UDL and Autism

UDL and AutismUDL and Autism

By Ramsey HillBy Ramsey Hill

What is UDL?What is UDL?

It is a set of principles for curriculum It is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL provides a opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.be customized and adjusted for individual needs.

The three parts of UDLThe three parts of UDL

1.1. Representation: The "what" of learning Representation: The "what" of learning

-to give learners various ways of acquiring -to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledgeinformation and knowledge

The Three parts of UDLThe Three parts of UDL

2. Expression 2. Expression

- to provide learners alternatives for - to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they knowdemonstrating what they know

The Three parts of UDLThe Three parts of UDL

3. Engagement 3. Engagement

- to tap into learners' interests, challenge them - to tap into learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learnappropriately, and motivate them to learn

The purpose of UDLThe purpose of UDL

UDL is intended to increase access to learning UDL is intended to increase access to learning by reducing physical, cognitive, intellectual, and by reducing physical, cognitive, intellectual, and organizational barriers to learning, as well as organizational barriers to learning, as well as other obstacles. UDL principles also lend other obstacles. UDL principles also lend themselves to implementing inclusionary themselves to implementing inclusionary practices in the classroom. practices in the classroom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Design_for_Learning_for_Learning

What is Autism?What is Autism?

Autism is a severe disorder of brain function Autism is a severe disorder of brain function marked by problems with social contact, marked by problems with social contact, intelligence and language, together with intelligence and language, together with ritualistic or compulsive behavior and bizarre ritualistic or compulsive behavior and bizarre responses to the environment.responses to the environment.

How does Autism impact learning?How does Autism impact learning?

There is marked impairment during several There is marked impairment during several nonverbal demeanors like eye-to-eye gaze, facial nonverbal demeanors like eye-to-eye gaze, facial expressions, and gestures to show one's ability to expressions, and gestures to show one's ability to interact socially. - There is a clear distortion of interact socially. - There is a clear distortion of developing peer relationships. - An autistic developing peer relationships. - An autistic child may show no real curiosity in social child may show no real curiosity in social interaction interaction

How does Autism impact learning?How does Autism impact learning?

There is shortage of spontaneity in sharing feelings such There is shortage of spontaneity in sharing feelings such as enjoyment, excitement, and great interests that a as enjoyment, excitement, and great interests that a normal child would show in certain circumstances (e.g. normal child would show in certain circumstances (e.g. pointing out objects of interest). pointing out objects of interest).

There is a lack of improvement in the spoken language There is a lack of improvement in the spoken language and inability to supply a student's talking with and inability to supply a student's talking with alternative modes of communication like gesture or alternative modes of communication like gesture or mime. An autistic child acquires his/her language mime. An autistic child acquires his/her language through repetitive language. through repetitive language.

UDL for Autism- examplesUDL for Autism- examples

Teaching social and behavioral skills often includes step Teaching social and behavioral skills often includes step by step instruction with modeling, role play for practice, by step instruction with modeling, role play for practice, and then prompting the use of the skill in natural and then prompting the use of the skill in natural settings. Modeling (combined with prompting and settings. Modeling (combined with prompting and reinforcement) is reported by the National Autism reinforcement) is reported by the National Autism Center to be one of the more effective methods of Center to be one of the more effective methods of teaching children with autism spectrum disorders. teaching children with autism spectrum disorders.

http://www.suite101.com/content/autism-teaching-http://www.suite101.com/content/autism-teaching-methods-a253907methods-a253907

UDL for Autism-examplesUDL for Autism-examples

Naturalistic Teaching uses child-directed behaviors as Naturalistic Teaching uses child-directed behaviors as teachable moments for learning new skills. It was found teachable moments for learning new skills. It was found to be an effective teaching strategy by the National to be an effective teaching strategy by the National Autism Center’s National Standards Project. For Autism Center’s National Standards Project. For example, if a child only wants cars to play with, the example, if a child only wants cars to play with, the teaching could involve requiring some approximate teaching could involve requiring some approximate language use in order to obtain the car. language use in order to obtain the car.


UDL for Autism-examplesUDL for Autism-examples

Story based interventions were also found to be an Story based interventions were also found to be an effective teaching method by the National Standards effective teaching method by the National Standards Project. Children with autism sometimes need Project. Children with autism sometimes need information explained in a step-by-step fashion within a information explained in a step-by-step fashion within a natural scenario that is presented visually. Social Stories natural scenario that is presented visually. Social Stories are one method of using story based interventions, are one method of using story based interventions, although those interventions can be for academics as although those interventions can be for academics as well. The correct behavior is presented within the well. The correct behavior is presented within the context of a social scenario paired with visuals. context of a social scenario paired with visuals.


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UDL and Autism