Universal Design For Learning (UDL)

According to Smith and Ragan (2008) “Instructional Design is a process in which many items of materials are developed, designed, and delivered” (Smith and Ragan 2008). Instructional design has given me information on strategies to develop effective lesson plans in which will support my students to be fully engaged with the activities provided in a classroom environment. Instructional design also supports ideas on planning lessons for students with diverse and cultural needs for all learners. The eight learning outcome supported ideas for my students to become more familiar with integrating technology in class with their peers in which supported a diverse environment. While incorporating technology into my activities strategies of

When it comes to education, it is important to determine what method of content delivery is going to be the most effective for each individual class. Furthermore, it becomes increasingly important to determine the most effective strategies for each individual student. Within the concept of a universal design for learning (UDL), it becomes important to ensure that students have more than just access to information: “Non-educators often make the mistake of equating access to information with access to learning” (Rose & Meyer 2002). With UDL, students not only have access to information, but they are enable through the access to learning. This can be manifested in a number of ways, but is characterized by the availability of environments that promote learning and education that promotes learning. UDL then becomes the method for which educators provide students with a variety of methods to engage cognition, and allow for educators to meet the needs of diverse learners.

This assignment is another opportunity to apply the principles of universal design for learning (UDL) in the design of instruction and assessment. In this assignment, a lesson plan is developed, incorporating UDL and effectively leveraging educational technologies in the classroom.

In the article “Universal Design for learning (UDL) and learners with Severe Support Needs”. Hartmann writes a story from her experience about student his name is Marcus has disabilities. The regular curriculum failed to get him a better education, and then his teachers decided to replace him in a school had curricula focused in disabilities or severe disabilities. Unfortunately, those schools for students “non-verbal” and Marcus had an ability to speak; his mother had frustrated and embarrassment for son future because the education curriculum did not design around students to get more benefit from learning. Also, she writes the students come from different background, culture and heredity; consequently, those factors influence in their learning even two brothers do not learn the same way. Moreover, most of the learning curriculum have designed for normal students, and they have supposed every student should receive the learning in the same way, but this is unjust for students have dissimilar abilities. The UDL has shown the problems are not in the students, but in the atmosphere around them and curriculum because there is not enough flexibility; it needs to fix it. Then, Hartmann describes the beneficial of UDL has changed the learning process to engage all the student’s abilities in the classrooms. Additionally, UDL has played a role in flexibility to involve all student with different abilities, and It also has helped teachers to become more think how to support

UDL provides the same kind of flexibility in modern classrooms. The goal of UDL is to present school subjects so that all learners can access the information, and to give learners different ways to demonstrate their knowledge through multiple needs of representation, action and expression, and

1. What are the primary principles of Universal Design AND how can these be applied to educational contexts? (2 points) Universal Design is the practice of incorporating the needs of disabled individuals into the buildings, schools, and businesses. The primary principles of Universal Design are equitable use, flexibility, simplicity, perceptible information, forgiveness of mistakes, decreased physical effort, and space.

Work together with other colleagues in order to implement the Universal Designed Learning tool. Working together with other colleagues allows teachers to help others within the school, open the door for themselves to become mentored, and also allow everyone to have more detailed information on all the different students. Building a community of educators to work together is essential in order for there to be a strong foundation of collaboration to occur. For example, if Johnny is not turning in homework in science lab, but his teacher knows that he is striving in math class, the two teachers can collaborate and determine how to encourage him to turn homework in for both classes. Specifically for the Universal Designed Learning (UDL) tool,

The idea for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was originally taken from architecture in the 1970’s by Ron Mace (Centre for Universal Design, 1997). The concept still has major influence within building and designing of buildings so they are accessible to all. (Large doorways, wheelchair ramps, appropriate lighting etc.). Effective designing ensures that all users regardless of special needs can access these buildings without any restructure, designs using such items as door handles as fixtures rather than door knobs thus adhering to The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and 1991. (King-Sears,

As educators, it is important to address individual differences in students’ recognition, strategic, or affective networks, thus providing the best possible support by individualizing pathways to learning through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). A study on alternative education for children suggests oversimplifying learner differences by categorizing students into two groups, regular and special, fails to accurately represent the full diversity of learners in the classroom. ( Meo, 2010, p. 21) Therefore, UDL is a framework for designing curriculum which provides all students equal opportunities to learn, with no discrimination to individual needs. In order for students to have equal opportunity in their learning and achievement,

Math concepts can be very daunting to students especially if they do not feel confident in the subject. Talking with maths teachers this year students do not cover rearranging formula or equations at high school until later in year nine, or early into year ten. If this unit is taught early in the year teachers need to take into consideration that teaching this part of the lesson will take longer than expected. To recap rearranging formula I have started with time tables which students will have covered previously. By using previous knowledge to learn a new concept will help students create meaning and then they will be able to apply this concept to a more difficult situation (National Center for Universal Design for Learning, 2014). By providing

For our article review I chose the article Creating Meaningful Art Experiences With Assistive Technology for Students with Physical, Visual, Severe, and Multiple disabilities. One of the authors is Mary Beth Coleman who is an assistant professor in the special education department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The other author is Elizabeth Stephanie Cramer who works as a clinical assistant professor and coordinator of art education at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The article addresses the use of assistive technology in the art classroom and why it is necessary for students with disabilities. It is obvious upon reading the article that the authors thoroughly researched the subject which can be backed up by their references

This article is connected to education because it talks about the different ways the Universal Design for learning helps children in the classroom. Depending on whether teachers have students with disabilities or as the article says English language learners determines what type of design they use. Teachers can help these students understand projects by going over flash cards of words that English language learners might find, see, or need an explanation for when learning about this topic. For the students with disabilities depending on what disability they have is what they teacher changes or accommodates for. Whether it is visual aids or hands on enrichment activities the educator does what is

The “Universal Design for Learning (www.udlcenter.org)” consists of a group of principles that require all children to receive the same form of education and learning. There are three main principles which aid in protecting students with disabilities. These three principles make sure that the students with disabilities receive the same education as any other student as well. The following will explain my opinion on the learning of all children and how the UDL principles apply to this.

The Universal Design (UDL) for Learning and the heutagogical approach to learning were the topics studied during this week in Design and Instruction of Online Courses. These two concepts were new to me. The UDL is an approach to curriculum development that provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the way students are engaged. The purpose of this approach is to meet the diverse learning styles and needs for all students, including students with disabilities and students who require ESL support. UDL offers students equal access to learning and equal opportunity to participate in their own learning by opening several learning pathways and using assistive technology. Some examples of assistive technologies are captioned video, speech recognition applications, audio players and recorders, reading guides applications etc.

Lack of accessible design limits the autonomy that lesser abled persons have with their surroundings. Enter the concept of accessible design, which aims to ensure that products and environments are made suitable for a diversity of people with various ages or physical and mental ability. Monozukuri influences accessible design as its foundation is created from increasing awareness of the environment and community. Japan seamlessly integrates accessible design, lessening societal obstacles for people who need these accommodations.