that ALLOW Access: Try …

The student will write… The student will express… The student will generate…

The student will read… The student will receive information…

The student will spell… The student will select…

The student will compute… The student will solve…

The student will define… The student will show…

Writing Goals and Objectives that Increase Access*

* From Gargiulo & Metcalf (2010) p. 270

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Assessment

• Do we know what we are assessing?

Universally

 

Designed

 

Assessment

•

Must clearly understand what we are

assessing!

•

Multiple pathways to demonstrating

success.

•

Be authentic!

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Assessment

Reduce construct-irrelevant variance

UDL

 

requires

 

Teaming!

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Teaming

• A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose.

• Teams are especially appropriate for

conducting tasks that are high in complexity

and have many interdependent subtasks.

Teaming

• Buy-in from administrators,

teacher leaders, technology coordinators and parents is key

• Collaboration between teachers

and in some instance other professionals is essential

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Teaming

Marriage of AT and IT…

• Just as the IT staff must learn to support the needs of the teachers of students with disabilities, the teachers and AT coordinators, themselves, must learn more about the PCs and networks with which they interface.

Connsense Bulletin

Ben Satterfield and Pat Satterfield 10/11/05

http://www.connsensebulletin.com/marriage.html

Teaming

Why

 

is

 

Flexibility

 

Important

 

to

 

UDL?

Flexibility is essential for two reasons:

• Individual differences between learners • Differences between instructional media.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Differences between instructional media

• There is no universal medium of instruction

Medium

 

of

 

Instruction

• Auditory - Listening / Speaking • Text - Reading / Writing

• Visual - Viewing / Representing

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Qualities

 

of

 

Speech

 

• Natural speech has expressive power.

Qualities

 

of

 

Text

 

• Representational - permanent record • Reduces memory demands

•      

  

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Qualities

 

of

 

Text

 

• Representational - permanent record • Reduces memory demands

• But we must be able to decipher the code

Qualities

 

of

 

Images

 

•A picture is worth a thousand words…

•But do you see what I see?

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Long ago, Plato raised a concern in his Phaedrus that is familiar in our era: new technology will

undermine traditional literacy.

Plato (quoting Socrates) expressed the fear that the emerging technology of writing would destroy the rich oral literacy that was central to his culture. Writing would reduce the need for memory and attentive listening. It would give learners the appearance of wisdom by aiding rapid recall of information and facts without requiring

internalization of such wisdom. This sort of “superficial” learner would inevitably be less literate. It turned out Plato was right only in part;

Technology

 

&

 

Digital

 

Media

• Versatile • Transformable • Can Be Marked • Can Be Networked http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystud ent/ideas/tes/chapter3_9.cfm

Digital

 

media

 

is:

Digital Media is Flexible and Transformable

Digital Media is Flexible and Transformable

Proactive

 

Approach

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Moving to Accessibility – A3 Model

ADVOCACY (Barriers to learning

exist)

ACCOMMODATION(Assistive Technology for Learning)

ACCESSIBILITY (Universal Design for

Learning)

Accommodation

 

vs.

 

Accessibility

•

Accommodation

is

 

grounded

 

in

 

the

 

medical

 

model

 

of

 

disability…

 

a

 

professional

 

typically

 

identifies

 

the

 

individual

’

s

 

functional

 

limitations

 

or

 

“

_deficits

”

_and

 

_prescribes

 

_adjustments

 

that

 

allow

 

the

 

person

 

to

 

participate

 

to

 

some

 

degree

 

in

 

the

 

“

normal

”

environment

”

Sheryl Burgstahler

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Accommodation

 

vs.

 

Accessibility

•

Whereas

 

accommodation

 

is

 

a

 

reactive

approach

 

to

 

provide

 

access

 

to

 

an

 

individual,

 

accessible,

 

usable,

 

and

 

UD

 

processes

 

are

 

proactive

approaches

 

to

 

ensure

 

access

 

for

 

groups

 

of

 

potential

 

participants.

Sheryl Burgstahler

Accommodation vs. UDL

Access is a problem for the individual and should be addressed by that person and disability services

Access issues stem from an inaccessible or poorly designed environments and should be addressed by the designer Access is achieved through

accommodations and/or retrofitting existing requirements

The system/environment is designed, to the greatest extent possible, to be usable by all

Access is retroactive Access is proactive

Access is often provided in a separate location or through special treatment

Access is inclusive

Access must be reconsidered each time a new individual uses the system

Access, as part of the environmental design, is sustainable

Source: AHEAD Universal Design Initiative Team 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

21

 

Century

 

Classroom

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Making

 

Differences

 

Ordinary!!

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

• Multiple means of representation,to give learners 

various ways of acquiring information and 

knowledge

• Multiple means of expression, to provide learners 

alternatives for demonstrating what they know

• Multiple means of engagement, to tap into 

learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, 

and increase motivation.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Tools

 

of

 

our

 

culture

(Vygotsky in

 

the

 

21

st

_Century?)

“UDL seeks to decreasing unacceptable challenge 

while maintaining acceptable challenge”

Support Challenge

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

UDL

 

&

 

21st

 

Century

 

Learning

• Not coming into the information age – we are  leaving it!

UDL

 

&

 

21st

 

Century

 

Learning

• Information is easy to get!

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

UDL

 

&

 

21st

 

Century

 

Learning

• What will be valued is people who can make  “usable knowledge” with that information!

Expert

 

Learners

• In UDL we are seeking to create expert  learners, individuals who‐ whatever the 

particular strengths and weaknesses, know 

themselves, and know how to learn.

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Expert

 

Learners

 

are:

•

Strategic,

 

goal

‐

directed

 

learners.

 

Know

 

who

 

you

 

are

 

as

 

a

 

learner.

•

Knowledgeable

 

learners.

  

They

 

have

 

prior

 

knowledge

 

or

 

know

 

how

 

to

 

find

 

it.

•

Purposeful,

 

motivated

 

learners.

  

They

 

are

 

intrinsically

 

rather

 

than

 

extrinsic

 

Amplification

 

of

 

Differences

• In the 21st Century – the goal of education to  recognize the diversity and amplify it not  reduce it! 23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Thoughts?

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

I

 

want

 

to

 

learn

 

more!

• Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

www.cast.org • UDL Guidelines

http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines • A Parent Guide to Universal Design for Learning

http://www.ncld.org/publications‐a‐more/parent‐

advocacy‐guides/a‐parent‐guide‐to‐udl

23/11/2011 K.HOWERY

Kathy Howery